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Specialized Recalls 14,200 Bikes Because Carbon Forks May Break

Written by Tyler Benedict
specialized carbon fork recall for brake post cracks in 2011
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specialized carbon fork recall for brake post cracks in 2011

Specialized has issued a recall of 14,200 bicycles spec’d with carbon forks manufactured by the Advanced Group of Taiwan. The issue, shown above, is that the brake’s post-mounts may crack and disengage from the fork, rendering them useless at best or get into the spokes and send someone flying at worst. Full CSPC details after the break, or hit their website for pics of the bikes affected.

Name of Product: Bicycles with Advanced Group carbon forks

Units: About 14,200

Distributor: Specialized Bicycle Components Inc., of Morgan Hill, Calif.

Manufacturer: Advanced Group, of Taiwan

Hazard: The brake component housed within the bicycle’s carbon fork can disengage from the fork and allow the brake assembly to contact the wheel spokes while rotating, posing a fall hazard.

Incidents/Injuries: The company has received two reports of the brake component disengaging from the carbon fork. No injuries have been reported.

Description: This recall involves the following nine, 2011 model year bicycles with Advanced Group carbon forks: Sirrus Expert, Sirrus Comp, Sirrus Elite, Vita Expert, Vita Comp, Vita Elite, Vita Elite Step Thru, Tricross Sport, Tricross, and Tricross Comp. All bicycles have the brand name “Specialized” on the lower front frame tube. The model name is on the top tube.

Sold at: Authorized Specialized Retailers nationwide from June 2010 through August 2011 for between $700 and $2,000.

Manufactured in: Taiwan

Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop riding these bicycles and return them to an authorized Specialized retailer for a free repair or replacement carbon fork.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact Specialized toll-free at (877) 808-8154 from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. PT Monday through Friday, or visit the company’s website at www.specialized.com
Tyler Benedict
11,281 articles

Tyler Benedict is the Founder of Bikerumor.com, where he’s been writing about the latest bikes, components, and cycling technology for almost two decades. Prior to that, Tyler launched and built multiple sports nutrition brands and consumer goods companies, mostly as an excuse to travel and ride in new places.

Based in North Carolina, Tyler also loves the Vanlife & family adventure travel and is always on the lookout for the next shiny new part and off-grid adventure.

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Steve M
Steve M
13 years ago

Too bad. Unfortuately this probably a precursor of things to come in the future as mass produced, lightweight carbon structures age. I realize this is a metal tab that looks cracked but these are the manufacturing realities of carbon- the details of metal to carbon interfaces often pose the biggest engineering hurdles.

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Slow Joe Crow
Slow Joe Crow
13 years ago

This is why my wife is riding a Redline. The news is actually a little slow, we were trying to buy her a Tricross in mid August and right after we got off the phone with the bike shop they called us back and said they had just been informed of a recall for the 2011 Tricross. and wouldn’t be able to sell us a bike for at least 3 weeks. So after some calling around for 2010 leftovers we ended up buying her a Redline Conquest Sport with an aluminum fork.
While I’m not about to go all Grant Petersen and replace my carbon forks with lugged steel, the fact the Redline had a similar issue with steerer tubes on their carbon forks two years ago does indicate that manufacturers need to be more careful with their designs and more rigorous in their process control and testing.

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Topmounter
Topmounter
13 years ago

I guess I need to contact City Bikes in South Park Colorado immediately.

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Eddy
Eddy
13 years ago

Thanks Specialized for producing a death trap

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Bluur
Bluur
13 years ago

Man, that’s a pretty early recall… 2 failures out of 14,200? A failure rate of 0.014% is pretty damn low, even for a critical system. I’d imagine they did internal testing to confirm the issue, but still – in most corporate environments, it wouldn’t even make it to the engineer’s desk until at least 0.05%. Good to see they’re sticking by their product.

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Nobby
Nobby
13 years ago

BLUUR-
Assuming the big red “S” is telling the truth that only 2 injuries reported.

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Steve M
Steve M
13 years ago

Interesting-
– “distributor” Specialized.
– “manufacturer” Advanced Group Taiwan.

