Good bye bicycle, I liked you so...

[ellbiddy]

So as I was headed today to 6MR I thought to myself..."Leo, today is awesome, why not take the motorcycle and let a friend drive..." (Mistake #1) so I called a buddy asked if he wanted to go riding and he did. We loaded my bikes on my roof (Mistake #2) and took off with him driving my car and me driving my CBR. So we leave his house and takes my wonderful bikes through a parking deck and smashes both my car and the bikes in one giant swoop. So my Fox 32 Float RLC ripped in two parts (684$), my other cheaper bike which I was letting him ride (Mistake #3) had it's fork bent (Another Fox Float replacement? 684$) The brake line ripped out of my lever (juicy 5's) but the housing looked alright so I need a new cable and a bleed kit (?) and to figure out how to bleed brakes. Maybe there's a way to fix a fork ripped into two pieces? Hah. I also need some plastic pieces to cover where the cable leaves the lever housing. All in all, this friggen sucks. No more 6MR for a while

I also had my rear window smashed, my roof rack pried a part of my roof off (small) and dented my whole rear hatch. So now I have a smashed car, no bikes, and I just graduated uni so I'm stuck doing nothing. The worst part is the kid is my best friend and he barely has money for food let alone the massive $$$ to fix my stuff so I'm stuck fronting the bill. With my $1000 deductable for insurance I'm probably going to get it fixed myself. What a shitty day.

 

[Sircrashalot]

Oh....man. Ouch. Not much else to say. I think you are gonna want to put that claim through- I am an ins. auto appraiser and roof's and hatches are very limited in what can be repaired- often need replacement from what seems like little damage. If the roof panel is dented/torn there isnt much to do but cut it off and replace- will go way over your $1,000 D. very quickly.

DOnt know your situation but you may be able to put a homeowners claim in for the bikes & rack. Homeowners policies cover personal property up to a certain amount (unless you buy an endorsement for extra) even if it is on/in your car at the time of loss. Might be worth a shot if you have coverage. If you live home with your folks you'd better talk to them first though...

If anything I can do to help in the way of writing what you can be sure is a fair est. let me know. Takes me 5 minutes to look at a car and type up an estimate- even if you were gonna pay out of pocket. Let me know if you need help....and again.....OUCH

 

[ellbiddy]

Well I called my dealer, the roof is in fine shape, the mount point for the rack was bent up a bit, but I think once the molding comes off all they do is "smack" it back down and that's that so that should just be a labor fee. To replace the whole back hatch + door it's about 1100$ little less + labor. So i assumed labor would be around 700$ for 10 hours at 70$/hr so 1800$ so it's an extra 800$ buy geico would rape me on rates because I'm younger (22), I also pay my brother's insurance and he hit his wheel in the snow this winter and geico was being a real stickler and they raised his rates so I couldn't handle mine going up as well.

Add to that what geico has already refused to pay (I called and asked) my bike costs from jenson:

Avid Juicy Bleed Kit
Ships Today $29.98 $29.98

Avid Juicy-5 Hydraulic Disc Brake '07
Silver/Blk, 185mm, Front Ships Today $136 $136
This item ships via UPS Ground for free!

JensonUSA $10 Money Card
$10 Card Toward Future Purchase Ships Today $0 $0
This item is Free with your purchase. Was $10.

Fox Shox 32 Float Fork '09
Float RLC, White, 140mm, Disc Only Ships Today $685 $1,370
This item ships via UPS Ground for free!


I figured I'd replace the brakes on the good bike (Fuel Ex8) and upgrade the front brake on the second. If anyone has done brake work like that before and would be willing to help I'm all for accepting it, I need to get new fittings too as my cable literally ripped out of the lever housing. The fitting for the caliper looks funny, and I may or may not need a new one.


On a side note, does anyone know what you cut the steer tube on the fork with? Will a hacksaw and maybe some cutting oil do? Also if anyone is selling anyone older nice forks let me know

 

[ellbiddy]

Pics

Anyone know where to get the round hose fitting? Or how to get it off?

 

[walter]

That bike is brand F'in new isnt it? You havent even gotten a chance to take the plastics off of the pedals. I hope this wasnt its maiden voyage. Best of luck bro, you're not the first and you wont be the last.

