Ping Monique: Bike assessment

cc said:

Monique,

It appears that I get to deal with an insurance company as well.

I can't recall -- how was your bike assessed for damage?

Degree of flatness.

Bill "talking tech" S.

On 2004-08-16, cc penned:

Quoted message said:

Monique,

It appears that I get to deal with an insurance company as well.

I can't recall -- how was your bike assessed for damage?

Thanks, cc

The insurance company sent out an appraiser to do the assessment. Now,
they don't send a bike expert or anything -- just a generic appraiser
person. I got lucky, though -- a friend of mine is an experienced
mechanic, and he both printed up an expert assessment and attended the
session with the appraiser.

I'm fully convinced that my friend's presence is the reason they decided
to consider the bike totalled. That is to say, without a mechanic's
report, I'm sure he would have missed the signs that the pivots had been
stressed and such. In the end, they gave me $1150 for a bike I'd bought
for $1450 about nine months before. Probably about the best outcome I
could've hoped for.

They did insist on keeping the bicycle, which makes me nervous -- I hope
no one buys it thinking it's undamaged! As I said, the evidence of
trouble is pretty subtle. I contacted Trek and asked if they have some
sort of "totalled bike" registry or something, but no such luck.

Also, they wouldn't pay for "upgrades that don't increase the value of
the bike", which to them included a two week old Terry Ti Fly saddle. I
only had a teensy blemish on the saddle, so I said, fine, if you're not
going to pay for it, I'll put the original back. Don't know how that
would affect your situation. They didn't seem to consider bikes on a
component-by-component basis.

I guess, based on my experience, that I would suggest getting a
certified mechanic to write up a report of the damage. I don't know how
much that would cost, but I'd imagine from your description of the
accident that there was enough damage to warrant it. Then again, the damage
to your bike may be obvious enough that you don't need a specialist to point
it out. Then again, again, have you had a mechanic double-check for signs of
frame damage?

--
monique

"Get a bicycle. You will not regret it, if you live."
-- Mark Twain

----- Original Message -----
From: "Monique Y. Mudama" <[email hidden]>
Newsgroups: alt.mountain-bike
Sent: Monday, August 16, 2004 8:40 PM
Subject: Re: Ping Monique: Bike assessment

Quoted message said:

On 2004-08-16, cc penned:

Quoted message said:

Monique,

It appears that I get to deal with an insurance company as

well.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I can't recall -- how was your bike assessed for damage?

Thanks, cc

The insurance company sent out an appraiser to do the

assessment. Now,

Quoted message said:

they don't send a bike expert or anything -- just a generic

appraiser

Quoted message said:

person. I got lucky, though -- a friend of mine is an

experienced

Quoted message said:

mechanic, and he both printed up an expert assessment and

attended the

Quoted message said:

session with the appraiser.

Hmm. I can only hope.

Quoted message said:

I'm fully convinced that my friend's presence is the reason

they decided

Quoted message said:

to consider the bike totalled. That is to say, without a

mechanic's

Quoted message said:

report, I'm sure he would have missed the signs that the

pivots had been

Quoted message said:

stressed and such. In the end, they gave me $1150 for a bike

I'd bought

Quoted message said:

for $1450 about nine months before. Probably about the best

outcome I

Quoted message said:

could've hoped for.

Yeah, I just really wish it hadn't happened in the first place. It
makes me sad to think about it, or even think about replacing
it. That bike has been with me since I got off my BMX. But, what
can you do .. .

Quoted message said:

Also, they wouldn't pay for "upgrades that don't increase the

value of

Quoted message said:

the bike", which to them included a two week old Terry Ti Fly

saddle. I

Quoted message said:

only had a teensy blemish on the saddle, so I said, fine, if

you're not

Quoted message said:

going to pay for it, I'll put the original back. Don't know

how that

Quoted message said:

would affect your situation. They didn't seem to consider

bikes on a

Quoted message said:

component-by-component basis.

Yes, thanks for reminding me. I would definitely take off my
pedals and a couple other goodies.

Quoted message said:

I guess, based on my experience, that I would suggest getting

a

Quoted message said:

certified mechanic to write up a report of the damage. I

don't know how

Quoted message said:

much that would cost, but I'd imagine from your description of

the

Quoted message said:

accident that there was enough damage to warrant it. Then

again, the damage

Quoted message said:

to your bike may be obvious enough that you don't need a

specialist to point

Quoted message said:

it out. Then again, again, have you had a mechanic

double-check for signs of

Quoted message said:

frame damage?

No, I guess I'll take it to the LBS to see what they have to say
about it. I know them well. The only problem is how backed up
they are for labor right now. They just had the biggest sale of
the season, and are still throwing together bikes.

It is such garbage to be out during prime season .. I'd buy my
FS if a) I had my fall stipend and b) the '05s were out. Poor
timing. I guess I'll just go insane instead.

Found a dead pigeon in the walkway next to my garden today. West
Nile, anyone? Is there such a thing as a pentafecta?

Monique, thanks for your helpful reply.

Colin