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failed carbon fibre steerer tube

  • This topic has 11 replies, 8 voices, and was last updated 9 years ago by londoncommute.
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  • May 23, 2017 at 2:20 pm #27152
    Dr Livingstone

    Hi, I ride a 2012 Merckx EMX-1.  On Sunday I had a nasty accident when my carbon steerer tube sheered.  Anybody had this before?  Is it normal for a 4 year old bike with about 6000 miles?

     

    Thanks

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  • May 29, 2017 at 3:08 pm #893919
    0
    londoncommute
    VeloUSA wrote:
    Are you the first owner of this  frame? Is the frame registered with Merckx? If yes to both, contact Merckx on their lifetime warranty regarding defects in workmanship.

     

     

    Merckx have the worst warranty I’ve ever seen as it’s so underhand.  It drops away if you don’t follow their ludicrous (and expensive rules).  Most of us on here don’t need to pay someone else to service our bikes but you’re effectively forced to if you want the warrany to continue.

    Much better if they were honest and said there is a one year warranty rather than hiding this.  I know warranties aren’t everything as things normally fail quite quickly but it doesn’t give you a nice fuzzy feeling you’re buying something from a brand who will look after you.

     

    b. The bicycle must be serviced a minimum of one time per calendar year at an official EMC dealer or at a dealer approved by EMC or one of its affiliated companies for the Strict Lifetime Warranty to remain in effect.

    c. After each annual servicing at an official EMC dealer or at a dealer approved by EMC or one of its affiliated companies, this dealer must validate the buyer’s Bike Passport in the space provided on the Bike Passport. In the absence of proof of such maintenance and stamps, the Strict Lifetime Warranty is void.

    May 29, 2017 at 2:47 pm #893917
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    VeloUSA

    Sorry, I didn’t see your

    Sorry, I didn’t see your second post “I have sent an email to Merckx but no reply”. I wish you a speedy recovery and hope all goes well with your bike issue.

    May 29, 2017 at 12:06 pm #893915
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    Dr Livingstone

     have tried contacting Merckx

     have tried contacting Merckx but they have not yet responded

     

    May 28, 2017 at 11:44 pm #893913
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    VeloUSA

    Are you the first owner of

    Are you the first owner of this  frame? Is the frame registered with Merckx? If yes to both, contact Merckx on their lifetime warranty regarding defects in workmanship.

     

    May 26, 2017 at 6:04 pm #893911
    0
    KiwiMike
    Dr Livingstone wrote:
    Head has always been adjusted by LBS so torque wrenches all around

    This will depend on how well you know the mechanic who worked on your bike, otherwise you’re guessing/hoping. 

     

    May 26, 2017 at 8:32 am #893909
    0
    Anonymous

    Where abouts did the steerer

    Where abouts did the steerer shear (I mean on the fork rather than geographicaly)?

    May 24, 2017 at 6:45 pm #893907
    0
    Dr Livingstone

    cheers guys.  For info, full

    cheers guys.  For info, full carbon fork – no ally bits. second it was the steerer shearing that caused the accident, not the other way round.  I have sent an email to Merckx but no reply, bought the bike from Evans and they are much more helpful.  All delayed by the fact that a friend has my bike and my injuries mean that I can’t fetch it or take it to Evans!

     

    Head has always been adjusted by LBS so torque wrenches all around.

     

     

    May 24, 2017 at 6:35 pm #893905
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    Nick T

    It’s not normal and it

    It’s not normal and it shouldn’t happen. Trek may have attempted to cover themselves legally with their guidelines but they were basically selling forks that weren’t up to standard. 

     

    Is your fork fork full carbon or does it have an alloy steerer tube bonded to the carbon legs? These forks are more likely to shear where the materials join. Full carbon should be much less likely to. Either one shouldn’t break in normal use, so get on the phone to Merckx and see what they’re going to do about it

    May 24, 2017 at 4:43 pm #893903
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    Alex Brown

    After a spate of such

    After a spate of such incidents several years ago, Trek issued guidelines on fitting stems to carbon steerers (see e.g. the story at https://www.bikerumor.com/2010/06/23/broken-trek-carbon-steerer-tubes-result-of-the-wrong-stems/). I’d have thought these principles apply to any carbon steerer, not just Trek’s?

    May 24, 2017 at 4:14 pm #893901
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    Anonymous

    I have a pair of Mizuno 1″

    I have a pair of Mizuno 1″ full carbon forks on my Raleigh titanium, I’ve logged about same miles give or take and I’m a hefty lump and they are solid as a rock though the steerer wall thickness is much greater than pretty much any fork i’ve seen.

    Even with some hefty knocks a Cf fork should be fine and there should be no fatigue however there are simply times when the amount of energy going through a certain point is simply too much, as you stated it was a ‘nasty’ one so unfortunately there’s not a lot of comeback to be honest even though the miles are relatively low.

    unless you can prove there was some flaw in the design or manufacturing defect you’ll just have to take the hand you’ve being dealt and move on.

    Hope you’re ok.

    May 24, 2017 at 1:49 am #893899
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    dottigirl

    First, check your forks are
    Firstly, check your forks are not subject to a recall.
    Secondly, who’s been tightening your headset/stem, and have they been using a torque wrench?
    Thirdly, hope you’re okay.

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