Bicycles sold on Amazon recalled after injuries

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission ( CPSC) announced on October 6 that it would recall approximately 3,800 ElliptiGO brand upright bicycles of three models.

According to the ElliptiGO official website, this bike is designed for simulated running and training. It can be used on roads and tracks, or it can be fixed for indoor use. The recall involves three models of ElliptiGO Arc bikes: ElliptiGO Arc 3, ElliptiGO Arc 8 and ElliptiGO Arc 24. Among them, the Arc 3 model has three gears, the Arc 8 model has eight gears, and the Arc 24 model has 24 gears.

Image from CPSC announcement

According to the recall notice, the frames of these bicycles are at risk of breaking during riding, which may cause users to fall off the bike and get injured. Before the recall, ElliptiGO had received 12 reports of frame damage and 11 reports of frame cracking. Six people were reported to have suffered minor injuries from falls, including lacerations, abrasions, road scratches and helmet damage.

The products were reportedly sold between November 2015 and July 2021, with sales channels including bicycle and fitness stores, ElliptiGO's official website and Amazon platform, with sales prices ranging from US$500 to US$1,500. The company said 31 of the recalled bicycles were sold in Canada and about 3,700 in the United States.

The recall notice shows that consumers should immediately stop using the recalled ElliptiGO Arc bicycles and contact ElliptiGO to obtain a replacement bicycle, refund or return service. The refund amount will be determined based on the usage time of the bicycle.

After the epidemic, people's attention to health has increased, and bicycle sales in many parts of the world have seen an increase. In addition, due to the impact of the stay-at-home order, the market for home fitness products is also booming. For example, the ElliptiGO brand involved in this incident has more than doubled its revenue in 2020 compared to 2019.

Searching for relevant keywords on Amazon, we found that similar fitness bikes and related accessories such as fixed brackets were selling quite well. Many reviews indicated that the reason for purchasing these products was the desire to exercise at home, or to do other things while riding, such as watching videos.

Although the market demand is high, fitness equipment can easily cause injuries during use, so quality control cannot be relaxed, and sellers should also pay attention when selecting and designing products.

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