Angry almost-newbie - need to vent!

[lunacycles]

yes you're right, Margo, unfortunately, but the fact is insurance companies have to make a profit too. It's their job to find out what the exact liability is and pay it.

I absolutely agree! However, as a small businessperson I need to make a profit, too.

Let's see, rough analysis: I've paid approximately $6 for insurance per bike/frame I have shipped over the last 13 years. That's about $180 year (30 bikes/yr) x 13 = $2340. Losses I have incurred for damaged bikes as a result of shipping through these couriers = approx $3500. Total costs I have incurred due to paying insurance and having couriers damage my bikes: approx $5840. Total amount the couriers/insurance have paid out to me when I have made claims on those fully insured bikes: $0 .

That seems like a pretty good profit to me!

My point wasn't to bash insurance companies--gotta have insurance, regardless if they pay their claims--but to warn the OP based on my experience shipping bikes, and many stories I have heard from others in the bike industry.

I now take pictures of all of my bikes covered in bubble wrap before I put them in the box, then more pictures of the box once the bike has been put in it and sealed up.

I have even had folks at the desk of one of these couriers tell me not to bother with buying insurance, as it is rare that any claim will be honored (wink wink). But, of course, I insure them, anyway.

[hilldweller]

Wow! You've never had an insurer pay out on any of your bike claims? That's appalling.

I've made my decision - going to hang onto bike , and I saw some pretty blue handlebar tape for it in the shop Being pre-loved as well as abused by couriers it could use a bit of a spruce up. A nice blue seat-bag might look good too if I can find one....

LBS has ordered a new fork, and I took the broken fork and battered cardboard box (minus the rest of the bike) into the couriers to do with what they will. New fork is $300 which is less than I had expected . With luck there will eventually be an insurance pay-out but in the meantime at least I can get on with the bike and if not, I'll forget about the $300 after a while.

New fork is probably two weeks away, so that'll leave 8 weeks to the Graperide Anyone got a training plan for zero to 100k in 8 weeks? It doesn't look like a particularly hilly course which is lucky, but it may still be too much too soon. I guess I'll have a better idea in a couple of weeks

[tulip]

Don't wait until you get your bike up and running to get yourself moving. Any old bike will do, or you can swim, walk, run...just get some aerobic exercise and that will help with your ride.

And yes, you can certainly train for 100k in 8 weeks. There are some good training programs mentioned in these forums (use the Search feature). There are some for an English century in 8 weeks, and a metric century is really not so bad at all.

Just get moving.