Chariot Carriers, now owned by Thule, is voluntarily recalling about 44,000 bicycle trailers and 70,000 bicycle trailer conversion kits because the trailer’s hitch mechanisms (pictured at left) can crack and break, causing the trailer to detach from the bicycle. This poses an injury hazard to children in the bicycle trailer.
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.
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 (representing manufacture dates December 2005 through July 2010) 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 being recalled.
The Chariot bicycle trailers were sold at specialty bicycle stores nationwide and on various websites from December 2005 through August 2010 for between $400 and $925, while the trailer conversion kits were sold from October 2002 through August 2011 for between $40 and $70. The products were manufactured in Canada.
