Chariot Bicycle Trailers and Conversion Kits are being recalled over injury hazards, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) just announced.
About 44,000 Chariot Bicycle Trailers and 70,000 Bicycle Trailer Conversion Kits are involved in the recall. The defective Chariot Bicycle Trailers and Conversion Kits were manufactured in Canada by Thule Child Transport Systems Ltd., (doing business as—DBA—Chariot Carriers) of Calgary, Canada and sold at specialty bicycle stores nationwide and on various websites from December 2005 through August 2010 for between $400 and $925 for the Chariot Bicycle Trailers and from October 2002 through August 2011 for between $40 and $70 for the Bicycle Trailer Conversion Kits.
The bicycle trailer’s hitch mechanisms can crack and break, causing the trailer to detach from the bicycle. This poses an injury hazard to children in the bicycle trailer. To date, the firm has received 24 incident reports worldwide, three of which occurred in the United States, involving the bicycle trailers and the conversion kits. No injuries have been reported.
The Chariot Carriers convert to strollers; jogging strollers; and bike, hike, or ski trailers.
This recall involves Chariot bicycle trailers and bicycle trailer conversion kits. Recalled trailers have serial numbers from 1205-xxxx to 0710-xxxx—this represents manufacture dates December 2005 through July 2010)—which are located the left side on the frame.
Recalled conversion kits have hitch arms that attach the carrier to the bicycle with model number “20100503” printed on a label attached to the aluminum tube next to the warning label. Older conversion kits, without a label, but with a release push button located where the hitch arm inserts into the carrier, are also involved in the recall.
The firm advises consumers to immediately stop using the recalled bicycle trailers and bicycle trailer conversion kits and to contact Chariot Carriers for a free repair kit, which the consumer can install. Chariot Carriers can be reached, toll-free, at 1.800.262.8651 between 10:00 a.m. and 6:30 p.m., Eastern Time (ET), Monday through Friday, or at the firm’s website at www.chariotcarriers.com.
