Shimano brake cable recall

  • Thread starter Mike Jacoubowsky/Chain Reaction Bicycles
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Mike Jacoubowsky/Chain Reaction Bicycles

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Shimano announces recall of road bike brake cables that could fail (a very
dangerous situation)-

We received a semi-cryptic recall notice from Shimano regarding brake cables
the other day, and have put together a page that hopefully explains it
(along with photos so you can identify good & bad). It may be found at

www.ChainReaction.com/recallshimanocable.htm

Please note that this recall is essentially only for aftermarket cables, and
doesn't affect any cables sold prior to April of 2003. This means that
cables that were part of a component group, or found on a new bike,
shouldn't be defective. However, the same rules for determining whether
defective or not apply, so if you want to be safe, you can look at the
photos I've posted and make sure you're OK.

Also, if anybody finds anything on my page that's at odds with something
they've heard, please let me know so I can look into it. My info is based on
the recall notice mailed out, along with two conversations with Shimano
customer service people on 1/25/05.

--Mike Jacoubowsky
Chain Reaction Bicycles
www.ChainReaction.com
IMBA, BikesBelong, NBDA member
 
Should have mentioned that the recall affects road bike cables only, not
mountain bikes.

--Mike Jacoubowsky
Chain Reaction Bicycles
www.ChainReaction.com
IMBA, BikesBelong, NBDA member
 
"Mike Jacoubowsky/Chain Reaction Bicycles" <[email protected]> wrote
in message news:[email protected]...
> Should have mentioned that the recall affects road bike cables only, not
> mountain bikes.


Here is a pdf with serial numbers and stuff:

http://plaza.ufl.edu/phillee/Consumer Recall Notice Final Jan 2005.pdf

Back when I had a kid's bike (not that long ago actually), I pulled my brake
lever hard and inadvertently pulled off one of the heads off a cable and was
a bit upset to find that my brakes no longer worked. We should have sued ;)

--
Phil, Squid-in-Training
 
> Here is a pdf with serial numbers and stuff:
>
> http://plaza.ufl.edu/phillee/Consumer Recall Notice Final Jan 2005.pdf


Unfortunately, that info is only good for recognizing the cables in their
original point-of-purchase packaging, and no good once they're on the bike.
Shimano faxed me a sheet showing tiny pictures of the markings on the heads,
which was why I decided to take photos myself and put them up.

--Mike Jacoubowsky
Chain Reaction Bicycles
www.ChainReaction.com
IMBA, BikesBelong, NBDA member
 
Mike Jacoubowsky/Chain Reaction Bicycles wrote:
> Shimano announces recall of road bike brake cables that could fail (a very
> dangerous situation)-
>
> We received a semi-cryptic recall notice from Shimano regarding brake cables
> the other day, and have put together a page that hopefully explains it
> (along with photos so you can identify good & bad). It may be found at
>
> www.ChainReaction.com/recallshimanocable.htm
>
> Please note that this recall is essentially only for aftermarket cables, and
> doesn't affect any cables sold prior to April of 2003. This means that
> cables that were part of a component group, or found on a new bike,
> shouldn't be defective. However, the same rules for determining whether
> defective or not apply, so if you want to be safe, you can look at the
> photos I've posted and make sure you're OK.
>
> Also, if anybody finds anything on my page that's at odds with something
> they've heard, please let me know so I can look into it. My info is based on
> the recall notice mailed out, along with two conversations with Shimano
> customer service people on 1/25/05.
>
> --Mike Jacoubowsky
> Chain Reaction Bicycles
> www.ChainReaction.com
> IMBA, BikesBelong, NBDA member
>
>


Mike, many thanks for the clear and concise explanation of the Shimano
brake cable recall. This is a real service and you deserve credit for
making this available. I was wondering, when was it exactly that I
replaced those cables? Probably in 2003 before the Sierra to the Sea,
but I can't remember for sure. Maybe it was in 2004. Now I have
something to look for.

Dave
 
> One of our members (Alto Velo) found the recall notice that Shimano put
> out for the United Kingdom. It is much more clear and informative than
> the message provided in this country. It is
> http://www.shimano-eu.com/cycling/recall/Recall_UnitedKingdom.pdf


Yes, that's what Shimano *faxed* to me. They said they didn't have anything
they could email (which seems silly, given that your link is to a .pdf that
certainly could have been!). And, interestingly, they included instructions
on releasing the brake cable from the cable guides, so you can inspect the
cable head... which was exactly what I was going to work on doing tomorrow
for our website. Guess I don't need to now!

--Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles
www.ChainReactionBicycles.com
 
Mike, thanks for the heads up. I wonder if there is something truly
defective about these cables, or if they just didn't go through the
normal inspection process.

The uk link says that Shimano is not aware of any actual failures of
the cables, but is voluntarily recalling them.

Art Harris
 
Mike Jacoubowsky/Chain Reaction Bicycles wrote:

> Should have mentioned that the recall affects road bike cables only, not
> mountain bikes.
>
> --Mike Jacoubowsky
> Chain Reaction Bicycles
> www.ChainReaction.com
> IMBA, BikesBelong, NBDA member
>
>

I saw the recall notice in ProCycling (British) magazine. It said the
cables were only sold in the European market as replacements. Did they
backpedal on that?

--
My bike blog:
http://diabloscott.blogspot.com/
 
In article <[email protected]>,
Mike Jacoubowsky <[email protected]> wrote:
>someone writes:
>> http://www.shimano-eu.com/cycling/recall/Recall_UnitedKingdom.pdf

>
>Yes, that's what Shimano *faxed* to me. They said they didn't have anything
>they could email (which seems silly, given that your link is to a .pdf that
>certainly could have been!). And, interestingly, they included instructions
>on releasing the brake cable from the cable guides, so you can inspect the
>cable head... which was exactly what I was going to work on doing tomorrow
>for our website. Guess I don't need to now!


Perhaps you can put on your web page a link to the above shimano-eu.com
PDF file, in addition to your enlarged pictures and explanations?

--
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Timothy J. Lee
Unsolicited bulk or commercial email is not welcome.
No warranty of any kind is provided with this message.
 
> I saw the recall notice in ProCycling (British) magazine. It said the
> cables were only sold in the European market as replacements. Did they
> backpedal on that?


Probably poor wording. Shimano says that none of the bad cables were used on
bikes or in groups or components; the only defective ones were aftermarket
replacement cables. So the only defective cables sold in the european market
were replacements. Same thing could have been said about any market.

--Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles
www.ChainReactionBicycles.com
 
> Perhaps you can put on your web page a link to the above shimano-eu.com
> PDF file, in addition to your enlarged pictures and explanations?


Just added it to the first paragraph on that page. Curiously, we had a
Shimano rep in the store today, and that was the first time he'd seen the
better "euro" info as well. All they'd sent him was the text-only piece that
really didn't tell you a whole lot.

--Mike Jacoubowsky
Chain Reaction Bicycles
www.ChainReaction.com
IMBA, BikesBelong, NBDA member