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I guess you’ve already heard about the Shimano crankset recall. If not, just a quick reminder:
Shimano recently issued a global recall affecting a staggering 2.8 million cranks. This recall has sent shockwaves through the cycling community and has raised some serious questions about the state of the industry.
In this article, I share my opinion on the entire issue and try to explore a few questions it raises.
Why Shimano Waited So Long for This Recall?
I honestly don’t know the answer to this question. It’s one of the things that’s strangest about this whole case.
This problem is not new. For example, there are dozens of failures on this Instagram page.
And Shimano certainly has a lot of internal data on complaints. So the fact that they waited about 11 years to announce this recall is alarming, maybe even scandalous.
Why They Don’t Actually Recall ALL Cranks?
Another talking point is why Shimano will not replace all cranks where a potential problem may occur, but only the damaged ones. They say in their statement that all cranks will be inspected, but no further action will be required for those that pass inspection. See:
To remedy this situation, Shimano will have applicable, pre-July 2019, cranks inspected by Shimano authorized retailers, and Shimano will replace any cranks that fail the inspection process. There is no need for further action for cranks that pass the inspection process. The CPSC has reviewed and approved the voluntary Corrective Action Plan that Shimano has proposed. This is designed to give the consumer multiple ways to determine whether their crank shows a possible bonding separation issue and to swiftly remove any possible safety hazard to our consumers. (Source)
However, the question is not whether failure can occur but when it will occur. In fact, many experts agree that these cranks are flawed by design.
Why Do They Act as It Is Not a Big Deal?
Actually, this one is easy to answer. They don’t want to look bad. Personally, I’m surprised that Shimano’s stock hasn’t plummeted. This recall appears to be a negative blip rather than a catastrophe for the company.
See the following image, which compares the day the recall was announced and the day I wrote this article.
What bothers me the most is the attitude of Shimano. They use words like “Voluntary inspection and recall program.”
I mean, it’s kind of crazy. Many people were hurt by these failures, and they dared to call this a “voluntary inspection?”
Will This Recall Change Customer Behavior?
This recall might affect the competitive landscape of the cycling industry. SRAM had been gaining ground with notable wins in major races. In fact, riders on SRAM won all 6 Grand Tours in 2023 (Roglič, Vingegaard, Kuss, van Vleuten, Vollering, van Vleuten).
Will this be a turning point, and will SRAM capitalize on Shimano’s woes? Only time will tell. You are the voters. You vote with your wallets. I recommend checking out my article comparing Shimano and SRAM groupsets for more info.
Shimano Cranksets Recall FAQ
Conclusion
The Shimano global crankset recall is one of the most significant recall events, if not the most significant one, in the cycling world.
It affected millions of products and raised serious questions about the industry and its key players.
Considering the price increases of Shimano components and now seeing how they handle this recall, they gave me another reason to consider SRAM next time.
What are your thoughts about this situation? Were you affected? And what groupset do you choose next time? Let me know in the comments below.
