johnlivanos2383

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TrojanHorse

I assume the driver's insurance will compensate you for your loss. Your best bet is to not talk about it on the internet and contact a lawyer to handle your affairs. His insurance company is littered with lawyers, no reason to give them an incredible advantage.

kbarch

That's too bad. Sure, ideally you'd get compensation from the guy who caused the damage, but if he's not a stand-up guy, trying to get it from him may be more trouble than it's worth, especially considering how it was an older bike for which you wouldn't be able to get much to begin with.
Since it was an older bike, another older, used bike wouldn't be a step down, so I'd look into the used market generally. Some of your parts might be worth saving, but I wouldn't count on saving money on your replacement through salvage, because you may well find a good price on a bike with components of equal or better quality.

joejack951

No need to involve lawyers. Report it to your insurance company and let them go after the other guy's insurance for your medical bills, if any, and property damage. Assuming the guy is insured, it should be a fairly painless experience, certainly easier than a personal injury lawsuit which can get dragged on forever.

Even though your bike is older, you may end up with a brand new bike. Bikes are very cheap, compared to cars, and I'm betting the ofher guy's insurance company won't bat an eye at buying you the 2016 equivalent of your current bike. I'd leave your current bike as-is in case the insurance company wants to see it or possibility take it after they've provided you with a replacement or money to buy one.

Andy Somnifac 

If insurance and a lawyer is going to be involved, the most important thing is to:

Not talk about it on the internet, on a publicly accessible forum.

CliffordK

I'm not big on getting lawyers and all involved.

Just ask for a fair replacement value from the insurance company, whether it is a NEW bike, or a used bike.

As joejack951 mentioned, you may not want to tear down the old bike until you get at least some communication started with the replacement costs.

How familiar are you with bike mechanics? Sometimes bent wheels can be trued (but often not as good as new if they were traumatically bent). Or, they may be toast. It sounds like you may have quite a few bent parts which will be problematic for your bike build.

There are quite a few used frames that pop up for sale on E-Bay and on Craigslist, often for pennies, but sometimes you're better off just buying a complete bike.

NYC, however, should be a great place to scrounge for either bikes, or bike parts.

RonH

Sorry to hear about the crash.
I got hit by a car when riding my Cannondale a year ago. I took the bike to the shop and they said Cannondale had a great crash replacement policy, 30% off the price of a new bike. My bike was less than a year old. Not sure how it works with older bikes but my be worth asking about. Good luck

rkg64

I wouldn't be wondering how you could afford to replace the bike when the other person is liable for the accident. Hopefully you got info and can then pursue a claim. Call your insurance company if you have one and ask them what to do next...

cydewaze

Legally Speaking: What to do if you're hit by a car - VeloNews.com

merlinextraligh

Agreed. If you have little in medical bills, no ongoing injury, and the insurance company makes you a reasonable offer. There's no need to get a lawyer.

Lawyers cost money, typically 33-40% of the recovery. Also most decent lawyers are not going to be too excited about pursuing a $2000 claim.

You actually have an advantage dealing with the insurance company on a small claim before you retain a lawyer. You can settle without the headwind of legal fees. Additionally the insurance company knows that if you get a lawyer, the expense of dealing with the claim goes up, and a small property damage claim may be built into a more expensive personal injury claim. Thus, decent insurance adjusters know its in their interest to be reasonable, get the claim settled quickly, and avoid it growing into a more expensive problem.

If you have real injuries, or the insurance company is not reasonable in settling your claim, that's the time to get a lawyer.

silversx80

I got hit over 2 months ago, broke a bone and went to the ER. I'm still sore and having trouble with my left arm. Lawyers are involved because it's a medically complex case. Had it been just my bike, or simple injuries, I would have gone through the insurance company alone.

The lawyers are taking care of my personal injury side, and I took care of the property damage side. It was pretty cut and dry... that is after some negotiation with the claims specialists. They asked for documentation on all my non-stock parts, documentation that the bike was unridable, even receipts for all my purchases. You don't need any of that, just proof the bike is yours, and it is damaged.

