Giant recalls thousands of e-bikes after fork defect found

Giant Bicycle, a leading force in the bicycle industry, has issued a safety recall for thousands of its e-bikes due to a potentially dangerous defect that could cause the front fork to break.

The company is recalling around 6,200 units of its Momentum Vida E+ electric bikes. According to a recall notice published by the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), the affected bikes have a front fork that may crack and break during use, posing a crash hazard to riders.

So far, Giant has received only four reports of the forks breaking, thankfully with no injuries reported. However, the risk of a sudden fork failure is serious enough to prompt the company to initiate a full recall of the impacted models.

The recall involves Momentum Vida E+ bikes sold from September 2019 through May 2025 for between $2,500 and $3,200. These bikes came in color options of metallic red, pearl white, metallic navy blue, metallic green, indigo blue, happy mint (light green) and panther (black). The e-bike was produced in two frame configurations (mid-step and low-step) and both configurations were available in small, medium and large sizes. There is a unique serial number for each bike that is stamped into the frame on the outer side of the left rear dropout and on a printed sticker under the bike’s downtube, which can be used to identify if the bike is affected by the recall notice.

According to the notice, “To determine whether a Momentum Vida E+ bicycle is included in this recall, consumers should look at the third character of the bike’s serial number. Bikes with a serial number in which the third character is “H”, “J” or “K” are included in this recall and must have their forks replaced free of charge. Bikes with a serial number in which the third character is “G” require additional visual inspection by an authorized Giant Bicycle dealer to determine fork status.”

Owners of the recalled bikes are being instructed to immediately stop riding and contact an authorized Giant Bicycle dealer for a free inspection and replacement of the front fork.

The recall notice adds to a growing list of product safety actions in the e-bike industry, underscoring the importance of rigorous component testing – especially as electric bicycles gain popularity and see increased everyday use.

As electric bicycles become faster and heavier thanks to powerful motors and battery packs, the structural integrity of components like the frame and fork is more important than ever.

Many bicycle parts are now being produced specifically for electric bicycles, often meaning beefier construction designed for the more miles and heavier use often seen by e-bikes.