Methinks the tail is wagging the dog.

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manny
manny
13 years ago

that’s happens because is not made in the USA

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murpes
murpes
13 years ago

This is the strongest argument against buying a Chinese carbon frame from eBay. Even if something like this were discovered, there’s no recall system in place.

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moz
moz
13 years ago

@ SteveM. I can only assume that: this ‘interesting’ applies for several american & European companies as well.

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Steve M
Steve M
13 years ago

@moz

No shit. Almost thirty years of watching the bike industry flock like lemmings to every fad (bar ends, dual crown forks, voilet anodizing) makes me a bit cynical to the exodus of US makers flooding the market with Asian carbon or for that matter- aluminum. If one looks at Interbike this year you would have to assume that the 26″ mountain bike wheel is dead as well. Are 29r’s better- really? In some cases yes, and in some no, for most but the marketing folks make you believe that if you dont have one.

What is the next big thing after carbon? Steel? Beryllium? It’s going to happen- bet on it.

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moz
moz
13 years ago

It makes me wonder. Take Santa Cruz for instance: the blur xc starting from 2.499$ & the nomad am from 2.699$ both carbon and manufactured overseas. How they would cost if they were made in the U.S? Especially the new V10 full carbon. Most of the times I am cynical as well about carbon & e-shifting as well. I mean what is next, an engine?
I bet that in a couple of years, maybe sooner, the XC cup, DH cup, Tour de France etc they will look like an F1 grid.

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JOZ
JOZ
13 years ago

Cut a cross section of a Tarmac tube and a US made Trek Madone. You’ll never buy a Specialized.

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rhyspekt
rhyspekt
13 years ago

This relates to marketing more than anything else. Specialized have amped up the marketing game to suggest that their bikes as being of the highest build quality for a mass produced brand, but clearly aren’t paying their factory to follow thru on this. They 100% had the option of paying for a better manufactured fork, but chose not to take the option. The money was instead invested in marketing, giving perceived quality instead of actual quality. The price of Specialized stopped reflecting their quality about 3-4 seasons ago.

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Robin
Robin
13 years ago

How acutely observant, Manny. American….no let’s pronounce the way it’s intended, ‘merican…made products never have recalls. Nope. Never. Ever. Not since the big bang…..I mean, creation. Nuh-uh. No way. Heck, I’ll bet no one could ever do a simple 2 min Google search and ever hear about a ‘merican made product ever being recalled. Just can’t happen. Why? Well, it’s ‘cuz o’ what manny said: they’re ‘merican, dagnabit. No way, no how it ever happened, and it ain’t gonna happen. Nope. It’s physically impossible. Now, iffin’ you’uns buy stuff from foreigners, that stuff will be recalled before Momma’s apple pie gets golden brown in her ‘merican made oven. Yeeeehaww.

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moz
moz
13 years ago

@JOZ. And what about the alloy frames?

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njguglie
njguglie
13 years ago

@ Topmounter

I see what you did there

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erik
erik
13 years ago

What they don’t tell you about the recall is that the new forks they put on the bike are not the same color and pretty much look like crap on all the bikes that got recalled. And I now agree with JOZ…never buy a Specialized!!!

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JCF
JCF
13 years ago

OH the hysteria. 2 bikes out of 14,200. Sounds like what the lame stream media does and blows things way out of proportion. I have a Specialized and a Trek and like them both equally well.

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Matt
Matt
12 years ago

I am so pissed that they put black forks on my flat grey bike. It looks like a pile of s*** !!!!

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Rob
Rob
9 years ago

Should you come across this thread like I did researching an issue, yes its a very old article I know. I have a Specialized Allez which had some very minor corrosion on the aluminum crown, they are FACT carbon forks. Anyway cut a long story short Specialized advised me to replace the forks and do not ride, apparently even very minor corrosion can cause separation between the carbon forks and crown. So you have been warned, if you see any lumpiness under the paint round the crown its bin time. I tried out their lifetime warranty on this arguing that such minor corrosion shouldnt cause such a serious issue but they just kept bleating out the same line that they dont cover corrosion EVER. Never buying Specialized crap again.

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