Profile Design Recalls Aeria Ultimate Aerobar Due to Crash Hazard
Certain Aeria Ultimate handlebars are being voluntarily recalled pursuant to the rules of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission ("CPSC"), as the handlebars can suffer damage and later break, causing the rider to lose control and crash. Profile Design knows of 2 reports of the aerobar cracking or breaking. No injuries have occurred so far.
The problematic part of the aerobar is the pursuit bar (base bar). Replacement pursuit bars already exist. The new, conforming bars will feature pursuit extensions that, when new, do not protrude more than 13.6cm in length from the leading edge of the wing (per the schematic below). Recalled aerobars feature pursuit hand-hold positions that (before they were cut down, if they were cut down) exceeded this length.
These bars were sold aftermarket, for a price circa $1,300, and were also featured as original equipment on certain complete Dimond Brand Bikes and Quintana Roo model bicycles which were specially configured or otherwise SOLD OEM with the recalled Aeria Ultimate aerobar. These models of bikes, when equipped with the Aeria Ultimate, would have been sold for between $5,200 and $14,000 as complete bicycles.
Aeria Ultimate base are available now. Owners of recalled Aeria Ultimate bars should cease riding them, and can replace them at local authorized Profile Design retailers. If you purchased such a bar either separately or as part of a complete bike, you may be contacted by your local shop, or by the manufacturer of the bike you purchased with a recalled Aeria Ultimate handlebar.
The recall resides on the CPSC website.