What you need to do is take your bike to a local shop and have them quote you for a repair. Then ask them to give you a quote for replacement of a "like" bike. An adjuster from the insurance company should come out and take pictures of your bike. Also, make sure any clothing that was damaged is there too. Even if you only had a minor bump on your head, you need to replace the helmet. You're owed for scuffs and scrapes on all your items. If you'd wish the keep them, the insurance company may offer an allowance. Otherwise, ask for full replacement.

Just be fair. The insurance company is legally obligated to get you on the exact same bike as it was before the accident, or better. Don't settle, but don't ask for extremes. Once we reached an agreed upon settlement for my bike (over $7K), it took a week to get my check.

johnlivanos2383

Thanks for all the advice. If only I got any information from this guy, it sounds like things would be much better. Unfortunately I did not get any info and have tried all means necessary to get in touch with him and find his insurance info, but am SOL.

joejack951

As a counterpoint, I was hit, fractured two vertebrae in my back, had $30k+ in medical and PT bills, and didn't need to involve lawyers. I never paid a dime out of pocket and was compensated not only for my bike and clothing but also for sick time I had take from work. I also received a fair P&S settlement from the other person's insurance without any negotiating.

YMMV.

Homebrew01

Did you get his license plate or any identifying information you can give to the police ??

As for swapping parts, it can be fairly simple if the new frame is similar type, even if a different brand.
Start a new thread, maybe in "Mechanics" forum if you decide to go that way.

johnlivanos2383

I got nothing. I was in such a state of shock when it happened that I barely knew what was going on.

Homebrew01

Bummer.

Cannondales have standard threadings and dimensions, so 90% of frames of that era will work with your parts. Even much newer frames will work, but you may have a few minor changes to make.

First, get it looked at to determine what's broken, and what isn't. Either at a shop, and/or post pictures here.

spdracr39

Would you have handled this in the same way if it had been your car he hit? It is no different. Write it off as a lesson learned and check into taking advantage of the crash replacement discount or save up for another good used bike or frame. You can possibly sell the undamaged components from the crashed bike to recoup some money.

johnlivanos2383

I attached pics of the main damage done to the frame. The wheels are also slightly bent. But I have a full shimano 105 set that is in great working condition.

johnlivanos2383

Exactly. This was the first accident I've ever been in, so who knows how I would have acted if this was in my car. But lesson learned... I think whatever happens in the future I'll be much more prepared to protect myself.

silversx80

Call your car insurance company. You're covered under the uninsured motorist coverage.

Homebrew01

Frame is trashed. Left crank is bent, but most of the other parts might be fine.
Wheels can be repaired ... depends on the damage.
What size is your frame ??

f4rrest

Your uninsured motorist coverage will pay for injuries and property damage to your bike, assuming you have your own auto insurance with uninsured option.

merlinextraligh

I believe Cdale had a lifetime crash replacement program on that frame, which your Dad as the orignal owner could access. I'd check with a Cdale dealer.

Team Sarcasm

Sorry you had that happen to you, but it sounds like you're doing good health wise, which is the most important.

It is a bummer that you didn't get his insurance info however lesson learned as you mentioned.

I would keep an eye on your body and in a few weeks get a basic physical.

My biggest piece of advice is to really focus on the yourself for a few weeks and put the bike in the back of your mind. If anything hurts/doesn't feel right/etc. Go get it checked out. If you ignore something and never get it checked out , it can lead to problems down the road.

mprelaw

When insurance companies settle a property damage only claim, where something is "totaled" (ie, damaged beyond repair) they settle is for what's called ACV---actual cash value. Unless a bike is brand spanking new, it won't be full replacement cost. Bikes depreciate. Almost as fast as cars do. What they would almost certainly offer---and this is academic since he never got the driver's insurance info--is original cost less depreciation. If you're thinking that he's getting a brand new, 2016 CAAD 12 out of this, you have never dealt with an insurance company. Even his own insurer may not offer him full replacement value if he has uninsured motorist coverage.

His best option is having dad use Cannondale's crash replacement policy. Knock 30% off a CAAD 8 frame, swap most of the salvaged components onto it, and take whatever insurance money is on the table.

Take the frame to a Cannondale dealer. He will hold it in case any insurance company wants to inspect it. He will also do a replacement cost estimate, which the insurance company will probably ignore. I doubt that Cannondale wants the frame returned to them---this isn't a warranty claim where they have to inspect it for a defect. They may not even want pictures.