General Cycling Discussion - Roof Rack Disaster (pity me!)

Happy July 4th -

We celebrated the holiday by driving our tandem into the in-laws carport (Damn roof racks anyhow). CRUNCH. Summary of damage:
· Front fork is folded over
· rear triangle is tweaked in two dimensions
· Yakima bars and towers appear to be totaled
· Rear wheel taco'ed
· Tandem rack - condition unsure
· Subaru roof - nice long gouges for about 18 inches from chain ring grinding into roof.
· Marriage - stressed, fortunately the other half was driving the car (don't love anything that can't love you back).

I hope to forward Joe a photo to post in this thread. Will call our insurance company on Thursday and see if our homeowners will cover. Unfortunately if happened at the in-laws. Will see how it works out.

OUCH!!!
Your story made tears come to my eyes Dirt. Hope your insurance covers it. Let us know how it turns out. Try to have a happy 4th anyway! :) DG

That's terrible. I hope the insurance will cover it. Keeping my fingers crossed!

That's awful. :cry:
I sure hope the insurance company will pay for everything.

What did the in-laws have to say? What about their carport? Are you still on speaking terms with them? :fight:

Next time RIDE the tandem to the in-laws and park it in the carport. :)

Let us know how things turn out.

Ron

owww! Now that's a roof rack disaster. I hope insurance covers it at least some. We've had two roof rack mini-disasters, but nothing on the scale of yours. First, my dearest husband drove the car into one of those parking ramps, with the bikes on top. The bikes were fine, but one of the thingees that it fastened into was broken and a couple of nice long scratches in the car finish. That was on our way to the north shore century in Evanston. That made for a very, very tense ride that day I can tell you. Second time, we didn't fasten the bike securely into the rack once. It was one of those racks that you pop the wheel off and the fork goes into the thing. Well that one bent the h@ll out of my fork. No ride at all that day. But luckily the bike mechanic was able to bend it back into shape.

Ouch! :( I know the feeling. I once drove into the carport with a cartop carrier, after 10 hours of driving I was bushed! Whap! Then I realized what I had done. :p

Homeowners should cover you, minus the deductible. :)

Let's see if I can upoad the jpg image here.

Aaah, that hurts, i hope the IS pays everything back.
If not, we could set up a fund and collect money for a new bike.

All - Thanks for the kind words and sympathy.

My initial inquiry to the insurance was positive. Looks like we will claim the tandem and roof rack on homeowners (fortunately we have replacement cost). Damage to the car will be against our collision policy.
If it works out (fingers crossed) we will be out the deductible, a few shed tears, and a month or two off the tandem.

It hurts just to think about it! Although I am an excellent driver, definitely an excellent driver, I know I am just the guy who would forget the bikes are up there and do just this sort of thing. When I was asking my LBS buddy about racks, he said the rooftop mounts were the best. I knew right away, that I had best avoid them. For now I will just put them in the back of the van. Nice and clean and safe.
Rainman

I was intending to post a message of sympathy, yesterday, but I have no words to discribed my feeling toward what happen to your tandem, I am very sorry to hear about your bike, hope you can get a new tandem

Originally posted by dirtsqueezer

If it works out (fingers crossed) we will be out the deductible, a few shed tears, and a month or two off the tandem.

As a tandem jockey, it breaks my heart to see that you may have to have a "month or two off the tandem." My fingers are crossed as well in hopes that the process of repair and replacement is as quick and painless as possible.

Hehe, I remember my dad doing that twice when I was growing up. I think it was those moments when I learned my first swear words.

Add my condolences to the others!

Do you have another ride in the meantime?

Yeah, sorry Dirt (hope I can call you that). My condolences, maybe you can still ride it if you put a 2 inch wheel up-front!

Sorry. Not funny.:(

Was there a defect in the roof rack? Have you contacted Yakima? It seems they should reimburse you or something if it was the roof rack's fault.

ya, ya, Fubar5, its the roof rack's fault, okay I totally agree with you on these one:D :D

Only defect was a loose nut behind the steering wheel....

Originally posted by dirtsqueezer
Only defect was a loose nut behind the steering wheel....
They also cause havoc when they're tight.