How to know if the frame can still be used after a crash
06-18-13, 07:45 PM
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How to know if the frame can still be used after a crash
I got hit on the rear by a car making a left turn, my rear wheel fly off and I hit the ground... The person hit me and drove me home. After I got home, I realized the gap in the rear wheel becomes much larger (about 1-2 inches). I managed to use the rear wheel skewer to tighten it back to its original shape. I wonder if my frame can still be use, or if it can be fixed.
It is a old trek 1000 frame, I have been riding on it for over 5 years. I did inspect around my whole bike, I don't see any visible crack. Any comment, what should I do? Thanks. Ray
It is a old trek 1000 frame, I have been riding on it for over 5 years. I did inspect around my whole bike, I don't see any visible crack. Any comment, what should I do? Thanks. Ray
Last edited by JohnsonRay; 06-18-13 at 07:52 PM.
06-18-13, 07:57 PM
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Take the bike to a shop and have a qualified mechanic check it out. Some things can be fixed - some things can't. The condition of a frame or other major components isn't something you want to take a guess at.
06-18-13, 07:57 PM
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Trek 1000? I think that is aluminum. If the rear dropout got moved a full inch and you had to move it back, then I would say that the frame is done and the driver's insurance company owes you an equal style bike as retribution. I spread the stays on an aluminum frame to make a workshop seat (cut off top tube and down tube) and it cracked at the 1 inch mark.
06-18-13, 08:16 PM
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Trek 1000? I think that is aluminum. If the rear dropout got moved a full inch and you had to move it back, then I would say that the frame is done and the driver's insurance company owes you an equal style bike as retribution. I spread the stays on an aluminum frame to make a workshop seat (cut off top tube and down tube) and it cracked at the 1 inch mark.
06-18-13, 08:16 PM
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Odds are the frame is safe to ride since a chainstay failure isn't likely to lead to a crash.
But I'd consider it toast. It might last a while, but the alignment is probably off, and there's no way to know how long a while is going to be.
All in all, it sounds like everybody was pretty lucky. Get yourself checked out, then let a shop take a look at the frame. Get a solid estimate for repair or replacement, or a new frame, with the components switched over. Then speak to the driver or his insurance company and/or consult a lawyer if the damages are more than small dollars.
But I'd consider it toast. It might last a while, but the alignment is probably off, and there's no way to know how long a while is going to be.
All in all, it sounds like everybody was pretty lucky. Get yourself checked out, then let a shop take a look at the frame. Get a solid estimate for repair or replacement, or a new frame, with the components switched over. Then speak to the driver or his insurance company and/or consult a lawyer if the damages are more than small dollars.
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An ounce of diagnosis is worth a pound of cure.
Just because I'm tired of arguing, doesn't mean you're right.
“One accurate measurement is worth a thousand expert opinions” - Adm Grace Murray Hopper - USN
WARNING, I'm from New York. Thin skinned people should maintain safe distance.
06-18-13, 08:16 PM
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06-18-13, 08:23 PM
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Odds are the frame is safe to ride since a chainstay failure isn't likely to lead to a crash.
But I'd consider it toast. It might last a while, but the alignment is probably off, and there's no way to know how long a while is going to be.
All in all, it sounds like everybody was pretty lucky. Get yourself checked out, then let a shop take a look at the frame. Get a solid estimate for repair or replacement, or a new frame, with the components switched over. Then speak to the driver or his insurance company and/or consult a lawyer if the damages are more than small dollars.
But I'd consider it toast. It might last a while, but the alignment is probably off, and there's no way to know how long a while is going to be.
All in all, it sounds like everybody was pretty lucky. Get yourself checked out, then let a shop take a look at the frame. Get a solid estimate for repair or replacement, or a new frame, with the components switched over. Then speak to the driver or his insurance company and/or consult a lawyer if the damages are more than small dollars.
. But like everyone else, safety always first.
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