The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has recalled approximately 6,900 Specialized brand bicycles due to frame cracking.
Specialized Tarmac SL7 bikes and frames can crack along the front steering tube after a โharsh impact eventโ like a pothole. Specialized has received two reports of the Tarmac bikesโ steering tubes breaking after hard impacts, but there were no injuries.
The USPSC advised consumers to stop using recalled bikes and contact Specialized Bicycle Components for a free inspection and repair.
The bicycles were sold between July 2020 and August 2021 and had โTarmacโ written on the seat tube. According to Cycling News, this Tarmac was only released in July 2020, giving it a 15-month lifespan. According to the CPSC, the bikes were priced between $3,300 and $15,000 and were part of Specializedโs โbudget-friendlyโ models.
The older Tarmac models are not affected by the recall. However, they can be distinguished from the newer models by the better concealment of the brake lines via an integrated cable routing headset design.
Ride your Tarmac SL7 to your local retailer and have these new parts installed,โ Specialized told Cycling News.โ โParts are in stock at retailers worldwide, and installation is simple.โ
โOnly existing Tarmac SL7 models will require this upgrade. Previous Tarmac SL6 and SL7 models do not require any action, and all future Tarmac SL7 will have these new components,โ the statement continued.