Initial approval granted for settlement in Shimano crankset lawsuit dispute
The class-action lawsuit against Shimano regarding faulty Hollowtech II cranksets is nearing final settlement, with the court recently issuing a preliminary approval order on the settlement terms. The final court approval is expected early next year (2026).
The lawsuit relates primarily to bonded 11-speed Hollowtech II road cranksets manufactured before 2019, which were recalled due to issues of cranksets separating during use, posing fall and injury hazards. The recall and lawsuit cover approximately 760,000 cranksets in North America and a global tally of about 2.8 million affected Hollowtech II cranksets sold since 2012.
Key settlement terms include free replacements for all faulty Hollowtech II cranksets, an extra two years of warranty for customers affected by the recall, a payment of $500 to each of the 14 plaintiffs as a service award, and additional support and tools provided to retailers for handling the recall.
Shimano has denied the allegations made in the class-action lawsuit, but set aside 17.6 billion yen ($119.4 million, £89.3 million) to cover the costs of the recall. More than 4,500 incidents of cranksets separating were reported, including six serious injuries such as bone fractures, joint displacements, and lacerations.
The affected products include Ultegra FC-6800, FC-R8000, Dura-Ace FC-9000, FC-R9100, and FC-R9100-P. Shimano offered a free inspection and replacement programme to any customers affected. The proposed settlement offers an extra two years of warranty to customers affected by the recall.
The recall notice for 760,000 Hollowtech II cranksets in North America was issued due to potential fall and injury hazards. The preliminary approval for the settlement was issued on 28 July in the U.S. District Court in California. The specific terms of the settlement are not yet disclosed, as they are subject to final approval by the court.
Shimano expects a final court decision to be announced early next year. The recall may affect as many as 2.8 million Shimano cranksets globally. The lawsuit was filed in October 2023, claiming the recall was inadequate and alleging fraudulent concealment of information about the faults.
Sources:
- CyclingTips
- BikeRadar
- BicycleRetailer
- Cycling Weekly
- Despite the ongoing class-action lawsuit regarding Shimano's Hollowtech II cranksets, the company has expanded its product line, introducing new e-bikes designed for sports enthusiasts.
- The settlement terms for the Shimano class-action lawsuit include free replacements for affected products, such as e-bikes that utilize the faulty Hollowtech II cranksets in their design.
