Has Your Bicycle Been Recalled?

The weather is nice and the kids are out of school; it’s a great time to be outdoors bicycling. But before hitting the road or the trail, the Consumer Products Safety Commission is advising cyclists to check and make sure their bicycle and equipment are safe. A few weeks ago, the CPSC compiled information about 10 bicycle-related recalls that you should check out before heading out for a ride.

Here’s a quick summary of those recalls:

· 91,000 Bridgeway Bicycles: the bicycle chain can break, causing a rider to lose control and fall.

· 27,000 Trek2012 FX and District Bicycles: the bolt securing the seat saddle clamp to the seat post can break, posing a fall hazard

· 10,500 Fuji Saratoga Women’s Bicycles: the frame can break in the center of the downtube during use, causing the rider to lose control and fall

· 4,100 Public Bikes model years 2010-2012: the pedals can crack and break, posing a fall hazard to the rider

· 460 Specialized 2012 bicycles with Advanced Group carbon forks: the brake component that is housed within the bicycle’s carbon fork can disengage from the fork and allow the brake assembly to contact the wheel spokes while rotating, posing a fall hazard

· 44,000 Chariot bicycle trailers and 70,000 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.

· 40,ooo Topeak Babyseat II Bicycle Carrier Seats: A child can place his or her fingers in the opening at the grab bar’s hinge mechanism. When the consumer lifts the grab bar to remove the child from the seat, the child’s fingertips can be caught in the hinge mechanism, posing a laceration and fingertip amputation hazard to the child

· 30,400 Little Tricky Bicycle Helmets: Product testing demonstrated that these helmets do not comply with CPSC safety standards for impact resistance. Consumers could suffer impact head injuries in a fall.

· 17,000 GT, Giant and Trek Bicycles with SR Suntour Suspension Forks: The suspension fork's internal support tubes can break and cause the rider to lose control, fall and crash.

· 9,700 Gore Bicycle Brake Cables for Road Bikes: When the brake cables are installed on Campagnolo® style brake levers, they can detach, causing the brakes to fail and posing a fall hazard.

To see photos of the recalled bicycles and related products, as well as access information about what to do if you have the recalled product, check out the CPSC’s announcement page. And before heading out on your bicycles with your loved ones, make sure that all parts are in good, working condition.