Originally Posted by Whoodie
We may justify it when one has a prob, incase someone with a similar bike had a similar prob, but, being hit by a van on a Trek, bianchi or whatever bike is exactly the same. Unless if different bikes are run down differently.
Welllllllllllllllllllllllllll
A carbon fibre bike reacts differently from an aluminium bike which reacts differently from a titanium bike which reacts differently from a steel bike in a crash with a van. One or all might be write-offs, in which case we can all commiserate with the owner and encourage him/her back on to the bike again. Or we can laugh at the CF owner coz plastic bikes are bling-bling and we're jealous. We can say "we told you so" to the aluminium bike owner coz that really is a write-off. We can cry and laugh at the same time with/at the Ti owner. And we can say "yeah, cold set it back into shape" to the steelie owner.
There are also lots of other contexts that can be read into it. Are we talking about a sedate but legal rider on a hybrid? Or a gung-ho roadie flagrantly running a red light? Or an MTB rider doing a 20' drop off a highway flyover? Or a BMXer practising a grind along the roof gutter of the van? Or a fixte rider that no-one really cares about anyway
Stereotypes are wonderful things.
However, when it gets down to model numbers, groupsets and colour of jersey, there might be a case.