Salsa Mukluk Fork Recall: Check the Aluminum Bearpaw Scope Before Riding

The Salsa Mukluk fork recall concerns a defined aluminum Bearpaw fork population. A Mukluk name, a rigid-looking fork or a photograph date cannot settle whether a particular bicycle is included. Before riding an unidentified older example, establish which fork is installed and compare its evidence with the manufacturer’s actual notice.

Read the Salsa Mukluk fork recall as a component notice

Salsa identifies aluminum Mukluk Bearpaw forks purchased from September 1, 2013, through November 17, 2014. Its notice lists the stamped date codes 20130524, 20130710 and 20130826 followed by CWI2201BAN2. Record the full marking rather than matching only a few digits or an approximate year given by a seller.

The same notice also includes any aluminum Mukluk Bearpaw fork with a Salsa compass on the outside of the fork blades. It says replacement forks have the compass on the inside. Preserve that alternative identification route; an owner should not dismiss an outside-marked aluminum fork solely because a date stamp is difficult to read.

Follow the fork through a used-bike history

The affected forks were available on complete Mukluk bicycles and framesets sold during the stated period, and as separate aftermarket Bearpaw forks. Consequently, the bicycle’s advertised model year and the date a later owner acquired it may not describe the fork’s original purchase or replacement history.

Ask for the fork’s identification, clear views of its markings and any replacement paperwork. The loaded Mukluk in the photograph is useful family context, but its fork material and markings are unconfirmed. Neither that picture nor another bike’s service history can establish the status of the bicycle being checked.

Take the official dealer action rather than improvising a test

The stated hazard is that the fork steerer may bend or break. Salsa directs owners to an authorized Salsa dealer for a free inspection and refund or replacement. Give the dealer the complete markings and ownership information; a successful short ride is not the manufacturer’s inspection process.

The linked Mukluk framesheet separately says bicycle products should be installed and serviced by a professional mechanic and should not be modified. Do not file away a marking, alter a fork or substitute a home loading experiment for identification. This historical notice is component-specific, rather than evidence that every Salsa or every Mukluk is recalled.

Fork recall FAQ

Which three stamped date codes does Salsa list?

The notice lists 20130524, 20130710 and 20130826, followed by CWI2201BAN2.

Does the notice cover separately purchased forks?

Yes. It includes individual aftermarket Bearpaw forks as well as the stated complete-bike and frameset contexts.

What action does the manufacturer specify?

Contact an authorized Salsa dealer to arrange a free inspection and refund or replacement.

Keep the fork’s markings, purchase evidence and any replacement record together. If its status remains unresolved, settle that question with an authorized dealer before using it; the bicycle’s broad model label cannot answer it.

For a separate replacement-parts discussion, read Salsa Mukluk fork replacement. Explore the Salsa bicycle collection for the broader brand context.

References: aluminum Bearpaw recall notice; Mukluk framesheet 06/15.