Shimano Crankset Recall

[elreb]

I’m pretty sad about the news the dura ace 9000 I think is the best looking crankset ever made. I’ve got a set of FC-9000 NB ‘s on my moots. Sorry not adding too much to the discussion but mine were inspected and appear fine but now wondering if it’s time for an upgrade.

Originally Posted by robt57

Only 'LG' cranks??

None of mine are LG, that's good.. right?

OOps, no.

The affected models are pre-July 2019 production and have the following two letter production code on backside 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.

[AngryScientist]

I had a great day of riding yesterday. At one point I was really bombing a descent, 45ish mph. All my weight on the pedals, really leaning on it in the corners. I did briefly look down at my trusty Campagnolo crank arms and had a thought that I was glad I trusted them.

While I am pretty sure with diligent self inspection the Shimano cranks will not just catastrophically fail, I think psychologically once I stop trusting an important component like a crankset, I have to retire it.

On my SwissX especially, I think i will just replace the crank. Just dont like the idea of riding it anymore. Hopefully at some point I can just mail it back to Shimano for a replacement.

[elreb]

Also there is a guy I recently saw using a likely recalled crank as breakless on a track bike. I initially thought it looked really good despite probably not being a good ideas because of the thinner chainring - but now thinking of how much worse a failure would be on a track bike vs road makes me scared for him.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CqZHbbEB-SJ

[Hank Scorpio]

I took both my affected cranks off this weekend and took the chainrings off my older pair first. the bond line appears intact and unconcerning. On my 8000 Ultegra set the backside of the outer chainring had a sizeable hole it in. Not sure how long it had been like that as that bike doesn’t get ridden often. I know that isn’t the area addressed in this recall but I figured I would make a quick trip down to ye olde bike shop to show the owner. He took one millisecond look at them and said “Shimano wants all of these back”. I know that isn’t right and don’t want to send both in only to have shimano say these are fine pay us shipping fees to send them back. I would like the outer ring on the 8000 replaced if that is a possibility. Still deciding what to do.

[AngryScientist]

Woo, that's a new one. How the hell did that happen I wonder?

[Ttx1]

Originally Posted by AngryScientist

Woo, that's a new one. How the hell did that happen I wonder?

The answer to that question is not "through a best in class and highly uncompromising product design and development process that prioritizes performance, durability, and customer value"

You know where Shimano declares "value creating company" on their corporate website? They're talking shareholder value. Full stop.

Now, don't get me wrong: there's nothing wrong with shareholder value.

However, if you don't deliver short/medium/long term customer value, you cannot deliver shareholder value.

[Hank Scorpio]

I can’t really pinpoint it. The bike it was on has been hanging for sometime but the last time I rode it I didn’t notice poor shifting up front or out of the ordinary noise.

[darkmother]

Originally Posted by Hank Scorpio

On my 8000 Ultegra set the backside of the outer chainring had a sizeable hole it in.

Interesting failure. If you are willing, please post pictures of the big ring off the crank arm.

I wonder if the crack initiated from the threaded insert.

[charliedid]

Originally Posted by Ttx1

The answer to that question is not "through a best in class and highly uncompromising product design and development process that prioritizes performance, durability, and customer value"

You know where Shimano declares "value creating company" on their corporate website? They're talking shareholder value. Full stop.

Now, don't get me wrong: there's nothing wrong with shareholder value.

However, if you don't deliver short/medium/long term customer value, you cannot deliver shareholder value.

DUDE give it a rest, have a cup of herbal tea and chill the $&*@ out. Sometimes stuff breaks.

Remember all those stories of pros snapping Dura-Ace cranks in half every other ride? Yeah me either.

[charliedid]

Originally Posted by Hank Scorpio

I took both my affected cranks off this weekend and took the chainrings off my older pair first. the bond line appears intact and unconcerning. On my 8000 Ultegra set the backside of the outer chainring had a sizeable hole it in. Not sure how long it had been like that as that bike doesn’t get ridden often. I know that isn’t the area addressed in this recall but I figured I would make a quick trip down to ye olde bike shop to show the owner. He took one millisecond look at them and said “Shimano wants all of these back”. I know that isn’t right and don’t want to send both in only to have shimano say these are fine pay us shipping fees to send them back. I would like the outer ring on the 8000 replaced if that is a possibility. Still deciding what to do.

That is indeed a new one for me.

[Turkle]

In the most recent Rivendell newsletter/blog thing, Grant had a pretty interesting and nuanced take on the recall. You can read it in here:

https://www.rivbike.com/blogs/grant-...og/september-1

"The crank isn't Shimano's fault. It was inevitable in a system (bicycle manufacturer-customers, bicycle riders looking to "upgrade," the media that accepts the advertising dollars and applauds new lightweight barriers broken and convinces readers that it matters."

Anyway, he goes on to note that recalls happen, they've happened to him. It's not evidence of some grand conspiracy or anything, but in a market where the lightest parts are prioritized over almost any other consideration these things are going to be more or less inevitable.

I thought that this could provide helpful perspective from someone extremely well-versed in the manufacturing and safety side of bicycle engineering.

[Hank Scorpio]

So the plot thickens. I spoke to another friend that I know very well. He said he has seen this failure before and when he has submitted it to shimano (pre recall) they have declined to warranty stating that this is normal wear and tear. I removed the chainring in the interest of science and it doesn’t appear that the crack started at the chainring bolt. Also the bond line looks fine but he said bring it all over because shimano has a detailed inspection process which the first shop definitely did not do.

[Ttx1]

Originally Posted by charliedid

Remember all those stories of pros snapping Dura-Ace cranks in half every other ride? Yeah me either.

This >< is how much I care about what pros are paid to use, or by extension: what ad-supported media has to say about, well, anything.

The GCs are a rolling advertisement in which some talented people perform athletic stunts to gain attention for team sponsors and event advertisers. e.g., that was the founding purpose of the TdF, and remains the purpose today.

Pro cyclists will use anything for a buck, and the SC can replace a crankset at will between stages, or even with a complete bike swap mid-stage. A pro with a clicking or creaking crankset in a grand tour will likely not have a click or creak in the next stage.

Lack of catastrophic failures in the pro peloton for a part that generally does not fail in the first place is not a sign of anything except that pro bikes have daily maintenance by pro mechs.

And to bring this all the way back to reality: The failure mode associated with the Shimano recall is corrosion - a process unlikely to progress from a new part at the start of a tour, to a failed part within a single tour, or within a single season.

However it would be interesting to know if any parts that originated in the pro peloton have failed after those bikes are sold or parted out at the end of the season. Or, how many parts used in elite/amateur competition have failed at any point.

I bet the number is not zero.

[unterhausen]

Originally Posted by Hank Scorpio

So the plot thickens. I spoke to another friend that I know very well. He said he has seen this failure before and when he has submitted it to shimano (pre recall) they have declined to warranty stating that this is normal wear and tear.

It has been a while, but aren't those chainrings half plastic?

[batman1425]

Originally Posted by Hank Scorpio

... this is normal wear and tear.

Normal for the chainring to ventilate themselves under normal use? Having a hard time seeing the failure mode. Is it possible the chain got stuck between the rings causing the damage?