You see notice of recalls almost everyday in the media and Consumer Reports has an entire page on items it feels important, but how does one find out about a handlebar stem on a second hand bike?  Evidently Trek recalled a number of bikes in 2000 that had defective handlebar stems (the right angled metal piece that connects the front forks to the

handlebars thru the headset on the frame).  My Trek 2500 Alpha SL that I’ve really enjoyed riding was one of those bikes with the defective stem.

Unfortunately, I wasn’t aware of any problem until I pulled the handlebars clear away from the connecting stem on a slight uphill grade last Sunday.

Googling for a replacement stem, I immediately was led to a number of sites headlining the recall of that particular stem. Nature of the problem with this particular stem design is that it only uses one single bolt to secure a capture plate holding the handlebars to the stem. In my case the bolt stripped out of it’s threads in the aluminum component and the plate dropped away freeing the handlebars during a ride. I’ve noticed that Trek doesn’t use a quill stem any longer, but I did write them to see if the bike was still covered under the recall.

In case you’ve found this post while searching for info on Trek Icon stem failures, the warning signs of failure are a “creaking” sound.  I couldn’t find the source of the “creak” on my bike but it’s easily recognizable, just never occurred to me it was between the handlebars and the stem fitting. The recall notice says over-tightening is a problem. Wish I’d tried to over-tighten then it would have stripped while I was static.

Besides searching for a replacement stem, I’m now “sling’ed up” hoping for a speedy recovery.  After four days the road rash is almost healed on the knees and elbow, but my shoulder is still suffering from the impact.  The helmet doesn’t show a single scratch so my head never hit the pavement, but I can show you the evidence that my hip slid on my iPhone for quite a distance.

Immediately after the accident I had full range of motion on the right arm and shoulder, but after it swelled I can’t lift my arm above my chest, so I’m more inclined to start thinking I’ve some degree of torn rotator cuff.

Only an MRI can determine that degree of soft tissue damage and all the sources I’ve read say emergency surgery isn’t always called for.  Since Stanna is off to Nepal in four days I’m planning on recuperating here in Trang and will decide on whether I need invasive treatment when I return to Durango and have her to literally “lean on”.

So there won’t be too many cycling posts for awhile.

UPDATE: Went to see a doctor in order to qualify for an MRI (Xray won’t show soft tissue injury) in case I needed to have one.  Doctor rotated arm and shoulder round and round, palpated all points and joints and said that I should just do limited activity for two weeks and see how it heals. He doesn’t think I need surgery unless I was a younger man who was going to do lots of heavy physical labor lifting over my head.  So I’m a happy guy.