Canadian company recalls bike attachments due to risk of separation from lead bike

Friday, January 7th 2005, 3:02 pm

By: News On 6

WASHINGTON (AP) _ A British Columbia, Canada company is recalling 80,000 bicycle attachments because the hitch may come loose, potentially leading to serious injury or death, the Consumer Product Safety Commission said Friday.

Norco Products Ltd. has received two reports of hardware falling out of the hitch assembly, and one report of a minor injury, the CPSC said.

The product resembles a children's bike without the front wheel and has an elongated top tube that stretches to attach to the seat post of an adult bicycle, creating a tandem.

The recall involves the Adams Trail-A-Bike or Adams Slipstream sold under the following models: Starter, Folder, Shifter, Shocker, Ultimate Tandem, Deluxe Folder, Me 2 and Original. ``Trail-A-Bike'' or ``Slipstream'' is printed on the top tube of the bicycle attachment and ``Adams'' is printed on the chain guard.

The attachments, sold at independent bicycle stores nationwide from Jan. 1996 through Oct. 2004 for $125-295, were made in China. The product was sold for use by children ages 4 to 7.

Consumers should stop using the product immediately and contact their local bicycle dealer to arrange for an inspection and receive a free repair kit to be installed for free. For more information, consumers can call 800-663-8916 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. PST Monday through Friday.