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Carbon frame intregrity after accident
I had an accident in which a car pulled across my path. I struck the
passenger rear quarter panel and flew over the car, taking the bike halfway across the trunk. The fork was slightly bent (can be straightened), and front wheel was badly warped. The frame is a ~1995 Trek 2300 with carbon main tubes bonded to aluminum lugs. The carbon tubes look physically fine. One bike shop states there is the risk of internal damage, and I should consider replacing the frame. Another shop states the frame is fine, straighten the fork, and replace the front wheel. I have been unable to ride the bike due to a healing shoulder, so I cannot comment on how it feels. Should I be concerned? Jurgen |
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Carbon frame intregrity after accident
"Jürgen Hartwig" wrote in message ... I had an accident in which a car pulled across my path. I struck the passenger rear quarter panel and flew over the car, taking the bike halfway across the trunk. The fork was slightly bent (can be straightened), and front wheel was badly warped. The frame is a ~1995 Trek 2300 with carbon main tubes bonded to aluminum lugs. The carbon tubes look physically fine. One bike shop states there is the risk of internal damage, and I should consider replacing the frame. Another shop states the frame is fine, straighten the fork, and replace the front wheel. I have been unable to ride the bike due to a healing shoulder, so I cannot comment on how it feels. Should I be concerned? Jurgen There is always going to be a little voice in the back of your head wondering if the bike is fine, or if its going to break next time you hammer up a hill. Have their insurance pay for it! You won't be able to tell if the bike's OK or not, so replacement is better than the alternative. I vote for replacement. If for no other reason than the stress it will get rid of in the long run. Mike |
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Carbon frame intregrity after accident
"Mike S." mikeshaw2@coxDOTnet wrote in
news:Wvjnb.83743$vj2.22055@fed1read06: Have their insurance pay for it! You won't be able to tell if the bike's OK or not, so replacement is better than the alternative. I agree. One shop recommending replacement should be enough for the insurance company. |
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Carbon frame intregrity after accident
I had an accident in which a car pulled across my path. I struck the
passenger rear quarter panel and flew over the car, taking the bike halfway across the trunk. The fork was slightly bent (can be straightened), and front wheel was badly warped. The frame is a ~1995 Trek 2300 with carbon main tubes bonded to aluminum lugs. The carbon tubes look physically fine. One bike shop states there is the risk of internal damage, and I should consider replacing the frame. Another shop states the frame is fine, straighten the fork, and replace the front wheel. composites are hard to judge. aerospace inspection techniques are prohibitively expensive and even then, not necessarily reliable. you're therefore stuck with trying to load the frame with some multiple of the safe working load and seeing if it either fails or deflects more than a known safe frame. again, that may not be practical. your only other "safe" option is returning to the manufacturer for inspection and seeing what they say. alternatively, if you just want to wing it, you can take comfort from the fact that many composite frames are substantially stronger than their metallic counterparts and if you've not already broken it, can find no evidence of structural damage, and the frame shows no evidence of increased flex or handling peculiarities, it might well be ok. composites are similar to wood in that if it looks ok, it often /is/ ok - if it looks cracked, it's not. jb |
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Carbon frame intregrity after accident
Thanks for the response guys.
