Bicycle wreck-- need help

Rodney Dunning said:

I'm riding a Scattante 560-R, a low-end road bike marketed by
Performance Bike, Inc. I collided with a car today that made a right
turn in front of me. I would estimate my speed at the time of impact
at about 15 to 20 mph. The car was probably moving at between 5 and
10 mph.

I didn't hit the car head on. I managed to turn into the same parking
lot, swiping the car as I came off the bike. I wasn't hurt, beyond a
few scrapes. Of couse, I'll heal. Here is the damage to my bike:

The left brake hood was bent in, toward the frame of the bike. I
managed to pull it back so that it looks more symmetric, but I'm
afraid to keep jerking on it because I pull it right off the handle
bar. I don't know how those things are attached and my "Big Blue Book
of Bicycle Repair" doesn't mention anything about brake hoods. The
levers still pull the brake and gear cables, although I haven't given
them a thorough check.

My front wheel wobbles badly, both laterally and radially. I don't
know if it's worth the effort to true it up, in part because I don't
know if it's warped or not-- I can't tell by looking. I removed the
tire and tube and remounted the wheel with the bike upside down. The
wheel "falls", apparently under its own weight, so that the sticker on
the rim is toward the ground. I don't think I've seen it do this
before.

The rear wheel is not true either, but it's not nearly as bad.

The frame appears to be okay. There are no cracks in the frame or my
fork.

My questions: Is it worth the effort to try to true up the front
wheel? I've trued both wheels before, but never with this much
wobble. The front wheel is moving all over the place.

What about my brake hood? It looks like it's more or less on
straight, and the cables are pulling correctly, as far as I can tell.
Do I need to have a bike shop look at it? Exactly how is a brake hood
attached to the handlebar?

What other kinds of damage should I look for? I don't want to get
back on the bike until I know it's safe.

Thanks for any help.

--
Rodney Dunning

The lever is attatched with a bolt threaded into a band-clamp. On STI
levers, you should be able to see a bolt-head recessed into one side
of the hood. Some levers have it inside the body of the lever,
accessible by opening the lever.

I think you should have a shop check out your frame and wheels.

Rodney Dunning said:

I'm riding a Scattante 560-R, a low-end road bike marketed by
Performance Bike, Inc. I collided with a car today that made a right
turn in front of me. I would estimate my speed at the time of impact
at about 15 to 20 mph. The car was probably moving at between 5 and
10 mph.

I didn't hit the car head on. I managed to turn into the same parking
lot, swiping the car as I came off the bike. I wasn't hurt, beyond a
few scrapes. Of couse, I'll heal. Here is the damage to my bike:

The left brake hood was bent in, toward the frame of the bike. I
managed to pull it back so that it looks more symmetric, but I'm
afraid to keep jerking on it because I pull it right off the handle
bar. I don't know how those things are attached and my "Big Blue Book
of Bicycle Repair" doesn't mention anything about brake hoods. The
levers still pull the brake and gear cables, although I haven't given
them a thorough check.

My front wheel wobbles badly, both laterally and radially. I don't
know if it's worth the effort to true it up, in part because I don't
know if it's warped or not-- I can't tell by looking. I removed the
tire and tube and remounted the wheel with the bike upside down. The
wheel "falls", apparently under its own weight, so that the sticker on
the rim is toward the ground. I don't think I've seen it do this
before.

The rear wheel is not true either, but it's not nearly as bad.

The frame appears to be okay. There are no cracks in the frame or my
fork.

My questions: Is it worth the effort to try to true up the front
wheel? I've trued both wheels before, but never with this much
wobble. The front wheel is moving all over the place.

What about my brake hood? It looks like it's more or less on
straight, and the cables are pulling correctly, as far as I can tell.
Do I need to have a bike shop look at it? Exactly how is a brake hood
attached to the handlebar?

Another poster answered that, but it sounds like your wheels are
hosed. You might be able to get them close to true, but the rims are
likely bent, so it's pretty pointless. Mind, if you're resourceful and
a cheap [censored], you can loosen all the spokes and try to straighten
the rim in various ways (google it) and then tension them up. Have a
shop check the frame or check it yourself for cracks. Check alignment
the cheap way with string running from rear drop to head tube to rear
drop. Stretch and measure the string's relationship to the seat tube
on both sides. Match? Good. Don't, by a good bit? Your frame may be
hosed as well. I don't know how hard your impact was, but if the bars
took a good hit, replace them.

