Product Recall Forks on MERIDA Scultura CF2 bicycles
Advance Traders has initiated a voluntary recall of all MERIDA Scultura 2017 Model year bicycles with CF2 fork delivered between July 2016 and July 2017.
Models included in recall:
- MY17 Scultura Disc 400 / Disc 400-Juliet
- MY17 Scultura 4000
- MY17 Scultura Disc 4000
- MY 17 Scultura Disc 4000-Juliet
- MY17 Scultura 4000-Juliet
- MY 17 Scultura Disc 5000
- MY17 Scultura 5000
- MY17 Scultura 5000-E
- MY17 Scultura 6000
- MY17 Scultura Special Edition
Bike part responsible for the recall:
The fork steerer tube of the full carbon forks has insufficient strength and shows too big of a bandwidth of variation during the mass-production.
FK-CF1638 rim-brake and
FK-CF1638D = disc-brake
The fork type and lay-up (A-0-UD) is visible at the fork steerer near the tapered section when removing the fork from the bike, beside the QR-code.
Advance Traders has identified a potential defect in all Scultura CF 2 Carbon Forks on bicycles delivered between July 2016 and July 2017. The affected carbon fork steerer tube may have insufficient strength and shows too big of a variation during the mass-production. The fork steerer tube might get cracks below the stem or spacers. This can lead to a full crack of this tube, which will cause losing complete control of the bike. Consequences will be accidents with potentially serious injuries of the rider, with the risk of death.
While there have been no identified issues with Scultura CF 2 carbon forks in Australia, Advance Traders understands that there is potential for this to occur. As such, Advance Traders has implemented a voluntary product recall of all Scultura 2017 bicycle models with a CF2 carbon fork sold throughout its distribution network as a precautionary measure to ensure the safety and protection of Australian consumers.
Why did this happen
Even with the forkâs steerer tube being one of the most safety relevant parts of the bicycle, as a failing will cause losing control of the bike and can have serious consequences for the rider, there is no international test-standard (such as ISO 4210) which includes proving the fork-stem durability under the forces introduced by the handlebar. Just the lower part of the front-fork is covered by legal standards within defined testing programs.
MERIDA runs external lab-tests of the steerer tube before a new carbon fork model being produced in order to certify the construction and the related manufacturing process to be safe.
The SCULTURA CF2 fork went through the test program and got homologation of high-level product safety. After MERIDA international received reports of three cracks of SCULTURA CF2 steerer-tubes from an Italian amateur road-team, MERIDA R&D started immediate investigation: Following a safety check at the other team-bikes, we found several of them showing the beginning of fractures.
As a direct consequence, we passed a bigger number of identical forks to a leading independent test-lab at Germany. The results showed that none of these forks could pass the high testing, which this type of fork passed during its homologation.
After intense discussions with MERIDA's manufacturing partner, they learned that the supplier changed the structure of the fork-stem AFTER successful homologation at the beginning of mass-production with their good intention to improve the fork's comfort values by adding more low strength glass-fibers to the steerer-tube, with additional change of the fibre orientation. This leads to a weakness of the fork-stem which is not acceptable under safety aspects.
Replacement SCULTURA CF2 forks which we will manufacture for the replacement have the original structure of fork-stem with high content of carbon-fibers, in the same way as it is done in all other MERIDA full carbon forks.
To date, there has been no reported issues in the Australian market, and the recall has been initiated by Merida and Advance Traders as a precautionary measure. All impacted bicycles in stock will be quarantined until replacement forks are provided and replaced.
All stock of MY2017 Scultura models with CF 2 forks must be immediately removed from saleable stock until a replacement fork is provided.
To assist in the recall, Advance Traders asks that you contact all customers that have purchased one of the affected bicycles and advise them to cease use immediately and to return the product to your store and have a replacement fork fitted free of charge.
Advance Traders will also be publishing a recall notice on the MERIDA website to notify affected customers. Click here for a copy of the recall notice for your information
Advance Traders also asks that you place a copy of the recall notice on your website and in store to ensure that as many customers as possible are made aware of the recall. Details of the product recall (including a copy of the recall notice or a link to a webpage where the recall notice can be viewed) may also be published on social networking sites such as Facebook or Twitter, where available.
Advance Traders has informed all relevant agencies of the recall, including the ACCC. To assist Advance Traders in meeting ACCC reporting guidelines, we ask that you submit the following information on our webshop in respect of each affected bicycle currently held in stock by your store or returned to your store by a customer:
- store name;
- the frame size and serial number
- whether the bike is floor stock or a sold bicycle.
A replacement set of colour matched and size specific forks will then be issued free of charge as soon as they are available. At this stage, timing of replacement forks being provided is to be determined & as soon as further details are available, an update will be provided.
In addition, we will offer a $30 labour credit on your account for all forks replaced. Details of replaced forks must be submitted directly via our webshop via After Sales section (https://webshop.advancetraders.com.au/). This has been set up now & replacement forks will be provided in line with the order received.
We also ask that you provide Advance Traders with details of:
- the steps taken by your store to notify affected customers of the product recall (that is, whether affected customers have been contacted directly or via social networking and whether a copy of the recall notice has been made available in-store or online); and
- any complaints received by customers regarding the product recall.
For more details please contact Advance Traders on (07) 3861 8900 or visit the Advance Traders website at www.advancetraders.com.au.
Yours sincerely
Christopher Fraser
After Sales Support Manager
Advance Traders
