The class action lawsuit filed in the USA over Shimano’s huge recall of cranksets is nearing finalisation after the judge issued a preliminary approval order on 29 July, according to a statement released by Shimano.
Shimano said: “The finalization of the settlement is subject to final approval by the court. Because the final approval has not yet been obtained, we refrain from disclosing the specific terms of the settlement. However, we consider the terms to be reasonable.”
The lawsuit was filed in the USA by the plantiffs claiming damages related to some bonded 11-speed Hollowtech II road cranksets sold there.
In September 2023, Shimano issued a global recall of its 11-speed Hollowtech road cranksets, with more than 760,000 units affected in North America and 2.8 million globally.
The United States Consumer Product Safety Commission (USCPSC) said the recall applied to cranks sold over an 11-year period from January 2012 after a reported 4,519 incidents of cranksets separating.
The lawsuit was filed in US District Court in California against Shimano as well as Specialized, Trek and Giant.
It said the recall was “adequate” and said Shimano was “working hard to limit the cost of fixing the issue at the expense of consumers”.
It also accused Trek and Specialized of “knowingly and intentionally misrepresenting, omitting, concealing, and/or failing to disclose material facts regarding the quality, reliability, and safety of the cranksets.”
Shimano’s latest statement about the court case, released on 4 August, read: “The final decision on the settlement by the court is expected in early next year. Should timely disclosure become necessary in the future in accordance with relevant laws and regulations, we will promptly make the appropriate disclosure.”
BikeRadar first reported on Shimano road cranksets delaminating in 2020. But the recall issued nearly two years ago was the first time Shimano acknowledged a widespread issue with its Hollowtech cranksets.
At the time, Shimano advised that only owners of cranksets showing signs of “bonding separation or delamination during the inspection will be provided a free replacement crankset and installation”.
Shimano also set up an official helpline to assist consumers affected by the recall.
Further information
- Shimano recall | 2.8 million cranks affected globally
- Understanding an unusual Shimano crankset failure
- Class-action lawsuit filed against Shimano, Specialized and Trek over Hollowtech crank failures
- The Hollowtech crank recall is a nightmare for riders, shops and Shimano. How did we get here and what happens next?
