Specialized Levo Pro -> Warning for other riders! -> Bike carrier damage Roval carbon rims

[Maastricht]

Hi All,

Last week I went biking together with @PaoloBLEvo in Italy. We had a great time but unfortunately also faced a big issue with my Levo Pro Roval carbon wheel set.

A friend had my bike mounted on a Thule bike carrier behind his Audi with double exhaust pipes and it seems due to heat generated by the exhausts, the bike carrier melted including my Roval Traverse carbon rims. This bike carrier has been used for at least 15 years without any issues behind all different cars. Unfortunately now the issue occurred. Just see this post please as a warning to make you aware what happened to my bike.

It also seems to happen more frequent as Specialized added this exclusion to their "shit happens" warranty policy:

Roval Warranty And Crash Replacement Policy | Specialized.com​

www.specialized.com

"Damaged your carbon wheel from an exhaust pipe or drove into your garage with your bike on the roof? While that **it happens, it’s not covered."

Bike is around 6 months old. We were with a group of friends 8 people in total no one thought about this including my dealer. Let it be a warning for all of you.

 

[p3eps]

I've been trailing my bike for about 6 years with carbon wheels on cars with 4 exhausts and never had an issue. Up until a couple of months ago, they were always Roval carbon wheels. I'm now running Industry Nine carbon rims... but my analogue bike still has Roval Traverse SL carbon.

I had an Audi SQ5, and am now in an F-pace SVR. I imagine there's a fair bit of heat coming out of my 5.0L V8!
Maybe it's the positioning of the exhausts? Are mine 'blowing' through the wheel rather than directly at the rim?

 

[Rob Rides EMTB]

It actually says in the Thule manual to check exhaust position against the racks. I only know because I read it yesterday as I got a new rack!

 

[Maastricht]

I've been trailing my bike for about 6 years with carbon wheels on cars with 4 exhausts and never had an issue. Up until a couple of months ago, they were always Roval carbon wheels. I'm now running Industry Nine carbon rims... but my analogue bike still has Roval Traverse SL carbon.

I had an Audi SQ5, and am now in an F-pace SVR. I imagine there's a fair bit of heat coming out of my 5.0L V8!
Maybe it's the positioning of the exhausts? Are mine 'blowing' through the wheel rather than directly at the rim?

View attachment 124360

The heat is generated by a 2.7 liter V6 biturbo driving through the mountains (Dolomites) in Italy. Maybe this makes the difference. Again, same bike carrier used during last 15 years on many different cars and also in the mountains. Never had any issue.

If we had known we obviously would have placed the bike as far as possible from the exhaust. (number plate side of the carrier)

 

[Maastricht]

It actually says in the Thule manual to check exhaust position against the racks. I only know because I read it yesterday as I got a new rack!

Hi Rob, thanks for your comment.

I would have expected a clear warning leaflet inside of the Levo box, which I received with the manual, charger etc. once I picked up my new bike that carbon rims are more vulnerable for heat. I understand you can't warn a rider for everything but as these bikes are often placed on a bike carrier, maybe it would have been wise to make riders more proactively known about the potential consequences.

I only read it in the warranty exclusion now I am facing the issue. Therefore I get the impression this has happened more often otherwise Specialized wouldn't have added it to their warranty policy.

Hope my dealer can work "something" out with Specialized or my friend via his insurance.

Most important I hope other riders learn from this example as well.

 

[Maastricht]

Hi Rob, thanks for your comment.

I would have expected a clear warning leaflet inside of the Levo box, which I received with the manual, charger etc. once I picked up my new bike that carbon rims are more vulnerable for heat. I understand you can't warn a rider for everything but as these bikes are often placed on a bike carrier, maybe it would have been wise to make riders more proactively known about the potential consequences.

I only read it in the warranty exclusion now I am facing the issue. Therefore I get the impression this has happened more often otherwise Specialized wouldn't have added it to their warranty policy.

Hope my dealer can work "something" out with Specialized or my friend via his insurance.

Most important I hope other riders learn from this example as well.

Sorry, one correction... I have just checked the initial box once more which I received when purchasing the Levo. There is a Roval instruction inside. It indeed warns to keep the carbon rims 18 inches of the exhaust. This is more or less the distance until the 2nd or 3rd position on my Thule bike carrier.

 

[Tooks]

Sorry, one correction... I have just checked the initial box once more which I received when purchasing the Levo. There is a Roval instruction inside. It indeed warns to keep the carbon rims 18 inches of the exhaust. This is more or less the distance until the 2nd or 3rd position on my Thule bike carrier.

Is that an aftermarket exhaust system, the pipes look pretty large and seem to have a brand name?

Is the car remapped as well? Non-standard car could be running a hotter exhaust as a result?

It’s not something I’d have given a second thought really, but sorry your bike got damaged.

I drive an electric car nowadays, so not an issue, my old cars would have had hot exhausts though, but I’ve never had carbon rims either. That said, I’ve certainly never managed to melt the wheel holder either!

 

[Maastricht]

Is that an aftermarket exhaust system, the pipes look pretty large and seem to have a brand name?

Is the car remapped as well? Non-standard car could be running a hotter exhaust as a result?

It’s not something I’d have given a second thought really, but sorry your bike got damaged.

I drive an electric car nowadays, so not an issue, my old cars would have had hot exhausts though, but I’ve never had carbon rims either. That said, I’ve certainly never managed to melt the wheel holder either!

I think you are right that these are aftermarket pipes. I think it has been a combination of riding through the mountains which generated excessive heat. Searched on the internet obviously and it seemed to have happened more often with other riders.

Personally I have an electric car now as well but as we only went to Italy for 5 days (3 bike riding days) we thought the petrol car would be more convenient. Stupid lesson and expensive damage.

Hope we will be able to sort it out.

 

[Arminius]

I think you are right that these are aftermarket pipes. I think it has been a combination of riding through the mountains which generated excessive heat. Searched on the internet obviously and it seemed to have happened more often with other riders.

Personally I have an electric car now as well but as we only went to Italy for 5 days (3 bike riding days) we thought the petrol car would be more convenient. Stupid lesson and expensive damage.

Hope we will be able to sort it out.

Hi,
Sorry that this happened to you. I wonder why it did not happen before in transit (via German Autobahn)?

However, here is a website that is dealing with that issue. It is in German but your browser might be able to translate: Abgashitzeschutz für Heckträger: Übertrieben - oder doch nicht?

Thule is offering heat shields as well.

 

[Dax]

Hi,
Sorry that this happened to you. I wonder why it did not happen before in transit (via German Autobahn)?

Maybe at 120kph on the autobahn there is enough air movement over the bikes to dilute or deflect the hot exhaust gasses, but at 20-40kph going up a mountain there isn't? Plus it would be under heavy load going uphill so exhaust gasses would be hotter?

Bet it sounds good on that system thou

 

[capposteve]

Aparantly these rims are covered under the “shit happens” warranty if bought after June this year meaning they cover everything

 

[Dax]

Aparantly these rims are covered under the “shit happens” warranty if bought after June this year meaning they cover everything

See the first post:

Roval Warranty And Crash Replacement Policy | Specialized.com

"Damaged your carbon wheel from an exhaust pipe or drove into your garage with your bike on the roof? While that **it happens, it’s not covered."