Rocky Mountain 2018 Altitude Recall: Verify the Remedy Before Use
The 2018 Altitude recall belongs at the start of a used Rocky Mountain assessment. The U.S. notice covers all model-year 2018 Altitude, Instinct and Pipeline mountain bicycles, including carbon and aluminium versions. Stop using a covered bicycle and contact an authorized Rocky Mountain dealer for free inspection and repair. A later photograph or a seller's reassuring description does not establish that the remedy was completed.
Identify the 2018 Altitude recall precisely
CPSC recall 18-069 (https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2018/Rocky-Mountain-Bicycles-Recall-Mountain-Bicycles-Due-to-Crash-Hazard) was issued on 27 December 2017. The year in its web address and the bicycle's model year should not be substituted for that actual announcement date. The stated problem is brake cable housing that was not secured properly during manufacturing, which can cause brake failure and a crash.
The notice describes model identification on the top tube, Rocky Mountain branding on the down tube and headbadge, and the platform family on the rear triangle. Use identifying information from the actual bicycle when contacting the dealer. These locations help describe the machine; they are not a visual test for whether its brake housing is correct or its repair history is complete.
Keep the repair question separate from the bulletin
The manufacturer's safety and recall index (https://bikes.com/pages/recall) lists a 2017 cable and hydraulic hose management notice. Its English bulletin (https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0449/1496/6691/files/Cable_and_Hydraulic_Hose_Management_EN.pdf?v=1626881775) expressly addresses the 2018 Altitude, Pipeline and Instinct. That connection is useful when an owner has an old document with a different title and wants to explain which historical issue is being discussed.
The bulletin distinguishes a 5 mm brake-hose side from a 4 mm shift-housing side at the port and illustrates a lower cable loop. Treat those details as references for a conversation with the authorized dealer. Do not turn a photograph of the port, a measured gap or the presence of a zip-tie into proof that a bicycle has received the official inspection and repair.
Prepare the bicycle's identifying details, the claimed model year and any service record the seller supplies. Ask the authorized dealer how to establish whether the recall work has already been completed for that particular bicycle, and what inspection or repair remains necessary. If the history cannot be established, the stop-use instruction still governs; an editorial checklist cannot clear the bicycle.
Keep this issue distinct from the manufacturer's separate 2020 notice concerning certain alloy Instinct and Pipeline front triangles. Similar family names in an index do not make the affected models or the defects interchangeable. Start with the exact notice and its scope rather than assuming every Rocky Mountain recall applies identically.
FAQ: Questions before contacting a dealer
Was this recall announced in 2018?
No. Recall 18-069 is dated 27 December 2017 and concerns model-year 2018 bicycles.
Does the notice include carbon Altitude frames?
Yes. Its description includes carbon-fibre and aluminium bicycles across the three named model-year 2018 families.
Can a cable-loop photograph establish a completed remedy?
No. Ask an authorized dealer to verify the particular bicycle's inspection and repair status before use.
After that verification, the C50 frame identification guide can help check a used listing. The Rocky Mountain topic provides wider context without replacing the recall decision.
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Original title: Rocky Mountain Altitude C50 2018.jpg
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