 

[jeff_ag]

WOW!!! THATS TERRIBLE..you have any auto body hook ups?

 

[Not So Fast]

Pipe cutter

You can get a pipe cutter at Home Depot or Lowes. They're much better than a saw. They cut clean and straight, sand down the burrs and you're good to go. Maybe ask a neighbor (a handy man) type and borrow his. Read some articles on cutting the steerer. I think Parks has some stuff on it. Remember, ''measure twice cut once". good luck

 

[ellbiddy]

I've been on maybe 2-3 rides with it...and no I don't know anyone in the autobody business.

 

[Kirt]

I have an older Marzocchi fork I can let u borrow. It's set up as a 4 inch fork & works ok.

Also, as Not So fast said, the pipe cutter is the way to go. Home Depot sells one for around $15. You still need a star nut installer tool.

 

[bikeboy566]

Bro that sux, check the head tube to see if theres any cracks in the frame as well. Being in the bike bus. i have here the same story a bunch of times, sory again.

 

[ellbiddy]

Thanks for the offer kirt but I think I'll just wait till my next check and pick up those two Fox forks. I also didn't notice any cracks on the frame, but my other bike got its first scratch from this...getting smashed into a wall . The fork soaked it all up thankfully.

 

[GSTim]

Can't they be fixed?

EB,

I would think that those Fox forks could be fixed by someone like PUSH for less than it costs to buy new! From the pictures it doesn't look like the major parts are bent, just ripped out the internals, maybe I'm crazy but that seems like such a shame.

I have a cheap set of forks that you could have until you get things worked out.

Sorry about your loss.

Tim

 

[NJ Jess]

sending

good karma thoughts your way. Did the same thing to my first road bike just after I graduated school too. bummer.

 

[ellbiddy]

EB,

I would think that those Fox forks could be fixed by someone like PUSH for less than it costs to buy new! From the pictures it doesn't look like the major parts are bent, just ripped out the internals, maybe I'm crazy but that seems like such a shame.

I have a cheap set of forks that you could have until you get things worked out.

Sorry about your loss.

Tim

Hmm! Not a bad thought, I'll shoot them an email thanks.

 

[ellbiddy]

good karma thoughts your way. Did the same thing to my first road bike just after I graduated school too. bummer.

I'll reverberate some good karma thoughts your way too

 

[Dusty the Whale]

thought karma comes in the next life...jk...even though it was an accendent i hate seeing bad thing happen to peoples personal property...the one thing that really upsets me is house fires...cant stand the thought of it...something good will come out of it...its the whole one door shuts another 2 open thing...

 

[stb222]

wow, best of luck, I drove into my garage with the bike on the roof rack but didn't do nearly as much damage...

 

[Cyclopath]

UGH!
That's brutal.
You're a big man and a good friend for not dumping on your buddy...
He's gotta be hurting too.
Hope it all works out well, and soon.

 

[BiknBen]

Friends don't let friends drive their cars!!! :hmmm:

That was brutal to read. Sorry dude! Tearing your bike off the roof of your car is a right of passage. We've all done it.

Careful with the insurance stuff. Make sure it is really worth it. It may get you some short term relief but they will jack your rates for years and get it back from you.

 

[Sircrashalot]

Well I called my dealer,

OK....DONT DO THAT. Body work should be done by a body shop. Dealers are the worst. Body shop labor rate in NJ = $44/hour & $23/hour for paint material. Dealer charges you $70-$100 then sends your car down the road to the body shop you could have gone to yourself and keeps the extra money. An arbitrary 10 hours to swap out a hatch is nonsense. You neefd a line by line itemized estimate written at prevailing body repair rates, not dealer non-warranty svc. rates, to get an idea what it should cost. Dealers dont make $$ selling cars, they make $$ of suckers who do what you are considering.

If you want a real idea of what it should cost, post up or pm me some pics and let me know year/make/model with trim level (i.e. lx, dx, gt, etc.) and I can write up an itemized estimate for you. I can also direct you toward some of the 'honest' body shops in your area if that would help.