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Over the week-end my bike suffered a bike crash while on a roof-top rack. On a whim, the driver decided to go through an underground parking lot, everything happened so fast, I did not have time to stop him. Anyway, what happened happened. Two cervélo R3 got caught in a chain, and both bike fell off the rack, breaking the rack and some bike components, e.g. shifters, wheels and forks.

Here are some pictures of the damage on the bikes: images

We brought the bikes at our local bike shop, also a cervélo dealer. Their verdict was that my bike only needed minor repairs such as changing one shifter whereas the other bike has a cracked frame and would need a new frame.

Here is where I would like you opinion, since both bikes where involved in similar tensions and impacts, I do not feel comfortable keeping the frame. The specialist at the bike shop assured me it was "ok", although I am not sure he would go downhill at 80 km/h on it. Since my personal insurance is covering the cost, can I suggest that the frame be changed?

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    I'm voting to close this question as off-topic because it is legal/financial advice rather than cycling advice.
    – Batman
    Aug 6, 2015 at 20:45
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    Sorry to hear about the damage. While it doesn't help you, this is why I always advise against the current fad of mounting bikes on the car roof. It's an accident waiting to happen. The driver is lucky the car wasn't damaged. I've seen cars being written off this way.
    – andy256
    Aug 6, 2015 at 22:33
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    @andy256: roof racks are hardly a fad.
    – whatsisname
    Aug 6, 2015 at 23:41
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    I don't see how this is legal or financial advice - he's asking whether we'd feel safe riding on that frame, not how to convince his insurance company or LBS that it needs to be replaced. He's already gotten one expert opinion (the LBS), so he's soliciting more advice here. Just ignore the insurance aspect and pretend he asked: Hey, I knocked my bike off the roof rack, is it safe to ride? Perhaps the best advice is ask your LBS but it's still a valid question. My advice? Loan the bike shop specialist your bike and ride along as he does a fast steep decent on it.
    – Johnny
    Aug 7, 2015 at 2:41
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    it also doesnt look like it was the chain that wiped out your bikes. the ceiling doesn't look high enough to allow a bike on top of the car, it looks more like the bikes hit the building and the chain/rail just got caught up in them. if the bikes hit the building I'd think new frames were justified.
    – Mauro
    Aug 7, 2015 at 14:39

2 Answers 2

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The problem here is that with a carbon or aluminum frame it will be hard to assess the damage accurately (at least with the tools that we or a LBS is likely to have). The best tool that you've got is evidence of stress on the frame – like the cracked paint in the photos of bike 1.

Add to this the likelihood that aluminum or carbon will fail dramatically and suddenly if they are damaged and it just seems prudent to replace the frame.

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    After arguments with my LBS, they decided to change the frame in the end. I am still impress bu their incapacity to assess the damage on my bike.
    – John Tremblay
    Aug 8, 2015 at 11:51
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If bike-one has an aluminum frame and only the components were damaged, your LBS's assertion that it is 'ok' seems to be accurate, there's a good chance it could be ridden safely.

But that doesn't mean it shouldn't be replaced. Like you said, it sustained quite an impact, it was clearly damaged, and I don't like the look of that cracked paint behind the front brake. You should push to have it replaced.

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