The Recall Desk
Our severity:SevereCPSC·91064·Announced 1991-05-08

Merchant's ST-81 Exercise Bikes Recalled Due to Finger Amputation Hazard

CPSC warns that 68,383 Merchant's ST-81 exercise bikes lack chain guards, posing a risk of finger crushing and amputation to small children.

What this means for you

Our assessment, not the agency’s: severity 4/5 (Severe).

The hazard poses a serious risk of illness, injury, or structural failure. Stop using the product immediately and contact the manufacturer for a refund or repair.

Our severity reasoning: The recall involves reported amputations and significant injuries to small children, which aligns with the rubric criteria for 'Severe' (significant injury reports) and 'Critical' (serious injury), but as no deaths are explicitly reported, it is classified as Severe.

Plain-English summary

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has issued a warning regarding 68,383 units of the Merchant's Corporation of America (MCA) model ST-81 exercise cycles. These specific units were sold nationwide between 1981 and 1987 for up to $150 each and are missing chain guards. The absence of these guards allows fingers to come into contact with moving parts, including wheels, gears, and pedal sprockets.

The recall is prompted by at least six reported incidents of finger crushing injuries and amputations involving small children. The CPSC urges consumers who own these exercise cycles, particularly those with small children, to either have a chain guard installed to prevent contact with moving parts or to discard the product entirely. Additionally, parents are advised to keep small children away from exercise bicycles while they are in use or unattended.

Merchant's Corporation of America has been out of business since the end of 1987 and is unable to assist with corrective action. The CPSC issued this warning as part of its mission to protect the public from unreasonable risks of injury and death associated with consumer products.

The recalled product

Product
Merchant's exercise cycles
Manufacturer
Merchant's Corporation of America
Category
Consumer Product — Exercise Equipment
Hazard

Distribution

Distributed nationwide across the United States.

Related recalls

Same hazard · amputation

See all →

Similar recalls