I need some advice on fixing my bike after I got hit by a car.




>Yah, but don't go to an emergency room after a minor accident
>unless you want to sit around all day only to have someone stick
>a flashlight in your eyes, look in your ears and tell you that
>you are O.K. A spectacular waste of time if you have no LOC, no
>nausea, double vision, headache, bleeding etc.

boy that's for sure. my leg was numb when it happened but by the few minutes it
took for the ambulance to get there (it was pretty fast) I could feel it and it
was not that bad. sure it hurts but it is mostly muscle pain. cold packs is
about the only thing to be done.

--
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>If the frame is not bent, get a threaded CF fork. Kestrel makes
>one, and so do Easton and Profile. No need to go threadless.
>If you do go threadless, there are a lot of budget CF forks (or
>closeouts) for about $100. Nashbar is selling a threadless
>Kestrel for for $79.

I want to make sure to get a good one. I mean I ride the bike hard and right now
I weight 228 so I want something strong. I don't want any failures (G)




>and viola, threadless for under $125. I would check the headset
>for denting and get my wheel fixed. The rest of your parts
>should be fine if they look fine. I would make sure, however,
>that the frame is not buckled at the down tube. If the fork
>yeilded, it is likely the frame did too. Man, I told you it was
>dicey riding on the eastside. No shoulders and freaky
>eople. -- Jay Beattie.
>


he checked everything and I was surprised nothing else was bent. I think she hit
my leg and the front wheel. we both were going pretty slow by the time it
happened.
I really don't have any problems. well most of them are with stupid cyclists
and peds. I have a huge choice of roads and so I ride ones with plenty of room.
there was a wacky thing that happened on the first rain day.

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>Well, you do it your way and I'll do it mine. My injuries got
>progressively worse over more than a week, and that is the way it
>usually goes.

mine are getting better. I could go in anytime but they are far better. well
till I kneeled down and then raised up straight (G) that got it going a bit a
gain. got to be careful for sure.

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>Just take your bike to the bike shop and tell them you want every thing that
>is damaged replaced with the same part. Then send the bill to the idiot that
>hit you. You shouldn't be so worried about price since someone else is paying.


what I was asking is about downgrading. the quote is for hood high end stuff
like a 400.00 fork but I wonder do I really need one?? can a 200.00 fork do it?
leave me with 20.00 extra to spend on something else.

--
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>I would take the bike to someone who knows steel bikes well and have
>it checked out carefully. The check should look for integrity, any
>hint of bends in any of the tubes, etc. as well as alignment of the
>frame.


my mechanic is really good and he checked everything out.



>Next thing, *DO NOT* have the fork bent back into shape. If the fork
>fails, you will have a lot of medical needs after that. A bent fork
>is compromised; get a new one. Not a place to save money; the dental
>bills after a face plant when the fork fails will be much more than a
>complete new bike.



he said he was not sure it could be done till he tried it. steel can handle a
little bit of it. but I agree I would never really trust it again.


>Now, for the new fork find a good framebuilder and have one made,
>They can do a n appropriately configured steel fork with 1" threaded
>steerer to replace the one that has been damaged.


I would only get a steel one that matched. that's my only beef my steel fork
was a really nice light fork and it matched the bike it even had campy dropouts.
no use replacing it with a non matching steel fork.

--
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Custom made wooden planes at reasonable prices
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>Trying to straighten the forks is, in my opinion, a really bad idea.
>If they're bent enough to notice, they're bent too much to rely on.
>

it would only be a last resort. but he would not do it if he was not sure it
would be ok. he wants his customers safe.

>If it was me, I'd shop for a steel fork, or maybe aluminum. The
>weight saving from carbon is probably not worth the cost in your case,
>from what I hear you saying, and the durability of the carbon might
>not be as good as the steel or aluminum, though that's very hard to
>predict.


I would not go for aluminum that would make the ride way to harsh. I have read
too many complaints about aluminum forks. but I still need to look around a bit.

--
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Custom made wooden planes at reasonable prices
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> D'oh, get off it. If he is not hurt, he is not hurt. All of
> this hand-wringing about possible injuries is totally
> unnecessary. Latent injuries that are serious manifest in a
> fairly brief period of time -- usually in a day or three. It is
> not only possible, but in fact common to trash a bicycle and walk
> away with nothing more than road rash. I have done it a number
> of times. It is true that I feel like an old man now, but I am
> one.


