New Bike rear-ended while on bike hitch :(

Dents and cracks should be fairly obvious, even if you need to get up close with a flashlight.

I'm nto sure if this works for aluminum or just carbon, but if you take a quarter and tap on the tube, a damaged part will sound different.

I'd carefully inspect the bottom bracket area, seat tube, downtube, fork, and chainstays based on your description of the other damage. Also check any point of impact that your bike made with the other bike.

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Originally Posted by cherinyc

I guess I am thinking of the frame like they tell you to think about helmets. If you drop your helmet, you should chuck it because even if it looks ok, the integrity could be weakened. Am I off for thinking the same about a bike frame?

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This is horrible, I am so sorry for you! :(
You are thinking correctly about your frame. File a claim with their insurance for the replacement of the frames and of all components damaged. If your ring was crushed into your bike frame you may as well assume that the frame is damaged, and you should ask for a replacement. Being rear-ended you are not at fault and so they should cover all necessary replacements on both bikes without question.

I got a 2nd written estimate yesterday, and the Service Manager basically said that there is really no way to tell if the frame was NOT compromised. He said that due to the brittle nature of aluminum, there could be a safety issue - or - if the frame is bent in some unseen way, that it could lead to costly problems in the future. He also said it is a liability for him, b/c if he gives it back to me saying it's fixed and something happens....yada yada yada

So anyway - we submitted that estimate, along with my list of all the costs that went into the upgrades. It seems as though the insurance adjuster was fine with it, and is going to run with it.

Now it's just a matter of wwwaaaaaiiiiitttttttiiiinnnnggggg for the insurance companies to pay up.:rolleyes:

Are they going to pay to "repair" the bike or "replace" the bike. I would push for "replacement" cost. Just because you bought it cheap, doesn't mean it will be cheap to replace. They should give you full retail replacement cost, since the LBS can't guarantee repair, which sounds like "totaled" to me!

Oh goodness, that just plain sucks. I hope you get the $$ from your insurance company asap. If I were you, I'd probably get a new bike to be safe (as opposed to repairing your other one without being 100% sure whether the frame has been compromised).