Cam MTB - the Cambridge Mountain Bikers' Forum

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DISCLAIMER. MOUNTAIN BIKING CAN BE DANGEROUS. YOU JOIN US AT YOUR OWN RISK.

SAFETY BRIEFING.

  • Wear a helmet. Despite recent advances in medical science, brains still cannot be mended nor replaced.
  • Wear gloves or mitts. Hands often hit the ground first. Cuts and grazes invite infection and a hospital visit.
  • Wear eye protection, it only takes a twig or thorn to lose an eye. Crud catchers are a good idea in mucky weather.
  • When downhilling, for your own protection, allow plenty of space behind the rider in front.
  • Bring a bare minimum emergency tool kit and a spare inner tube.
  • Breakdowns are a bore. Plan not to have any by ensuring your bike is in perfect working order.
  • Punctures are also tedious. You can minimise them by fitting latex tubes, slime tubes or running tubeless tyres.

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Early nomination for bike wrecker of the year

Not sure who to nominate for this

me because it's my bike
Clem for his ejector bike carrier
The three drivers on the M4 who re-shaped my pride and joy

don't think I'll be out this week

https://picasaweb.google.com/101889570274387150346/OhDear?authkey=Gv1sRgCMqhnt6Q0vaiWQ#

Re: Early nomination for bike wrecker of the year

OUCH!
Bad news, Tony. I hope you have some kind of insurance.

Did you at least get to ride in Wales, or was it on the way there?

Re: Early nomination for bike wrecker of the year

Ouch! I heard about this, such a sad end to a great weekend! Hope you get up and running again soon Tony

Re: Early nomination for bike wrecker of the year

Ouch!! Hurts to look at .... Hope you can get it up and running again soon!!
As for bike wrecker of the year, that's going to be hard to beat!!

Re: Early nomination for bike wrecker of the year

it's a shame to see such a new bike in that kind of state, but am i right in thinking that you got to ride before this happened?

at least it was not carbon fibre as it would have just been splinters!

one question. if it came off on the M4 how did you get it back without breaking the law, or are we going to see you on one of those police, camera, action, videos dodging the trafic!!

but seriously, i'm riding thursday, if you want to borrow my Cannondale for the night let me know.

Re: Early nomination for bike wrecker of the year

Ooouch! Nasty. But, hang on...you used CLEM'S bike carrier??? Perhaps it was trying to make it look as though it had been test ridden by him....

You've got an offer from Pat and you can have an offer from me too. You're welcome to ride one of my bikes this Thursday or next week if you want. Either the Litespeed or the Whyte.

Regards

TOM

Re: Early nomination for bike wrecker of the year

Cheers Pat and Pasty - I left quite a lot of my shins in Wales too so I'll spend Thursday getting the Kona back in working order - should be back out next week.

Re: Early nomination for bike wrecker of the year

Tony, before taking pics cut the bloody lawn....

Re: Early nomination for bike wrecker of the year

Yeah Tony, looks like your bush could do with a trim...

Re: Early nomination for bike wrecker of the year

Tony, I think you're making a bit of a fuss about nothing. That stem just needs twisting back round, the handlebars can be bolted back on easily, and there's nothing wrong with those forks that some gaffer tape can't fix...

What a bummer. Ditto Mark's comments about insurance, and hope your shin mends soon.

Dom

Re: Early nomination for bike wrecker of the year

Hi Tony,

What rotten luck - hope it doesnt cost too much to fix. At least I'll be able to keep up if you are back on the Kona......

Intereting case for insurance. I suspect "All risks" on your home policy might cover it?

All the best

Pete

Re: Early nomination for bike wrecker of the year

Pete T

What rotten luck - hope it doesnt cost too much to fix.


I'm afraid it doesn't look like fixing will be part of the equation. Salvage might be. Still, it held its own against a Fiat Punto.

Re: Early nomination for bike wrecker of the year

What an absolute nightmare Tony! Hope the insurance covers it.

I remember a trip up the M6 in a mate's car many years ago, with both our bikes on his rear window/boot rack. Half way up the motorway he suddenly did a double-take in the rear view mirror, panicked because he couldn't see the bikes any more, then pulled over onto the hard shoulder Thankfully, as he slowed down, the bikes and rack re-appeared in the rear view mirror - the bottom strap had come undone, so the air flow over the car at 80mph+ had lifted the whole lot off the back window. Relief all round once we'd tightened up the retaining strap!

Hope to see you out again soon.

Cheers,

Richard

Re: Early nomination for bike wrecker of the year

home insurance does not normaly cover bikes over £1000 unless stated specificly, that's why i'm now with the MFU.

i think i saw a copy of English/Spanish dictionary the other day, and i'm sure it said the translation from English of Clem to Spanish was Pablo!

i could be wrong of course.

good luck with the salvage project. from what i can see in the pic's, about all that may have survived to be usable are the wheel hub's, a few spokes, the bottom bracket and maybe the rear shock. the front forks may be ok after a full service by MOJO.

Re: Early nomination for bike wrecker of the year

Out of interest, do you know what brand of bike rack it was?

Re: Early nomination for bike wrecker of the year

Yep, my bikes are insured specifically on our home and contents insurance and have been for years. Adds a bit but they are fully covered for theft, other loss and accidental damage. Just have to make sure that they are locked up, locked on, etc.

