Nat Bromhead
Shimano Australia have launched a voluntary inspection and replacement program for some bonded Ultegra and Dura Ace 11-speed road cranksets.
This is the result of reports of delamination, or separation of part of the crank from the rest of the arm.
The HOLLOWTECH II cranks in question were manufactured before July 2019 and covered models including Ultegra FC-6800, Dura-Ace FC-9000, Ultegra FC-R8000, Dura-Ace FC-R9100 and Dura-Ace FC-R9100P.
The news comes after a major US & Canada recall that covers some 760,000 cranksets sold over an 11-year period that resulted in more than 4,500 known incidents.
Shimano are asking users to check both the model number and the code of the crankset, with the model numbers stamped on the inside of the crank arm near the bottom of the arm as pictured on the damaged crank below.
Shimano say ‘If your crankset has one of these applicable model numbers, please identify the production code stamped on your crank arm (red box on the image below).’
‘A production code is stamped on the inside of the crank arm near the bottom of the arm. The affected models are pre-July 2019 production and have one of the following two-letter production codes on back side of the crank arm where the pedals are attached: KF, KG, KH, KI, KJ, KK, KL, LA, LB, LC, LD, LE, LF, LG, LH, LI, LJ, LK, LL, MA, MB, MC, MD, ME, MF, MG, MH, MI, MJ, MK, ML, NA, NB, NC, ND, NE, NF, NG, NH, NI, NJ, NK, NL, OA, OB, OC, OD, OE, OF, OG, OH, OI, OJ, OK, OL, PA, PB, PC, PD, PE, PF, PG, PH, PI, PJ, PK, PL, QA, QB, QC, QD, QE, QF, QG, QH, QI, QJ, QK, QL, RA, RB, RC, RD, RE, and RF.’
‘If your crankset has one of these production codes, we will inspect your crankset without charge, and if your crankset shows bonding separation, you will be provided with a free replacement crankset.’
For full details of what to do next, contact Shimano Australia Cycling, 2 Wurrook Circuit, Caringbah NSW 2229. Their phone numbers are 1800 269 958, 1300 731 077 & (02) 8536 6799.
