two 30" diameter potholes in the middle of the intersection at Chambers and Greenwich. I got out of the first one and went right into the second and over the handlebars. Bent the $hit out of my top tube and down tube - I am pretty sure my front wheel is toast as well - mavic cxp32 rim with a phil wood hub. Crap. I was following about 8' behind the car ahead of me and didn't see the potholes until the last minute.

I didn't get badly hurt just some minor scrapes. It turns out that the city protects itself against claims by having passed a law which states, in part that they are not responsible for damage or injury from potholes unless they have been notified in writing that the pothole exists and have been given a reasonable amount of time to fix it. I talked to a crossing guard who saw me wipe out then went to buy a disposable camera to take pics of the intersection, when I got back with the camera a truck and crew pulled into the intersection and started filling the potholes that I had crashed in only 15 minutes earlier. The foreman started making fun of me saying I would be an old man before the city paid anything and was laughing at me for taking the pictures...so I took his picture. Take that, Jack.

You can see the "before" pictures by clicking the link to FGG #1674 in my signature. I had only ridden this bike about 5 times. Occupational hazard - stupid year of the rooster.

IT can be fixed!! trust me so it not a total loss.

S/F<
CEYA!

I know they can replace the tubes but I figure it will probably be $150-200 per tube plus replacement lugs, if needed, plus paint...may as well start shopping for a new bike for that money. Maybe I can get a few bucks for it...eBay "No Reserve"...here I come.

you don't need to replace the tubes. just put on alignment table and pull the crimps out.

S/F<
CEYA!

Sounds safe...

too bad man, thats a beautiful bike.

yep I have a track bike to show as proof. if you spend alot of time around bikes like I did before. You learn thing from frame builders. I know what he is talking about here in the city we have massive craters. Even though they are repaving the streets it way too late for that. Maybe we can hook up in the city and I can take alook at it. I can give a better answer that way.

S/F<
CEYA!

I'd love to have you take a look at it. The down tube has a sharp edge and it feels like the tube wall actually tore a little bit - I live in Brooklyn near Park Slope and work in Flatiron area. I'm not gonna ride the frame anymore but if you live nearby we can work something out.

Thanks

We can talk offline by PM. I will bring my bike to show you.

Pm sent!

S/F<
CEYA!

Attention all broken-frame owners:

Ceya makes house calls!

nice work man ~ way to spread the knowledge.

Gotta keep em alive. Don't put the horse down before it's time.

people should start writing in to the city about every pothole they see.

although that would take an incredible amount of anti-lazyness potion.

wonder what the ratio of pothole to strees is? I'm guessing around 10 per block.

I don't get it, don't you usually go around potholes.. or did the pothole just magically appear in front of you without warning...?

he was behind a car and didn't see it in time. You have to live here to fully appreciate the phenomenon that is NYC potholes. They do appear out of nowhere sometimes, it should be studied indepth by some scientist.

I'm wondering how it's possible for that many potholes to just form in the road...are there pothole gnomes in NYC that come out in the middle of the night with jackhammers and just punch holes into the road to annoy everyone?

Ever lived in a big, dense city?
Actually, potholes do form pretty quickly. I would guess the form rapidly b/c of a lack of support underneath the surface.

once there's a small hole, it's turns into a bottomless pit quickly. We have some potholes that are almost a foot deep. I'm not kidding either, sucks for the cars that break axles on it, happened to my friend's soccermomobile.

big city? yeah Miami pretty much all my life...not really huge or nasty potholes to speak of, in fact if it weren't for the absolutely insane drivers down there I think it would pretty decent for cycling since the roads are maintained pretty well. At least US1 and in the Grove =P


good to know though since NY is where I'm looking at as choice #1 for moving to after I'm done with school.

Miami eh? I'll be there in the end of june. . . maybe we can hook up for a ride or something. I don't know anyone else who ride down there except my best friend, but that's just because I built him a fixie for christmas.

I was behind a car and moving with the line of traffic. It appeared from under their bumper and I slowed and managed to make it out of the first pothole and stay on the bike - then there was the second one which sent me over the handlebars. I managed to miss the smaller, third pothole between the two biggies.

To answer your question, yes...I usually go around them.

reading that made me tired...

potholes are made by snowplows a lot of the time. this is the worst season for them in boston.

Cold weather causes pavement to contract and crack; that allows water to seep in; the water freezes (thus occupying more space) and pushes the pavement apart. Repeat this all winter with a dash of corrosive chemical salt and regular pounding from the ever-heavier cars that are the norm these days, and potholes are as inevitable a part of spring as late-inning blown saves by the Mets.

yeah well, never really thought about the differing climate of south florida compared to new england I guess that'll do it. It really is kinda nice to have 80 degrees year round, but then again it sucks too