According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, Globe models of bicycles sold - from 2007 until July this year - by Morgan Hill, California-based Specialized Bicycle Components are being recalled after reports of faulty front forks leading to fall of riders.

With the commission revealing that four riders have reportedly suffered facial fractures and head and shoulder injuries and cuts, due to nasty falls resulting from the breakage of the front fork of the under-recall Globe models manufactured by Kinesis of China.

The countrywide recall of the bicycles includes nearly 12,000 men's and women's Globe model bicycles of 2008 and 2009 model years. The recall affects the following models: Globe Elite, Globe Centrum Elite, Globe Sport, Globe Sport Disc, Globe Centrum Comp, Globe City 6, Globe Vienna 3, Globe Vienna 3 Disc, Globe Vienna 4, Globe Vienna Deluxe 3, Globe Vienna Deluxe 4, Globe Vienna Deluxe 5, and Globe Vienna Deluxe 6 bicycles.

The bicycles being recalled were sold under the `Specialized' brand name, and in different colors, such as black, blue, silver, gun, navy, khaki, bone, gold, charcoal, and burgundy. While the brand name features on the lower frame tube of the bicycles, the model name is written on several places on the bicycle frame.

Requesting the bikers to stop riding the under-recall Globe bicycles immediately, Specialized Bicycle Components said that the defective bicycles should be taken to an authorized `Specialized' retailer for a free-of-charge installation of a replacement fork.