Thule Group initiates recall of the Thule Sprint 528 and Thule Sprint T-Track 569/569000 roof mounted bike carriers

Press release
Seymour, Conn., July 15, 2016

For immediate Release:

Thule Group initiates recall of the Thule Sprint 528 and Thule Sprint T-Track 569/569000 roof mounted bike carriers

At Thule Group we take quality very seriously and product safety is our top priority. Unfortunately, we have identified a defect in the clamping mechanism of the Thule Sprint roof mounted bike racks. The issue can cause the clamping mechanism, which is intended to secure the bike fork to the carrier, to fail. This could lead to the bike not being properly secured to the bike carrier and the bike coming loose from the carrier during transport.

Thule Group has identified a potential issue associated and with two roof mounted bike carriers sold as the Thule Sprint 528 and/or Thule Sprint T-Track 569/569000. Both are fork mounted bike carriers that can be installed on Thule crossbars, factory installed crossbars or aftermarket crossbars.

With the cooperation of the National Highway Safety Traffic Administration, Thule Group is initiating a recall of these two models. Under rare conditions, the clamping mechanism can fail, which could lead to the bike leaving the bike carrier. Potentially affected Thule Sprint bike carriers are models that have been sold since December 2013.

Products affected:

Thule Sprint roof mounted bike carrier Product number: 528

Thule Sprint T-Track roof mounted bike carrier Product number: 569/569000

The failure can be identified when tightening the torque-limiting knob on the front of the carrier. The knob can be perceived as properly tightened, as the user will hear an audible click that is supposed to signify the appropriate clamping pressure, but in a failed unit, the bike carrier’s skewers will not have tightened sufficiently.

Observing the fork skewers failure to properly clamp around the bicycle fork dropouts can also identify this malfunction.

What should you do with your Thule Sprint bike carrier?

You should stop using the product. Please visit the Thule brand website (www.thule.com) to arrange for a return of your existing carrier and to register for a replacement product or contact Thule to discuss alternative options consistent with the recall campaign. Please be advised that you will not be charged anything in connection with this recall. If you have incurred any cost for remedies in advance of this notice please contact Thule for reimbursement. Reasonable supporting documentation will be requested.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Thule’s customer service department at (844) 361-8939.

Media Enquiries, please contact:

Chris Ritchie
PR & Communications Manager
E-mail: Chris.Ritchie@thule.com
Phone: 617-435-2014

About Thule Group

Thule Group is a world leader in products that make it easy to bring the things you care for – easily, securely and in style – when living an active life.
Under the motto Active Life, Simplified. we offer products within two segments: Outdoor&Bags (e.g. equipment for cycling-, water- and winter sports, roof boxes, bike trailers, baby joggers, laptop and camera bags, backpacks and cases for mobile handheld devices) and Specialty (pick-up truck tool boxes). Our products are sold in 139 markets globally.
There are more than 2,000 of us working for Thule Group at nine production facilities and more than 35 sales locations all over the world.
Net sales for 2015 amounted to 5.3 billion SEK.
Thule Group is a public company listed at Nasdaq Stockholm.

For more information, please visit www.thulegroup.com