I finally did it.....

I drove into the garage with the Palo Alto still on the roof rack.

Damage assessment:

Roll-up sectional garage door - partially destroyed, $590 worth of damage.

Thule roof rack - two tower feet bent, bike tray twisted like a pretzel.

Car - no damage, save a microscopic scrape/rub on the driver side rain gutter.

Bike - slight scratching on the top tube, two partially smashed cable guides, kinked and split rear brake cable housing, torn bar tape, vintage white Selle Italia Flite Ti saddle destroyed (maybe).

Monetary loss of the garage door aside, I figure I'm pretty damn lucky. The bike was only slightly cosmetically damaged, and the car was virtually unscathed. Good thing, too, because it will be up for sale shortly. I find it amazing that the bike took the hit, but other things suffered the brunt of the damage. Apparently the bike was low enough so that the opened door grazed the stem, and when the saddle nose hooked the lower section it tore everything loose and it all came crashing down.

I learned my lesson - roof racks, garage doors, and me don't mix. I'm done with roof racks.

The garage was repaired (professionally!) the next day. I managed to get a thin bladed pocket knife to spread the cable guides back out, cable housing and tape has been replaced, and carefully applied metallic nail polish covered the scrapes (more or less) acceptably. I was able to remove the split saddle cover, and maybe the local cobbler can fashion a replacement. If not, the hunt will be on for a new saddle - oh, well..... it was getting pretty ratty looking anyway.

I would have taken pictures for you folks, but I was too depressed. All is fixed now, so there's nothing to really see anymore.

Said it once, said it again: Roof racks will lead to trouble no matter how confident one is.

Glad to hear that everything came out as well as it did. Good thing your garage door was certified by the IIHS to systematically disintegrate on bike impact

-Kurt

BBB, I'm glad the bike came out in relatively good condition. I know the garage door is expensive, but I'll bet your not as attached to your garage door as you are to your bike. (Now how did I know that )

Dang John,

Sorry to hear about the mishap. Makes me glad I only use rear racks - not that something couldn't happen with one of those, but it seems less likely.

of course, I don't have a garage either...

hate it when that happens! I did it once, too and was very lucky that the damage was minimal. Now I have a manual garage door and I have to be *really* thick to drive into it after getting out of the car and looking at the bike...doesn't mean it won't ever happen.

Garage doors I can get anywhere. Ruby red metallic Palo Alto frames in my size are a whole different kettle of fish.

Plus - I think maybe my homeowner's insurance will pay for the damage.

Your homeowner's coverage will pay for the garage door damage and the bike and the rack. The door is under the Dwelling coverage and the rack and bike are covered under the Personal Property coverage. The "peril" would be Motor Vehicle, and the total damage amount would be subject to your deductible.

In short, it's covered. You could probably get them to pay for sending it to CyclArt.

If I ever get a roof rack, I'm getting one of those little flags that drops down when the garage door is open that has a bicycle on it. I've also known people who put a chair in the way so you have to get out and move it before (and then?) you drive into the garage with your bike on the roof.

Aren't you glad it wasn't a new combustible Carbon frame. It might have exploded........

EZ solution:
Fill up your garage with your bike collection!!! If there's still room, "enhance" your collection.
no need to put your car in there, especially this time of year.
anyway, my condolences

I was fixin' the say, I can't get the car in my garage cuz of all the bikes in there. But sorry to hear about that BBM. Glad to hear the damage wasn't sooo bad.

AAACK!!!


Bite your tongue! My car is NEVER left outside.

The "good" bikes are all in the house, and the rest are hanging like bats from the garage rafters.

I did the same with my Kestrel 4000 carbon fiber frame, which is now almost vintage. Roof rack and factory rails on the Suburban were damaged, scratches on the Flite saddle, no damage to the frame. Rode the bike for many years after that, just recently sold. I figure the diamond frame is a very strong structure.

Bummer! I'm glad it wasn't worse, though; you were pretty lucky...

IF you have the right deductible. About the least around here for an affordable amount is a $5K deductible.

Thankful it wasn't any worse than it was! I keep thinking about downsizing my truck to a smaller car, but the way I baby my bikes and their paint I'm hesitant to use a trunk rack and a roof rack scares me for just this reason (I'm probably much more forgetful than BBM too!). So, with the truck and it's bed style rack I will stick with. I'll keep my eyes and ears open for another Flite if you need one.

Sorry to hear about that. What a drag. I haven't done that yet and I am nervous that I'm doomed to do it one of these days.

I am glad to hear that you, the bike, and the car are all okay.

It must have been a traumatic experience.

East Hill

I remember back in the cday a cutomer who hit his carport...

Totaled the carport...
Totaled a Team Miyata
Totaled a Miyata Ridge Runner
Totaled the Yakima Rack
Buckled the cars roof...

uh.... pics?

Well BBM, I can think of a lot of circumstances that could have made it much worse: more than one bike on the roof, new car, a bit more speed, etc.

When I had a roof rack, I would rubber band a note to the garage door opener, and also wheel the trash can in front of the door, double insurance, so to speak. I'm thinking of a hitch rack for the AZ car.

My wife just picked up a brand new, in the box, Saris Bones at the thrift for $5. It has worked very well, so far. I put a rag under the leg that rests on the trunk, and use a toe strap to secure the front wheel. No issues yet.

As far as insurance, after your deductible and whatever a claim does to your rates, it may not be worth going that route.

BBM,

Glad to hear that everything is relatively okay.
I seem to recall someone over at the Serotta Forums doing the same thing with
a new Ottrott and having to replace 2 main triangle tubes. . .
I'm presently thinking about a new car, the one caveat is it must fit 2 bikes inside,
I've heard the Honda Fit will do that.

Marty

Oops, sorry.

I love roof racks, but then, I don't have a garage!

Another safeguard is to move the opener from its usual location. Of course that won't work if you always carry bikes around.

Sorry about the trauma, BBM, and obviously there are lots of stories like this, but honestly, rear racks scare me worse than roof racks. As forgetful as I tend to be sometimes, it still seems like a lower probability than getting rear-ended by a texting teen.

I have heard of people that take the garage door opener and put it in the trunk with their riding gear after they load the bike onto the roof rack. I know my day to do this is coming.

Worst I have done yet is melt a tire on the hith rack when I got a new bike and did not realize that the rear tire was right in front of the exhuast pipe.

Driving from Dallas to Fort Worth for a group ride, hear a loud bang, thought the car had backfired. Turns out it was the tire melting and blowing up. DOH

When you get the new garage door, make sure to take a picture of your bike in front of it.

BBM, glad it wasn't worse. You probably needed a new garage door, right?

I have never used a roof rack. I have a full size Chevy truck with one of those cross bed clamp racks. That truck won't even fit in my garage!

I did watch a guy drive in a hotel parking lot in Cleveland with a minivan and one of those car top luggage carriers. I was across the street and couldn't warn the guy. It really wasn't pretty, that's for sure.