I wouldn’t read too much into the LBS being named in the lawsuit. The attorneys are just doing their part in casting the joint & severable liability net as wide as possible. I’m actually surprised that the race organizers weren’t a named party, but perhaps the race waiver would be too difficult to overcome in the courtroom?
As others have mentioned we don’t have all the details. And we don’t know what was said and done in the manufacturing, sale, setup and maintenance of these wheels. I don’t think the LBS or Specialized wants to see any of their customers seriously injured; that’s just bad for business….and, of course, the plaintiff doesn’t want to be injured, that’s just bad for him.
I couldn’t find the documentation that came with my Roval Control wheelset so I went on-line. It’s an alarming, yet amusing, read…… but not much different from other wheel manufacturers (carbon or aluminum) that I could find.
Take a look at the bike documentation from your manufacturer – you might be surprised at what they expect from you in terms of on-going care and maintenance of your bike’s components. 😉