Campagnolo says brake hoses are "not in any way defective, and did not cause this recall"
(Image credit: Open cycles)
Campagnolo has issued a statement regarding the recent Open Cycles stop-ride notice on its Campagnolo Ekar-equipped gravel bikes last week.
Open issued a recall and voluntary safety exchange on all bikes and framesets fitted with Campagnolo hydraulic brake hoses due to a potential risk of the Open 'Multistop' cable entry frame port damaging the rear brake hose potentially leading to a rear brake failure.
In its statement, Open said "Due to the construction of the Campagnolo hydraulic brake hose, it is more susceptible to damage than other brake hoses. Therefore it can be damaged by the Multistop."
Campagnolo Ekar features on several Open bikes and builds (Image credit: Open cycles)
In the wake of the recall's announcement, Cyclingnews reached out to Campagnolo for comment, and the Italian manufacturer has now responded with a statement of its own.
"Open Cycles AG has initiated a voluntary recall for select models of its bicycles and frames equipped with Campagnolo hydraulic brake hoses," the statement began. "Campagnolo encourages everyone to strictly follow the instructions provided by Open Cycle in its recall notice.
"However, as a point of clarification, the recall notices suggest that the recall is due to some deficiency in the Campagnolo hoses. This suggestion is inaccurate. The Campagnolo hoses meet and exceed the requirements of all applicable standards, are not in any way defective, and did not cause this recall.
"The cause of the recall is directly related to the 'Multistop' inserts used in the recalled frames. These inserts are too narrow, thereby bending the Campagnolo hoses far beyond the limits as specified in Section 4.3 of Campagnolo’s instruction manual.
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"The responsibility of the 'Multistop' inserts for this recall is confirmed by the corrective action plan: the existing inserts with narrow holes are being replaced with new inserts. Campagnolo did not design, manufacture, sell or specify the inserts."
In fact, Open Cycles are providing a free replacement of a redesigned Multistop and replacement Campagnolo brake hoses to all users who are affected by the recall.
Customers who think they may be affected by the recall should contact Open or submit the recall form on the Open website to organise a free repair.
Tom joined the Cyclingnews team in late 2022 as a tech writer. Despite having a degree in English Literature he has spent his entire working life in the cycling industry in one form or another. He has over 10 years of experience as a qualified mechanic, with the last five years before joining Cyclingnews being spent running an independent workshop. This means he is just as happy tinkering away in the garage as he is out on the road bike, and he isn’t afraid to pull a bike apart or get hands-on with it when testing to really see what it’s made of.
He has ridden and raced bikes from an early age up to a national level on the road and track, and has ridden and competed in most disciplines. He has a keen eye for pro-team tech and enjoys spotting new or interesting components in the wild. During his time at Cyclingnews, Tom has already interviewed some of the sport's biggest names including Mathieu van der Poel, Tadej Pogačar and Alberto Contador. He's also covered various launches from brands such as Pinarello, Ridley, Specialized and more, tackled the Roubaix Challenge sportive aboard his own rim-brake Cannondale SuperSix Evo, tested over 20 aero helmets in the wind tunnel, and has created helpful in-depth buying advice relating to countless categories from torque wrenches to winter clothing.
