"I have never hit anyone before!"

[Grog]

you know, Ed scares the hell out of me!

I'm laughing out loud. I can understand why. He's a bit of a shadowy character in some ways, but he's got a big heart and he knows his stuff really well. In my experience, he'll never try to over-sell someone and he'll try to make things work without getting you to pay a bundle.

This being said, I've found the shop incredibly busy in the past year, and sometimes I don't go because of that. I'm happy for him that it's working well though.

Ok, now I have to go there for my wheel. I'll do that tomorrow.

EDITED TO ADD: He knows a lot about fitting women on bikes and has a knowledge of the parts on the market that fit small people like me. (The shop sponsors the Chicks Cycling Club, which I used to ride with.)

[buddha_bellies]

Wow Grog! I'm so glad you're okay. Your story is quite scary alright.

I hope you are not too sore. Did you see a doctor yet? It might be something useful later on in case you need to see a physio or massage therapist and be covered by ICBC. DH also mention not to sign anything with ICBC just yet. Wait at least a few month to make sure you body is okay.

We dress like it's Halloween every time we bike. Put on all the lights and reflectors to say "LOOK AT ME"! And yet, there are still drivers out there that are not paying attention. What is a cyclist to do?

[Grog]

Well, well, well, things have evolved this week.

I mentioned earlier that the wheel was a bit out of true. The next day I rode only 4 km on the bike but it was getting worse. I had already arranged to see my favourite mechanic to get it trued. (Note to Badger: When I told Ed I had been hit by a car, he said "Oh no!" in a way that definitely would not scare you.) On the phone, he said, "You can't just true the wheel, I'll check your frame properly." OK.

I roll the bike into the store, he puts it on the stand, all the while continuing a phone call with who-knows-who, and starts taking measurements. He gets off the phone for a second and calls, "Your frame is totally bent." He took a few more measurements, then starts scratching things on a quote form. "How much did your bike cost?" I tell him. He hands me the paper: "Aluminum Frame, Bent; Handlebar/stem, Bent; Fork, Bent; Rear Wheel, Bent; WRITE OFF" and then a value for the bike plus helmet.

WRITE OFF?

Now I was not expecting that. My poor, trusty, fast commuter bike, a WRITE OFF?????? Because some idiot does not think it's necessary to look for street signals?

He said the ICBC (insurance) people would maybe ask for a second opinion, so I rolled into a nearby store (which I will name for locals if they ask privately) to have the bike cross-examined. Basically the mechanic there had a look at the frame - I don't know if he measured it - and said it was "just fine." He also discarded my concerns about steering (which had been a little weird). He wrote me a quote for the replacement of the saddle (I hadn't even noticed it was damaged), back wheel, and a full tune up.

Now I was really annoyed. I had someone whom I really, really trust tell me the bike was a write off, then another guy whom I don't particularly trust tell me it was just fine except for the back wheel.

Then I had to go to my ICBC meeting with the adjuster. The guy was really nice and sweet, and very nicely answered all my questions (some of them unrelated) about how the insurance system works. I was still a little bit shaken by my bike store visits but he said, "Well if you don't feel comfortable and safe riding that bike anymore just get a new one." I thought that was nice, but I also did not want to buy a new bike for no reason if the old one - which I have used for just six months - was just fine. I told the adjuster that I would get a third opinion and get back to him. "Whatever you want."

(Now that's pretty impressive for customer service.)

For those who wonder, it is indeed the insurer who creates accident statistics in British Columbia. The police really only attends serious accidents with lots of blood and twisted metal.

I also made a full statement. And my bike was thoroughly photographed (not that there is much to see).

So..... I called this other bike shop that sells Trek bikes (same as my commuter) and asked for an appointment with an experienced mechanic that knows something about frames and could actually go over the measurement and alignment with me. Saturday morning, I went there, and the very kind and patient guy indeed showed me everything. The frame IS bent. Not by a whole lot, just under a centimetre, but a lot more than what would be within the manufacturer's tolerance. He also spent quite a bit of time examining the fork and told me it was also bent. That would explain why I was trying to go in one direction and my bike wanted to go another way. Case closed.

So I'm shopping for a new commuter bike. The last store I visited is going to bring in a couple of bikes in my size for me to try, so I'm going back there on Monday. I don't have the time to shop around and I am quite comfortable getting another Trek, which I think is great value for the money. With some luck, I'll have a new bike mid-week.

I'm really glad I'm reaching closure on this because I don't have the time to deal with this right now. But it's still exciting to get a new bike. Follow this story on another thread for a discussion of disk brakes!

*The End* (sort of)

[bmccasland]

So 2 out of 3 mechanics declare your old bike beyond repair/unsafe to ride and you need a new one. 1 cm out of whack can be a lot in the long run, am glad they caught it. Guess shop number 3 doesn't really want long term customers?

Sorry you have to send your old bike to the heap, but at least you know you're not crazy it was the bike out of true! Have fun with your new bike. We'll want pictures when you get it.

Maybe this horrible saga will be over soon.

[Blueberry]

That sucks, Grog, but I'm really glad they caught it (and I'd worry about the shop that said it was fine). Happy selecting a new bike! At least It'll be covered

CA

[badger]

my experience with ICBC was pleasant and positive, too. I think they're more helpful of pedestrians and cyclists because you can't really fudge the fact you were hit. And when you go up against a big hunk of moving metal, it doesn't matter if you were at fault, your body's not going to go unscathed.

I'm glad things kind of worked out for you. Sucks you got hit and the bike's been condemned, but at the very least it will be replaced (maybe with a better one??)

[shootingstar]

I'm sorry Grog that this nightmarish incident even occurred in the first place.

Didn't have time to read much on forums during my vacation outside of Canada for past week until glancing now.