We want you riding your bike safely, so we make it easy to replace a damaged carbon frame or part through Carbon Care, a program exclusive to Trek owners. Through Carbon Care, Trek offers a significant discount to replace a damaged carbon fiber frame, fork, or part. If you suspect your carbon frame, fork, or part has been damaged in any way, stop riding immediately and take your bike to an authorized Trek retailer for inspection.

What is carbon fiber?

Carbon fiber is a lightweight, strong material, making it the material of choice for the manufacture of high-performance bicycle frames, forks, and other parts. Trek has been making carbon fiber parts since the early 1990s with our OCLV (Optimum Compaction Low Void) process. Carbon fiber is also used by many other industries, including automotive and aerospace.

Carbon fiber is not indestructible

But like anything, carbon fiber is not indestructible, and not all damage to carbon fiber will be visible. Compare a carbon fiber part to a metal part. When you damage a metal part, it will bend or deform. When you damage a carbon fiber part, it could break or it could conceal damage from the naked eye.

In other words, just because a carbon part looks normal after an impact or accident does not mean that it is safe to ride.

How can carbon be damaged?

While it is impossible to list all of the scenarios that can cause damage to a carbon fiber part, below are a few examples. If you experience any of the following, stop riding your bike immediately and take it to an authorized Trek retailer to replace the damaged part:

• You hit something in the road while riding – a curb, guardrail, pothole, parked car, or anything that causes the bike to stop abruptly.
• An object becomes stuck in the front wheel, causing the bike to stop abruptly.
• You get hit by a car or truck.
• You have crashed your bike and it does not feel or sound “right.”
• Your bike is in a roof rack when you drive your car into a garage.

Of course, your specific scenario may be different. Remember, any carbon bike part has the potential to be damaged by a crash or impact. There are tests that can help determine if a carbon part has been damaged, but here is the bottom line: if your carbon frame, fork or part has been potentially damaged and you have any doubt about its integrity, you should replace it.

What to do if your bike may be damaged

If you suspect your carbon frame, fork, or part has been damaged in any way, follow these simple steps:

1. Stop riding the bicycle.

2. Take the bicycle to an authorized Trek retailer. Don’t know who your closest retailer is? Click here to find out.

3. Replace the damaged frame or part through Trek Carbon Care.

Ride Safely. For more information, see your retailer or read your Owner’s Manual.

Carbon Care Wheel Loyalty Program

Bontrager carbon wheels are backed with a program that provides free replacement or repair to an original owner whose wheels sustain damage from riding within the first two years of ownership.

If you suspect your carbon wheels are damaged, stop riding immediately and contact an authorized Trek retailer.

See the program details here.