Road Cycling - Just got hit by a car- What to check out on the bike..

I had a VERY close call tonight. On my normal route, some stupid <insert explitive> decided she was going to "teach me to use the road" and cut it as close as she could. Too close, evidently. Her mirror clipped my handle bar.. luckily it was one of those fold in mirrors, and I stayed up, but the bar end plug I have on the bike, was dented in, and my bar tape was ripped up a bit.

The only thing I could have seen being damaged is the headset.. how do I check this?? Is there anything else I should be looking at?? Now that I have made sure my body is intact, its time to check out the bike.

BTW: It happened so fast (I was drafting my buddy.. saving him from getting the mirror I guess) that I didnt get the plate number. DOH!!!

-BlueDevil

I am glad you are okay, Bluedevil. The stupid carelessness (or meanness!) of some people boggles my brain.

Frist, glad everyone is OK. I hope you got the tag number. We had a person throw a car open on our group ride one night, the nice is now a guest of the state.
I would also check your bars and stem for any kind of damage.

Originally posted by dwatson
I hope you got the tag number. We had a person throw a car open on our group ride one night, the nice is now a guest of the state.


I wish I had.. it all happened so fast, and trying to compensate to stay up (my first priority) took all of my attention, and I couldnt see the plate by the time a I looked up. :mad:

Try going back to the same spot, in your car this time, and see if she uses the same the road. It is worth a try.

About your HS. I would suspect that if you can feel no play in it and it turns smoothly, there is no damage to it. Spin the wheels to see if they are still true.

Glad you and your buddy came out OK.

Originally posted by dwatson
Try going back to the same spot, in your car this time, and see if she uses the same the road. It is worth a try.

Good idea. Her mirror will show evidence of hitting the bar so if you see her again chase and get the Lisense then file a warrant for her arrest for hit and run and assault.

I'm with LJ in that your headset should be fine if you couldn't feel any problems riding away from the incident. Incidents like these are the reason I always ride well away from the gutter - even if there isn't room to pass successfully. It gives me some space to back into when someone decides to try to pass way too close. It doesn't always work perfectly, but at least it's something.

Drivers can whinge all they like about cyclists claiming the lane, but while ever it's the only effective way to deal with tosspots like this I'm going to keep doing it.

I am glad you are ok. It would suck if your bike was damaged. I have had similiar things happen and it truely sucks.
-Duncan Watson

The most likely thing would be a twisted bar.

Thanks for the replies guys. I turned the headset back and forth a bit, and it is still smooth as can be. I also leveled my bike against a wall (made sure the wheels were perfectly vertical) and measured the distance from the bottom of the drops, to the ground, and they were both even, so I dont think I twisted the handle bars at all. Seeing as the mirror folded, and it wasnt enough force to knock me over, I am guessing that everything is OK. Although I do need a new plug, and some new bar tape.. could have been much worse!

[edit] I am thinking I will go back to the spot and see if I can spot her again. I called the police this evening, and while they said, without a plate number, there was little they could do, they wanted to take down the info anyway, and document it. The officer was saying that they look at these accidents, and it helps to determine where they put police on the street.. so who knows, maybe it will make it a little safer for someone else.

-BlueDevil

get some metal BMX bar-end plugs....just in case there is a next time.

lol@BMX bar ends....lmao!