Sounds like you got off without having to replace parts of yourself,
that's a good thing.

Rodney Dunning said:

My front wheel wobbles badly, both laterally and radially. I don't
know if it's worth the effort to true it up, in part because I don't
know if it's warped or not-- I can't tell by looking. I removed the
tire and tube and remounted the wheel with the bike upside down. The
wheel "falls", apparently under its own weight, so that the sticker on
the rim is toward the ground. I don't think I've seen it do this
before.

You may not have noticed it before, but it's normal. The join of the
rim, whether welded, pinned, or sleeved, weighs more than the valve.
Unless counterweighted on the valve side, nearly all wheels will do
this.

Definitely have a shop check your frame alignment. If it's bent,
you'll need to replace the frame, as bending aluminum back is unsafe.

Glad to hear you made it out unhospitalized.

"Rodney Dunning" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I'm riding a Scattante 560-R, a low-end road bike marketed by
Performance Bike, Inc. I collided with a car today that made a right
turn in front of me. I would estimate my speed at the time of impact
at about 15 to 20 mph. The car was probably moving at between 5 and
10 mph.

.....

Did you get the driver's insurance info? A negligent driver should pay for
all damages. A reasonable estimate of damages from your LBS should be all
you need to present to the insurer. If there's any chance you were injured,
you should see a doctor, too. Good luck.

Rodney Dunning said:

I'm riding a Scattante 560-R, a low-end road bike marketed by
Performance Bike, Inc. I collided with a car today that made a right
turn in front of me. I would estimate my speed at the time of impact
at about 15 to 20 mph. The car was probably moving at between 5 and
10 mph.

Sorry about that. This is called a "right hook" (maybe a "left hook" in
Britain), and is far too common.

Quoted message said:

The left brake hood was bent in, toward the frame of the bike. I
managed to pull it back so that it looks more symmetric, but I'm
afraid to keep jerking on it because I pull it right off the handle
bar.

Don't worry about damaging the handlebar. You may find it eaier,
though, to loosen the clamp, position the brake where you want it, and
then tighten it down.

I don't know how those things are attached and my "Big Blue Book

Quoted message said:

of Bicycle Repair" doesn't mention anything about brake hoods. The
levers still pull the brake and gear cables, although I haven't given
them a thorough check.

The lever is usually inside, under the rubber cover. pull that off,
towards the cabe, and you should see it.

Quoted message said:

My front wheel wobbles badly, both laterally and radially. I don't
know if it's worth the effort to true it up, in part because I don't
know if it's warped or not-- I can't tell by looking.

Take this in and have a mechanic look at it. Small cost, even if the
rim is bent.

I removed the

Quoted message said:

tire and tube and remounted the wheel with the bike upside down. The
wheel "falls", apparently under its own weight, so that the sticker on
the rim is toward the ground. I don't think I've seen it do this
before.

Not related to the accident. You just did not do this before.

Quoted message said:

What about my brake hood? It looks like it's more or less on
straight, and the cables are pulling correctly, as far as I can tell.
Do I need to have a bike shop look at it? Exactly how is a brake hood
attached to the handlebar?

There is a clamp that tightens a band around the bar. As I said,
typically the bolt which tightens that clamp is hidden inside the brake
hood rubber cover.

Quoted message said:

What other kinds of damage should I look for? I don't want to get
back on the bike until I know it's safe.

Bikes are tougher than you may think. Look for frame cracks, feel for
stuff in the cassette or the chain.

--

David L. Johnson

"What am I on? I'm on my bike, six hours a day, busting my ass.
What are you on?"
--Lance Armstrong

Dans le message de
news:[email hidden],
Rodney Dunning <[email hidden]> a réfléchi, et puis a déclaré :

Quoted message said:

I'm riding a Scattante 560-R, a low-end road bike marketed by
Performance Bike, Inc. I collided with a car today that made a right
turn in front of me. I would estimate my speed at the time of impact
at about 15 to 20 mph. The car was probably moving at between 5 and
10 mph.

I didn't hit the car head on. I managed to turn into the same parking
lot, swiping the car as I came off the bike. I wasn't hurt, beyond a
few scrapes. Of couse, I'll heal. Here is the damage to my bike:

The left brake hood was bent in, toward the frame of the bike. I
managed to pull it back so that it looks more symmetric, but I'm
afraid to keep jerking on it because I pull it right off the handle
bar. I don't know how those things are attached and my "Big Blue Book
of Bicycle Repair" doesn't mention anything about brake hoods. The
levers still pull the brake and gear cables, although I haven't given
them a thorough check.

