# Trek "carbon warning" letters?



## cydswipe (Mar 7, 2002)

What is the deal with Trek sending out letters of warning about carbon failure? I read another thread about this topic here. Is it make or model specific? Urban legend? What is the deal?


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## cmatcan (Oct 6, 2005)

cydswipe said:


> What is the deal with Trek sending out letters of warning about carbon failure? I read another thread about this topic here. Is it make or model specific? Urban legend? What is the deal?


most likely urban legend. my place of work(bike shop) has heard nothing of this.


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## goofygoober (Oct 5, 2005)

I'm in the UK and received the letter on Thursday.
Funny thing is I don't even have a carbon fibre trek!!
I registered my Lemond for warranty purposes recently, so I can only think that the details were taken from a database.
I binned all the literature, as it obviously didn't apply to me!


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## cmatcan (Oct 6, 2005)

the letters that do exist are not specifically because trek's are dangerous. they serve the purpose of telling customers about the risks of all carbon fibre bikes. Carbon doesn't bend or dent-it snaps. this is just a fact and if it really scares you, don't get a carbon bike-trek or otherwise.


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## acock (Oct 13, 2005)

*I got the letter, not decal*

I got the letter last week. I recently purchased a Pilot 5.0. The letter said to stick the attached decal on the top tube near the stem. The letter said the decal said to take the bike to a dealwer if you thought something might be wrong. Interestingly, no decale was attached.


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## boris the blade (Aug 5, 2004)

also i believe the letter also informs of a crash replacement program for carbon components in case of an accident to create a pro-active stance in safe carbon component/frame usage. I also work at a trek shop and this is on dexter.


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## cydswipe (Mar 7, 2002)

*U.S. only?*

Cmatcan, do you work overseas? Maybe the letter is a U.S. only thing due to the increasing number of lawyers and crazy lawsuits? my '99 Trek is registered with the company and I've never heard of any of this "letter/decal" stuff.


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## John Ryder (Mar 16, 2002)

I got that same letter from Trek yesterday....the sticker was on the back of one of the 3 pages that came. I got my Project One 5.9 SL "Widow Maker" back in August. And I live in Halifax, Nova Scotia.


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## cmatcan (Oct 6, 2005)

boris- i also read that notice on dexter but i usually try to stay away from good ol' dex, it can be a source of headaches for me. how do you find that it works? i think looking up availabilities is a slick, smooth function but everything else seems problematic. they are, though, a great company to deal with as far as bike brands go.


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## Trek_envy (Jun 15, 2004)

*I ....*

got mine yesterday for my Madone 5.2.

My wife rides a 2004 - 5000, and received no letter. Makes me think its 2005/6 vintage only, or perhaps Madone/Pilot.


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## Bazeljet (May 4, 2005)

Trek_envy said:


> got mine yesterday for my Madone 5.2.
> 
> My wife rides a 2004 - 5000, and received no letter. Makes me think its 2005/6 vintage only, or perhaps Madone/Pilot.


I believe they were only sending them to people that have registered carbon bikes in the last 2 years or so. Between people that only keep a bike for a year and the others that move around Trek is trying to save some postage.


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## acid_rider (Nov 23, 2004)

*not down under*



Bazeljet said:


> I believe they were only sending them to people that have registered carbon bikes in the last 2 years or so. Between people that only keep a bike for a year and the others that move around Trek is trying to save some postage.


FWIW, I live in Australia, own a 2005 Madone 5.9, bought in ~Aug 2005. Nothing from Trek re carbon warning.


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## cmatcan (Oct 6, 2005)

cydswipe said:


> Cmatcan, do you work overseas? Maybe the letter is a U.S. only thing due to the increasing number of lawyers and crazy lawsuits? my '99 Trek is registered with the company and I've never heard of any of this "letter/decal" stuff.


i'm based in canada.


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## speedgod (Jan 13, 2005)

The mail everyone is receiving is also available at your local Trek dealers. This is Trek taking a pro active stance as there has been a carbon shortage and a lot of companies are using poor quality carbon and they are trying to make people aware of the dangers of cracked carbon fiber or sometimes you wont see the crack. No one else is making there customers aware of these known issues. They want everyone to ride safe but to be aware of any subtle differences they might notice during a ride or after a crash. It is a nice program that they offer with the crash replacement so you don't have to worry is my bar going to break while I am climbing or sprinting. Or is my frame damaged?. Look to your local Trek dealer and listen to any audible sound differences when you ride or flick the carbon in various areas to get an idea.

SG


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## bas (Jul 30, 2004)

goofygoober said:


> I'm in the UK and received the letter on Thursday.
> Funny thing is I don't even have a carbon fibre trek!!
> I registered my Lemond for warranty purposes recently, so I can only think that the details were taken from a database.
> I binned all the literature, as it obviously didn't apply to me!


Is that a Lemond carbon fiber bike?

Who do you think made it?! Trek made your bike dude!!!!


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## goofygoober (Oct 5, 2005)

I'm well aware who makes my Lemond, but I have the full Ti Tete De Course frame  
That's why I thought it a little strange that I received the letter.


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## bas (Jul 30, 2004)

goofygoober said:


> I'm well aware who makes my Lemond, but I have the full Ti Tete De Course frame
> That's why I thought it a little strange that I received the letter.



ok -then that is strange!


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## Peith (Feb 16, 2006)

Trek is, as someone else mentioned, taking a proactive stance on carbon fiber and educating the public about its unique properties. While it is probably the best material for making high end bikes, it also reacts waaay differently than metal. If you nail steel or alum, you get a bend. Carbon will fracture (under great great great duress). Although rare, once you get a fracture, stress worsens it with more and more ease.

I heard a nasty rumor that someone bought a carbon fiber bike off ebay which was crashed or messed up in transit and ended up failing on the person in a bad way. Which put the rider in a worse way. Not like its never happened with any other material, but its cool that trek is at least educating people about what their ride is made of. They are also doing a pretty sweet crash replacement program, which is different from their lifetime warranty. 

The moral of the story is if you use carbon and you eff it up, take it to your LBS and have them eval. it.


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