Jay: Advice like that could be really dangerous, as it deters people not
only from seeking medical help that they might need, but may also
effectively end their chances at recovering damages (to either themselves or
their bike) that they might not be aware of.

You said it yourself-

> Latent injuries that are serious manifest in a
> fairly brief period of time -- usually in a day or three.


At this point, enough time has probably passed that he can be reasonably
sure he's fine. But that point is, as you have said yourself, "a day or
three" after the accident. During that time, the person who caused the
accident may be totally out of the picture (and unable to be located)
because, at the time of the accident, someone thought they were fine.

And, as I've learned, there are insurance companies that have a payment
scale that says, if you waited "x" amount of time before seeking medical
attention, your claim is devalued by a certain percent.

If the impact was serious enough to break a helmet and bust a wheel, it's
serious enough to have (potentially) caused damage not diagnosed at the
time. My advice remains the same- don't do anything that might interfere
with your ability to be taken care of down the road.

--Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles
www.ChainReactionBicycles.com
 
>>My bike is a nice higher end Italian racing frame about 12 years old with
>>medium quality mixed components. It's a odd bike for a now 228# guy
>>commuting
>>20 miles a day on but it's what I have.
>> The lady that hit me is really nice and wants everything taken care of. I
>>don't need medical just my bike fixed. And new glass lens as mien were all
>>scratched up. She bought me a helmet already.
>>Now my bike had a really nice steel matching fork with campy dropouts
>>even.
>>But of course the fork is what got it the worst. My mechanic thinks he may
>>be
>>able to bend them back. But quoted me 740.00 for a new carbon fork and new
>>Chris
>>king headset since mine is a 1" threaded. Need a new stem too. The front
>>wheel
>>needs a new rim (man it was only a few months old) and the rear wheel
>>needs
>>trued.

-snip-
Profile's 1" threaded carbon fork is $225 and a King at $125
and a generous fifty bucks brings it to $500 which leaves
another few hundred dollars. . .

Steel forks are $69 to $400 . You need a second opinion.
--
Andrew Muzi
www.yellowjersey.org
Open every day since 1 April, 1971
 
On Thu, 14 Oct 2004 01:53:29 GMT, Steve Knight
<[email protected]> wrote:


>
>>Next thing, *DO NOT* have the fork bent back into shape. If the fork
>>fails, you will have a lot of medical needs after that. A bent fork
>>is compromised; get a new one. Not a place to save money; the dental
>>bills after a face plant when the fork fails will be much more than a
>>complete new bike.

>
>he said he was not sure it could be done till he tried it. steel can handle a
>little bit of it.


Yes, but only a little and it already has been bent once and the shop
guy is talking of bending it back. And below you say it is light,
which usually means thin tubing for the fork blades ...

> but I agree I would never really trust it again.


So, if you cannot trust it, why do it?
>
>>Now, for the new fork find a good framebuilder and have one made,
>>They can do a n appropriately configured steel fork with 1" threaded
>>steerer to replace the one that has been damaged.

>
> I would only get a steel one that matched. that's my only beef my steel fork
>was a really nice light fork and it matched the bike it even had campy dropouts.
> no use replacing it with a non matching steel fork.


But a custom guy should be able to do an exact or pretty close match.
The first question is if the crown is available or a reasonably close
alternative. Since the fork is light, and given the age, I would
guess Columbus SL tubing; could use EL in its place Add the Campy
dropouts. A good framemaker should be able to put that together.
I've seen a local guy match a variety of munged forks, from those on
old Japanese production bikes to those on relatively new custom bikes.

- rick
 
O

>Profile's 1" threaded carbon fork is $225 and a King at $125
>and a generous fifty bucks brings it to $500 which leaves
>another few hundred dollars. . .
>


I looked at the profile forks but they don't have the right rake. the Easton
ec30 has the right rake 99.00 on sale.

--
Knight-Toolworks & Custom Planes
Custom made wooden planes at reasonable prices
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>> but I agree I would never really trust it again.

>
>So, if you cannot trust it, why do it?



it would depend on how poor I am at the time (G)

>


>But a custom guy should be able to do an exact or pretty close match.
>The first question is if the crown is available or a reasonably close
>alternative.


it would be cool but I want to get back on the bike. performance is more
important then looks to me.