My front wheel wobbles badly, both laterally and radially. I don't
know if it's worth the effort to true it up, in part because I don't
know if it's warped or not-- I can't tell by looking. I removed the
tire and tube and remounted the wheel with the bike upside down. The
wheel "falls", apparently under its own weight, so that the sticker on
the rim is toward the ground. I don't think I've seen it do this
before.

The rear wheel is not true either, but it's not nearly as bad.

The frame appears to be okay. There are no cracks in the frame or my
fork.

My questions: Is it worth the effort to try to true up the front
wheel? I've trued both wheels before, but never with this much
wobble. The front wheel is moving all over the place.

What about my brake hood? It looks like it's more or less on
straight, and the cables are pulling correctly, as far as I can tell.
Do I need to have a bike shop look at it? Exactly how is a brake hood
attached to the handlebar?

Wihtout seeing it, and I don't think that's even necessary from what you
write, get new bars and don't ride with the old ones. Period. Do it now.
Of all potential disasters that can be hidden, this is probably the most
dangerous of all. Don't go cheap when it comes to the part that you use to
suspend your body off the ground. I would even consider a new stem, since
both these parts can be had economically.

It doesn't take much of a crash to damage these parts or to foul up a bike.
Take your time with the inspection, and invite someone with experience to
take a look. Like a bike shop mechanic.
--
Sandy
Verneuil-sur-Seine
*******

La vie, c'est comme une bicyclette,
il faut avancer pour ne pas perdre l'équilibre.
-- Einstein, A.

Rodney Dunning said:

I'm riding a Scattante 560-R, a low-end road bike marketed by
Performance Bike, Inc. I collided with a car today that made a right
turn in front of me. I would estimate my speed at the time of impact
at about 15 to 20 mph. The car was probably moving at between 5 and
10 mph.

I didn't hit the car head on. I managed to turn into the same parking
lot, swiping the car as I came off the bike. I wasn't hurt, beyond a
few scrapes. Of couse, I'll heal. Here is the damage to my bike:

The left brake hood was bent in, toward the frame of the bike. I
managed to pull it back so that it looks more symmetric, but I'm
afraid to keep jerking on it because I pull it right off the handle
bar. I don't know how those things are attached and my "Big Blue Book
of Bicycle Repair" doesn't mention anything about brake hoods. The
levers still pull the brake and gear cables, although I haven't given
them a thorough check.

My front wheel wobbles badly, both laterally and radially. I don't
know if it's worth the effort to true it up, in part because I don't
know if it's warped or not-- I can't tell by looking. I removed the
tire and tube and remounted the wheel with the bike upside down. The
wheel "falls", apparently under its own weight, so that the sticker on
the rim is toward the ground. I don't think I've seen it do this
before.

The rear wheel is not true either, but it's not nearly as bad.

The frame appears to be okay. There are no cracks in the frame or my
fork.

My questions: Is it worth the effort to try to true up the front
wheel? I've trued both wheels before, but never with this much
wobble. The front wheel is moving all over the place.

What about my brake hood? It looks like it's more or less on
straight, and the cables are pulling correctly, as far as I can tell.
Do I need to have a bike shop look at it? Exactly how is a brake hood
attached to the handlebar?

What other kinds of damage should I look for? I don't want to get
back on the bike until I know it's safe.

Thanks for any help.

--
Rodney Dunning

The bike definitely needs to go to a shop for a damage estimate, and
you should mess with it as little as possible until then... but in
addition to what everyone else has said, I'll mention that in my
experience, some shops aren't quite on the ball with this, and will be
hesitant or negligent or not-perfectionist-enough when it comes to
saying the bike is totalled. For example, I did an estimate for
someone who was hit in a very similar manner to you, also riding a
fairly typical aluminum road frame. The frame alignment was off around
3mm in the direction that would make sense given the impact, so the
frame got my condemnation even though that amount of misalignment is
within, albeit at the limits of, what's considered normal acceptable
on a new frame out of the box. You're owed something every bit as good
as what you had, and that includes not having to worry that the frame
took a dangerous amount of fatigue and just isn't showing it much.
Don't cut them any breaks at all, and that goes double for making sure
you're really okay physically.