Shimano Europe, 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.
Balfe’s Bikes is pleased to offer an inspection of any affected crankset in our workshops, working with Shimano’s UK distributor to replace any crank arm that fails the inspection process outlined by Shimano. You do not need to have bought your bike from us, and we can inspect any brand of bike with the relevant cranks fitted.
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.
How to check if your Crankset is an affected model that needs inspection:
STEP 1 – Identify the model number of your crankset
The affected products are DURA-ACE and ULTEGRA branded cranksets with the following model numbers: ULTEGRA FC-6800, FC-R8000 and DURA-ACE FC-9000, FC-R9100 and FC-R9100-P. The model numbers are stamped on the inside of the crank arm near the bottom of the arm (see yellow square in the image below).
Does the model number on your crank arm match the model numbers above?
NO: The crankset is not affected, and no further action is needed.
YES: Proceed to STEP 2.
STEP 2 – Identify the manufacturing code stamped on your crank arm
A manufacturing code is stamped on the inside of the crank arm near the bottom of the arm (see the blue square in the image above). The affected models are pre-July 2019 production and have the following two-letter production codes: 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.
Does the manufacturing code on your crank arm match any of the two-letter production codes above?
NO: The crankset is not affected. No further action is required.
YES: Proceed to STEP 3.
Consumers with cranksets that do not fall within the specified model number and manufacturing codes do not need to take further action.
STEP 3 – Contact your local Balfe’s Bikes store to book in for your crank inspection
Shimano has developed the crankset inspection process and has provided clear instructions and tutorials for our shops.
Balfe’s Bikes would like to welcome any customers with cranks that need inspection (see identification process above) to contact their local Balfe’s store and book in for an inspection by email or phone. Our qualified mechanics will inspect your crankset for signs of bonding separation or delamination, documenting the process and submitting the inspection results to the UK distributor for Shimano, this process could take up to 1 hour.
Customers whose cranksets show signs of bonding separation or delamination during the inspection will have their crankset returned to Shimano and a replacement ordered under the inspection procedure. Due to space limitations in our stores, we ask that the bike is collected and returned for installation of the replacement crankset as soon as it arrives. Availability of replacement cranksets may be up to 4 weeks and vary based on model and dimension. We will update customers when their replacement cranksets have arrived and our mechanics are ready to reinstall them.
The replaced crankset will be a model produced for this inspection replacement process, which may feature a different cosmetic appearance while maintaining the same level of performance.
