Tag-A-Long bicycle trailers
CPSC Recall #98-053 — January 5, 1998
Recall Summary
| Recall Number | 98-053 |
| Recall Date | January 5, 1998 |
| Remedy Type | Dispose, Repair, No Remedy Available |
| Units Affected | About 5,500 |
Where It Was Sold
| Authorized Riteway Dealers nationwide sold the trailers from July 1997 through November 1997 for about $179. |
Product
Tag-A-Long bicycle trailers
Description
WASHINGTON, D.C. - In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Riteway Products of Santa Ana, Calif., recalled about 5,500 Cycle Design Tag-A-Long bicycle trailers to replace their U-Joints and accompanying hardware. The U-Joint can break causing the trailing rider to be separated from the towing bicycle, lose control, fall and be injured. CPSC and Riteway Products have received six reports of the U-Joint bolt hardware failing. Two minor injuries, such as cuts, scrapes and bruises, have been reported. The Cycle Design Tag-A-Long Trailer comes in three colors: blue, black or green. All of the trailers have the Tag-A-Long logo on the main tube of the trailer, as well as on the chain guard. The words "Cycle Design" are on the main tube of the trailer. Authorized Riteway Dealers nationwide sold the trailers from July 1997 through November 1997 for about $179. Consumers should stop using the trailer immediately and call their local bicycle dealer to see if they can replace the U-Joint and accompanying hardware. The firm (Riteway) is out of business and cannot be contacted. If the repair cannot be done, the product should be destroyed or discarded.
Hazard
The U-Joint can break causing the trailing rider to be separated from the towing bicycle, lose control, fall and be injured.
Incidents & Injuries
CPSC and Riteway Products have received six reports of the U-Joint bolt hardware failing. Two minor injuries, such as cuts, scrapes and bruises, have been reported.
Remedy Instructions
Consumers should stop using the trailer immediately and call their local bicycle dealer to see if they can replace the U-Joint and accompanying hardware. The firm (Riteway) is out of business and cannot be contacted. If the repair cannot be done, the product should be destroyed or discarded.
What Should You Do?
Stop using this product immediately. Contact the manufacturer for a Dispose, Repair, No Remedy Available at no charge. If you experienced an injury, report it at SaferProducts.gov.
Frequently Asked Questions
Follow the consumer action instructions in the recall notice above. Most recalls require you to stop using the product and contact the manufacturer directly — either by calling the toll-free number listed in the official CPSC notice or by visiting the manufacturer's website. You generally do not need a receipt or original packaging to claim a remedy. The manufacturer is legally required to provide the remedy (Dispose, Repair, No Remedy Available) at no cost to you.
Furniture tip-overs are a leading cause of pediatric injuries in the U.S., particularly dressers, bookcases, and television stands. CPSC data shows that a child dies approximately every two weeks from a furniture or TV tip-over. Unstable high chairs, baby swings, and bouncers are also frequent recall subjects due to fall risks. ASTM International standards now require that certain furniture must meet tip-over resistance standards, and CPSC has been actively pursuing mandatory requirements for dressers and chests. If you have furniture that was not recalled but feels unstable, wall-anchoring kits are widely available at hardware stores.
In most cases, no. CPSC-coordinated recall remedies are designed to be accessible without proof of purchase. Manufacturers typically ask consumers to self-certify ownership and may ask for photos of the product or its serial number. Some manufacturers request that you mail in a portion of the product (such as a cut cord or removed component) as proof of disposal. Check the specific remedy instructions for this recall for exact requirements. If you registered your product at the time of purchase, the process is usually even simpler.
If the original manufacturer has gone out of business, the recall remedy may no longer be available through them. In this case, contact CPSC directly at 1-800-638-2772 or cpsc.gov for guidance. If the brand was acquired by another company, the acquiring company may have assumed recall obligations. In some cases where a remedy is unavailable, CPSC advises consumers to safely dispose of the product. If you were injured by the product of a defunct company, consult a product liability attorney — parent companies, distributors, and retailers may still bear liability in some circumstances.