Shimano issues disc brake recall

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Shimano today announced a voluntary recall of three of its most popular cable actuated road disc brakes: the BR-CX75, the BR-R515, and the BR-R315. Although Shimano says no injuries have been reported, a press release cites "a potential safety issue with respect to our mechanical disc brake calipers for road racing bikes which are sold after February 2012."

Currently the official recall has only been announced in Europe but the company is working with the CPSC for a similar release in the United States.

Shimano refrained from specifying the exact defect but the replacement BR-CX77, BR-R517, and BR-R317 calipers all feature notably beefed-up actuator arm assemblies.

"What I can say for now is that it is more of a glitch in terms of how the brakes are adjusted that can then cause an issue and also no one was injured," said Shimano American Corporation PR agent Eric Doyne. "This isn't as bad as one may think."

Affected North American consumers are advised to immediately bring the recalled calipers to an authorized Shimano retail for an inspection and replacement. Further information can be found by calling 1-800-353-4719 in the US or 1-877-377-5211 in Canada.

Country-specific guidelines for European and UK consumers are available through Shimano's web site.