Bicycle Mechanics - Bent top tube from attempted theft

Hello,

(The bike is a 2006 Specialized Allez; Aluminum frame)

My bike was the subject of an unfortunate attempted theft on Thursday, and I've just now gotten to the point of coping with my loss that I can talk, and ask for help about it. The bike was parked at a train station in Chicago, locked to a rack with a U lock. When I got off the train, I could tell from a distance that the top tube was mangled. It appears the someone attempted to steal the bike by fitting a pipe between the ulock and the top tube and prying. There are two large crushed sections, and the length in-between is no longer straight (possibly the thief kept the bottom of the U above the top tube, with the lock part below, fit the pipe through, and tried to twist.

Well, the lock didn't break (Kryptonite wins that round), but I am left with a bike I can't ride. What are my options in dealing with this? Is it worth it to buy a new frame? I don't have the mechanical expertise to switch everything over, so would most likely need to pay someone. Can bottom brackets be switched over like this? Any other options?


I'm a graduate student and living on a very low budget. The bike was my nicest possession (although I think my collection of texts may be worth more) and cost is a very important issue.

Here are some pictures

http://img180.imageshack.us/my.php?image=img2061de7.jpg (http://img180.imageshack.us/my.php?image=img2061de7.jpg)
http://img187.imageshack.us/my.php?image=img2058pd2.jpg
http://img391.imageshack.us/my.php?image=img2060sq2.jpg

Thanks!

My advice is to take it to the Speciaized dealer you bought it from. Specialized has a crash-replacement program that you can ask about. Its for replacement of the whole bike. And you'll probably pay significantly less for the new/crash replacement bike than you did for your original purchase. I'm quite sure that if you're able to get your dealer to get in contact with their Specialized representative that Specialized will be quite interested to get their hands on your frame and put it through more product testing. That is an impressive dent you've got there.

+1 on the Specialized Dealer. They might like the publicity. I costs nothing to ask.

As to the attempted theft........tragic. Your average bike thief would be smarter than this so I would assume that some kid is involved who enjoyed the vandalism as much as the possible theft.

While the crash replacement program is certainly one option I'd get a price on it and then shop around for frame options then pick the best option for price vs frame bling that you like.

While I was at it I'd also be shopping for an older but nice bike that could be more safely used for commuting and leaving locked at a transit station. An Allez is a pretty tempting target in a city where I understand bike theft is far too common.

In a terrible cliche, I'm moving out of the city to a suburb (Evanston) today; two days after the attempted theft.

Two years commuting in Chicago on it and it's 2 days from sunny pastures when it gets hit...

In a terrible cliche, I'm moving out of the city to a suburb (Evanston) today; two days after the attempted theft.

Two years commuting in Chicago on it and it's 2 days from sunny pastures when it gets hit...

Isn't that always the way? I've had two motorcycles in the past that ran and worked flawlessly for the entire time I owned them. On the very day that I was going to ride to the dealer to trade them in for a newer more shiney bike they puked on me. The first time I came out to a flat tire, The second developed an electrical bug that took me two hours to track down and fix.

In your case it was the lowlife community that got ticked off with you for your planned desertion it would seem.... :D

Have you contacted your homeowners/renters insurance agent? You insurance may cover at least part of the damage's cost.

Ouch ! That's a really nasty thing to happen to any bike. Hope you manage to get a new frame OK. In respect of the perpetrator, I believe Messrs Smith and Wesson might have an appropriate remedy!

darn... wonder if there was some cameras in the train station, did u ask???

Darn westerd!!! hope he gets a nasty accident!!!... nobody can brake those chains, probably was a god darn kid trying to be smart. Good luck anyways.