My biggest worry is getting on the bike, and having a failure at a later date. If such a thing happened after I settled with the insurance company, I'm screwed (especially if I injured myself). On the other hand, my gut says the frameset is probably fine. I think there is validity to either side, and it will likely become a personal decision. Wish this had never happened. My life would be far less complicated. Jürgen |
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Carbon frame intregrity after accident
On the other hand, my gut
says the frameset is probably fine. I think there is validity to either side, and it will likely become a personal decision. Your gut is probably right, but the motorist owes you a bike that you don't even have to ask such questions about. You didn't before, right? So why should you be riding something that you'd even question, if it's their fault? If it was your own fault, fine, you could rationalize that it's probably fine and just keep an eye on things. But why should *you* have to rationalize anything in this particular case? --Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles http://www.ChainReactionBicycles.com "Jürgen Hartwig" wrote in message ... Thanks for the response guys. My biggest worry is getting on the bike, and having a failure at a later date. If such a thing happened after I settled with the insurance company, I'm screwed (especially if I injured myself). On the other hand, my gut says the frameset is probably fine. I think there is validity to either side, and it will likely become a personal decision. Wish this had never happened. My life would be far less complicated. Jürgen |
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Carbon frame intregrity after accident
jhartwig- I had an accident in which a car pulled across my path. I struck
the passenger rear quarter panel and flew over the car, taking the bike halfway across the trunk. The fork was slightly bent (can be straightened), and front wheel was badly warped. The frame is a ~1995 Trek 2300 with carbon main tubes bonded to aluminum lugs. The carbon tubes look physically fine. One bike shop states there is the risk of internal damage, and I should consider replacing the frame. Another shop states the frame is fine, straighten the fork, and replace the front wheel. I have been unable to ride the bike due to a healing shoulder, so I cannot comment on how it feels. Should I be concerned? yes, no way to tell if the carbon tubes are 'bruised' and may crack/fail w/o noyice. carbon is wonderful but when in an accident like yours, you cannot really tell if the tubes are compromised. Peter Chisholm Vecchio's Bicicletteria 1833 Pearl St. Boulder, CO, 80302 (303)440-3535 http://www.vecchios.com "Ruote convenzionali costruite eccezionalmente bene" |
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Carbon frame intregrity after accident
"Qui si parla Campagnolo" wrote in message ... jhartwig- I had an accident in which a car pulled across my path. I struck the passenger rear quarter panel and flew over the car, taking the bike halfway across the trunk. The fork was slightly bent (can be straightened), and front wheel was badly warped. The frame is a ~1995 Trek 2300 with carbon main tubes bonded to aluminum lugs. The carbon tubes look physically fine. One bike shop states there is the risk of internal damage, and I should consider replacing the frame. Another shop states the frame is fine, straighten the fork, and replace the front wheel. I have been unable to ride the bike due to a healing shoulder, so I cannot comment on how it feels. Should I be concerned? yes, no way to tell if the carbon tubes are 'bruised' and may crack/fail w/o noyice. carbon is wonderful but when in an accident like yours, you cannot really tell if the tubes are compromised. Peter is right, there really is no sure way to tell, w/o X-ray equipment (which is what aerospace and race car folks use). But you can extrapolate that damage is likely. Look at it this way -- the fork was bent. Any impact that great on a modern lightweight steel or aluminum frame will usually damage the frame too -- buckling or cracking the top and down tubes. Carbon frames are generally designed for the same stresses, and to be as lightweight as possible. So it's likely they're not that much stronger than a 3.5 LB steel frame or 3 LB aluminum one. I'd replace the thing. You already have one shop's word, so you shouldn't have too much trouble getting the guy's insurance to pay for it. You have nothing to lose. Why even take the risk? Matt O. |
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Carbon frame intregrity after accident
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#10
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Carbon frame intregrity after accident
"Jürgen Hartwig" wrote in message ...
I had an accident in which a car pulled across my path. I struck the passenger rear quarter panel and flew over the car, taking the bike halfway across the trunk. The fork was slightly bent (can be straightened), and front wheel was badly warped. The frame is a ~1995 Trek 2300 with carbon main tubes bonded to aluminum lugs. The carbon tubes look physically fine. One bike shop states there is the risk of internal damage, and I should consider replacing the frame. Another shop states the frame is fine, straighten the fork, and replace the front wheel. I have been unable to ride the bike due to a healing shoulder, so I cannot comment on how it feels. Should I be concerned? Jurgen Dear Jurgen, Which bike would you buy if you saw two similar bikes sitting next to each other, one brand new and one 8 years old that had been in a crash and condemned by a bike shop? Hell, which bike would you rent for your mother, your wife, or your daughter to ride? Think of yourself, not the bike. Carl Fogel |
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