CPSC, Specialized Announce Recall of Brake Rotors On Mountain Bikes

Recall Insight

This CPSC action (record #04522) was formally reported on December 10, 2003. It is classified under Moderate severity, with a current status of Active. Specialized Bicycle Components Inc., Morgan Hill, Calif. is listed as the recalling firm. Federal records indicate 250 units are affected.

The documented reason for this recall is: During heavy braking, the brake tabs on the front forks could break off, possibly causing a loss of control and fall from the bicycle. Distribution information was not included in the agency filing, so consumers should assume broad potential exposure until the firm publishes point-of-sale details. The remedy documented by the agency is: Specialized has agreed to replace the 8-inch brake rotors on these bikes with 6-inch rotors at no cost to the consumer. Consumers should stop riding these bikes and return them to an authorized retai… — consumers holding this product should act on that instruction rather than relying on general guidance.

To put this record in context, PlainRecalls indexes 83,949 recalls across the FDA, CPSC, NHTSA and USDA FSIS going back to 1995. Within the same product category, the database holds 6 closely related recalls, of which 1 were also issued by CPSC. That clustering is a signal — repeated actions in a narrow category often indicate a systemic quality-control issue, a supplier-wide contamination, or a design defect that has propagated across product lines. This recall is roughly 23 years old; older recalls can remain relevant because many units enter resale, rental, and secondary-market channels where the original warning never reaches the end user. Always cross-check the recall number against the official agency page before relying on any summary.