--
Knight-Toolworks & Custom Planes
Custom made wooden planes at reasonable prices
See http://www.knight-toolworks.com For prices and ordering instructions.
 
"Mike Jacoubowsky" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> > D'oh, get off it. If he is not hurt, he is not hurt. All of
> > this hand-wringing about possible injuries is totally
> > unnecessary. Latent injuries that are serious manifest in a
> > fairly brief period of time -- usually in a day or three. It

is
> > not only possible, but in fact common to trash a bicycle and

walk
> > away with nothing more than road rash. I have done it a

number
> > of times. It is true that I feel like an old man now, but I

am
> > one.

>
> Jay: Advice like that could be really dangerous, as it deters

people not
> only from seeking medical help that they might need, but may

also
> effectively end their chances at recovering damages (to either

themselves or
> their bike) that they might not be aware of.


Mike: I am not trying to deter people from getting medical
attention. I am trying to deter them from getting medical
attention that is not necessary and that is expensive. Also note
that medical treatment carries a significant risk in itself, as
the recent studies of full body MRI indicate. You chance of
infection is far greater in a hospital than at home. We should
not run off to a hospital every time we have a minor injury, and
I never advocated not seeing your family care physician if
symptoms persist.

> You said it yourself-
>
> > Latent injuries that are serious manifest in a
> > fairly brief period of time -- usually in a day or three.

>
> At this point, enough time has probably passed that he can be

reasonably
> sure he's fine. But that point is, as you have said yourself,

"a day or
> three" after the accident. During that time, the person who

caused the
> accident may be totally out of the picture (and unable to be

located)
> because, at the time of the accident, someone thought they were

fine.

Come on. When you have an accident that destroys your bike, you
get all the insurance information you need -- one hopes. People
do not wait to get seriously injured before getting a name,
address and telephone number.

Also, the latent injuries I was worried about were subdural
hematomas which manifest as headaches but can be fatal in a few
days. There are reported cases of subdural hematoma without LOC,
but those cases also involved a head or facial wound or hematoma
and other obvious symptoms like a falling score on the Glasgow
Coma Scale. And even if I had a latent head injury, no ER
physician would order a head CT without a history of LOC or other
symptoms. The doctor would give me reassurrance and the usual
discharge orders saying that I should call in if I have headache,
LOC, dizziness, nausea, double vision, etc. It's on a
pre-printed form I have seen a million times (mostly in my work).
I do not need to see it again. And for orthopedic injuries,
really, how many times have you been hit or crashed and a doctor
says you are just fine, or gives you four days of Flexeril and
Motrin. I do as well with a gin and tonic and skipping the six
hours in an emergency room. Bombay is cheaper than Co-Pay.

> And, as I've learned, there are insurance companies that have a

payment
> scale that says, if you waited "x" amount of time before

seeking medical
> attention, your claim is devalued by a certain percent.


I am sure there are insurance companies that do this, but so
what. The bottom line is what a jury would give you. And on that
score, I do admit that the stoics sometimes take it in the
shorts. But the fools who run to ten chiropractors take it in
the shorts even more. When I see a case involving a minor injury
and ten doctors and huge bills, I just prepare for trial because
I know that the lien claims will be too high and that the victim
will want to much to take a reasonable settlement. This is
especially true where the guarantor on the chiropractic bills is
the victim's attorney.

> If the impact was serious enough to break a helmet and bust a

wheel, it's
> serious enough to have (potentially) caused damage not

diagnosed at the
> time. My advice remains the same- don't do anything that might

interfere
> with your ability to be taken care of down the road.


There is this myth in this NG that we are subject to invisible,
traumatic injuries that will kill us in short order. Well,
absent real symptoms like abdominal tenderness, LOC, decreased
level of consciousness, wounds, accute and localized pain etc.,
no doctor is going to give you a full set of labs or scans to
rule out every possible problem. All those procedures carry
risks and are entirely unnecessary in the absence of certain,
real clinical findings. My simple message is that we generally
know when we are hurt and when to seek appropriate medical
treatment. We should not run off to an ER just to make a record
in the belief that it will somehow help our personal injury
claims. That is a misuse of an ER. -- Jay Beattie.