A couple of days in the past, a collection of movies began spreading on Chinese language TikTok and numerous different platforms. The primary one confirmed a bike owner whose brakes failed throughout a downhill, inflicting him to crash. He was utilizing the Magene QED groupset, as, being Chinese language, he needed to have full Chinese language elements construct to help his personal home manufacturers in China. However is Magene actually at fault? Let’s take a look at the case extra carefully, from an goal viewpoint. You can too watch or hearken to the next video.
The bike owner within the video is Le Dingfei. On August 10, he posted a brief video from the hospital. He had gone on a biking journey out of city and ended up crashing as a result of brake failure in each calipers. His leg was damaged and required surgical procedure. While he was ready for his ambulance, he recorded his buddy testing the brakes on the crashed bike. Even with each brakes absolutely pressed, the bike didn’t cease in any respect.
Dingfei known as on Magene to drag the product from the market. For a number of days, nothing occurred. Magene representatives realized concerning the case rapidly. They despatched technicians to go to Dingfei in individual and, amongst different issues, even purchased him a wheelchair (lol). The technicians checked over the braking system. Later, the corporate launched an official assertion, which you’ll see within the unique beneath. And by clicking right here, you possibly can learn a free translation.
In Magene’s official assertion, they blamed Dingfei for utilizing light-weight brake rotors from Chaser Sports activities, together with resin brake pads, claiming that his pads had been low, with solely ¼ braking materials left. Magene additionally blamed Dingfei for not having an authorised Magene tech carry out the set up. Dingfei obtained numerous criticism and backlash on social media as individuals known as him out for neglecting upkeep and being a heavy rider. Dingfei defended this, and his mechanic seems to be an authorised reseller and installer of Magene, Shimano, and SRAM elements.
Ding’s mechanic did an experiment the place he sanded the brake pads right down to the naked metallic of the pad backing and put them in each Shimano and SRAM calipers. Each methods will permit emergency stopping in case the pads are fully worn out by having the pistons depress the whole approach and forcing the worn-out pads to make contact with the QED system from Magene. The issue appears to be not the caliper itself, however the fluid reservoir, which might be too small, and it visibly doesn’t compress the pads to some extent of contact when it’s low on pad materials. If all this info is true, it is a critical engineering and design flaw that might actually value you your life.
Dingfei initially obtained numerous doxing and social media backlash for talking out. Since proof was produced exhibiting the Magene product failure in an goal style, the net opinion has shifted to help him calling out Magene publicly.
Chaser Sports activities (ultra-lightweight disc rotors) additionally launched a video exhibiting rigorous product testing and braking efficiency even underneath low pad situations on non-Magene braking methods. Dingfei factors out that the usage of metallic pads is a advice solely and never a should. The disc rotors are suitable with each materials varieties.
On the finish of Dingfei’s most up-to-date video, he data his wheelchair within the nook of the hospital room, and he says because of Magene. “Purchase Magene, get a free wheelchair.”
I’m curious to see how this complete factor performs out (and I’ll replace this text accordingly). However on this case, I’m behind the bike owner. Magene ought to do a recall till the entire drawback is correctly investigated and addressed, moderately than releasing a press release to shift blame to the buyer and different elements.