Good luck with the salvage and the offer of a full sus bike to play with for a while still stands.

PT

Re: Early nomination for bike wrecker of the year

Maybe it is time to add my 2 pence worth. The rack was Pro model Thule rack (previous model to latest 591 rack where jaws open like a crab claw). The bike was mounted rearwards (front wheel to back of car) and was between 2 other Thule 591 racks facing forwards.

Having gone through this so many times in my head...my only conclusion is that the strap holding the back wheel failed in the high winds and the strain of the bike trying to lift the back wheel has eventually caused the main downtube clamp to fail. The bike has then rotated on the front wheel until the handlebars have hit the tailgate of my car causing the front strap to fail....the rest you know.

Can't be certain but the crimping of the downtube on Tony's bike could have been caused by rack restraining the bike as it tried to lift the back wheel but it could have easily been done by the Punto hitting the bike while it was in full flight.

I feel very sorry for Tony right now and desperately wish it was one of my bikes as I know they were fully insured on my contents insurance.

I keep all my racks in good condition and also know the bikes were secured. I had only double checked the the bikes were secure on the roof a short while before while filling up the car with diesel.

Sadly the car insurance viewpoint (and is pretty standard on all fully comp policies by the way) is their libiability only covers damage caused to third party items (other cars / Tony's Bike) if the offending item was fitted as standard at the factory. Their liability does not extend to cover accessory items like roof racks, bike racks and bikes attached to the car. The insurance company went on the state that any items attached to these accessories which are not owned by the owner of the vehicle are attached to the car at the item owners risk. The owner of the vehicle could claim as art of personal belongings for accessories attached to car up to a limit of £100.

As it stands, the Punto behind may not be able to claim off my car insurance either. It makes you wonder WHAT IS THE POINT OF CAR INSURANCE.

It is a pretty grim situation right now and will make me re-assess whether to carry anything on the outside of a car again.

Re: Early nomination for bike wrecker of the year

Clem,
what a nightmare, i always suspected that insurance companies would use every trick in the book to get out of paying, but this takes it to a whole new level!

i have been thinking for some time about replacing my bike rack and have been thinking about the Thule 591. i take it that now you would not recogmend them? any thoughts on the Saris bones systems?http://www.winstanleysbikes.co.uk/product/6691/Saris_Bones_3_Bike_Car_Rack

am i reading your post correctly, both front and back wheel straps had broken/slipped and the bike had pulled out of the jaws on the frame clamp. i may never put a bike on the roof again!

do Thule have any kind of liability?

Re: Early nomination for bike wrecker of the year

Jesus - sounds like a nasty incident - at least no one got hurt? Could have caused a major pile up behind you perhaps.

Paul

Re: Early nomination for bike wrecker of the year

Not such a hero!.. Im sure in the near future that I will be featured on Police stop camera action as I was the pratt that tackled the oncoming traffic in lane two of the M4 to retrieve what was left of young tony's bike. I was so p*ssed to see a bike being destroyed.

Re: Early nomination for bike wrecker of the year

Thanks for that Shelton. I'll give you the Fox forks for your trouble.

Re: Early nomination for bike wrecker of the year

The Thule 591 is an excellent rack, and there are no problems with the design or safety of it. I am happy to carry my bikes (various tube shapes) using the Thule system. 1000's of other bikes are transported around the world using this same system with no problems.
This is a very unfortunate accident, and I see no point in trying to apportion blame or liability at anyone's feet. That's just not productive, but sadly endemic in today's society. Sometimes you just have to suck it up, learn a lesson and move on.
Luckily no-one was hurt, and although a high value item was wrecked, it is replaceable.
I feel for poor Tony, and Clem, but they can thank their luck it wasn't worse.

You will ride again!

Re: Early nomination for bike wrecker of the year

I know this may not be the best time Tony but make sure you save a mangled item off the bike for this years bike wrecker trophy. The forks might be a bit big but the stem, bars or brake lever may be good candidates.

Shelton: People quote that I am a nutter, but dodging heavy M4 Bank Holiday traffic at 2pm on a Monday to retrieve Tony's bike must be a good candidate for "Nutter of the year"

Re: Early nomination for bike wrecker of the year

Mark T

Luckily no-one was hurt, and although a high value item was wrecked, it is replaceable.

You will ride again!



Absolutely right Mark. I still shudder at the sight of the bike bouncing into the motorway traffic and it's amazing how little damage was done - apart from to the Zesty.

The wife has already said 'buy another one, it's only money' so who am I to disobey?

Re: An unfortunate series of events!

I really feel for you Tony...not only was your bike destroyed but you spent the whole journey from Wales to Cambridge in the same car as Clem and Shelton?....what an unfortunate series of events!

Re: Early nomination for bike wrecker of the year

Clem
Shelton: People quote that I am a nutter, but dodging heavy M4 Bank Holiday traffic at 2pm on a Monday to retrieve Tony's bike must be a good candidate for "Nutter of the year"


2pm? That explains the traffic and all the "Slow" signs down the M4 that me and Matt passed about half an hour later!

Re: Early nomination for bike wrecker of the year

Hey Tony, if it's only money would your missus buy me one too?????.... Nah did'nt think soooo.