Shimano starts inspection and replacement program
Shimano Europe B.V. (“Shimano”), has started an inspection and replacement program of selected bonded 11-speed HOLLOWTECH II road cranksets produced between June 1, 2012, up to and including June 30, 2019, for a possible bonding separation issue.
This specifically concerns the Shimano ULTEGRA FC-6800, DURA-ACE FC-9000, ULTEGRA FC-R8000, DURA-ACE FC-R9100 and FC-R9100-P 11-Speed Bonded HOLLOWTECH II Road Cranksets in Europe. Reports received by Shimano indicate that the bonded parts of the crank arm could separate and break, posing potential fall and injury hazards to consumers.
To remedy this situation, Shimano will have any applicable crankset inspected. Shimano will replace any crank arm that fails the inspection process.
This inspection is designed to determine whether the crank arms show a possible bonding separation issue and to swiftly remove any possible safety hazard to our consumers. Not all ULTEGRA and DURA-ACE cranksets need to be inspected. Only cranksets produced between June 1, 2012, up to and including June 30, 2019, need to be inspected. The way to identify if a crankset should be inspected is provided in the WHAT TO DO section below.
Shimano will replace any cranksets that fail the inspection process free of charge.
Which chainset's are effected?
Check the back side of your chainset arms, if they show any of the model numbers listed below (please see the image below for where to look).
- FC-R9100
- FC-R9100-P
- FC-9000
- FC-R8000
- FC-6800
If your model number is not shown above, then your crank arms are not part of the batch that needs to be inspected. Continue to ride your bike with no worries.
If your chainset is one of the above models effected, you next need to check if it is stamped with a production code shown in the table below.
Again, if your cranks are not marked with a procudtion code shown in the table above, you can continue to use your bike with no worries.
What to do next?
As mentioned above, if your cranks are not marked with either the model number or production codes above you are free to continue using your bike with no worries.
If however, your cranks are marked with the model number and production codes, please use the link below to book your bike into one of our workshops. This enables us to capture all your details and for you to book a drop off slot. You can then drop your chainset or bike into your chosen store either the day before or on the morning of your drop off slot.
Please note: we will not inspect your chainset while you wait. But we will get back to you as quickly as possible once your cranks have been inspected.
What we will do?
Once we have your cranks (Preferably cleaned prior to bringing instore) we will then inspect for signs of delamination. If we find no signs of delamination you can collect your crank arms, fit them back to your bike and continue to ride. If we do find signs of delamination we will ship your cranks back to Shimano on your behalf in order to get a replacement set. Access can still be made for inspection should failure become apparent at a later date.
The first batch of free-of-charge Replacement Cranksets will be delivered to our European warehouse by mid-October 2023. Sadly we cannot store your bike while we wait for new cranks to arrive. We also don’t hold any stock of replacement cranks, but we will aim to assist and get you back on the road as quickly as possible.
More information
The new crankset uses the latest construction and bonding techniques. There will be slight cosmetic differences from the original crankset. In some cases the exact specification may not be available.
We encourage all riders to maintain their bicycle and riding equipment diligently. Have your bike tuned up and inspected regularly (ask your retailer for recommendations based on your riding habits). Pay attention to changes in the sound and feel of how your bike is riding. Changes could indicate wear out, breakage, or need for adjustment to some part of your bike.
Shimano will do our best to expedite the replacement crankset. However, with all the different chainring and crankarm length combination we may not have your crankset in stock. If a replacement crankset is temporarily unavailable, Shimano will work with the retailer to communicate and confirm when the replacement is ready.