FYI: The following “letter to the editor” is presented as written and published in the October 1, 2012 issue of Bicycle Retailer & Industry News.
Supplier doesn’t endorse repair of carbon fiber
(Bicycle Retailer & Industry News – October 1, 2012 Issue)
I am compelled to comment on your Aug 15, 2012, carbon fiber repair article (“Crack problem? Carbon repairers have you covered.”) Contrary to the impression given by your article, Trek Bicycle does not endorse or recommend repairing damaged carbon fiber frames or parts, nor do we endorse or recommend any business that offers such repairs.
Carbon fiber is a superior material that is lighter, stronger and has a greater fatigue life than either aluminum or steel. However, when it is overloaded and becomes damages, we recommend that it be replaced – not repaired. In fact, while we realized that we cannot stop bicycle owners from seeking carbon fiber repair services, such repairs void Trek’s lifetime warranty and we require repair shops such as Calfee’s to provide us with the serial number of the carbon Trek bicycles they do repair in the event of a future warranty claim or injury.
Trek offers a generous Loyalty Replacement program under which we replace damaged Trek carbon fiber frames and parts at greatly reduced cost. If you, as a dealer, have any doubt regarding the integrity of a carbon fiber frame or part, you should recommend that a customer replace it with a newly manufactured frame or part.
Robert Burns
Vice president & general counsel
Trek Bicycle Corp.