HELP!! :( My Remedy8 fell off my bike rack at 70mph!! :(

paulscutt

Bought a Thule clip-on high for my 09 remedy8 and coming back from Cwmcarn today my bike fell off its rack at about 70mph - bike rack is f**ked and bike is looking worse for wear too.....

Where do i stand - i DOUBLE checked the rack and bike were secure before setting off (as i always do) and think it was the little arm on the rack that holds the frame which gave way as ive always felt it was a little flimsy.

The Northern Monkey

oops

Has anything failed on the rack? I any noticable breaks/snaps etc etc?

I think it would be fairly hard to prove that the rack was at fault unles there is a significant failure somewhere

Got any pics?

hoochylala

This is why I don't use a rack for my bikes, unavoidable for some I know, but too many horror stories. How you are going to prove that the rack was secure before you set of is going to be hard.

You say that the part that you think gave way was 'always' a little flimsy. That would of been enough to put me off even using the thing in the first place.

Do feel for you though....

Radioactiveman

Is your bike covered under your home insurance? My mate ripped his off the roof going under a low barrier and his home insurance paid out.

paulscutt

to answer your questions:

Yes my bike is covered on my home insurance (I work in insurance so its very wel covered) however i shouldnt need to claim through my home insurance, pay my xs and have next years premium go up...

Its quite clear that the 'arm' gave way and also the tyre gulley bit is bent outwards.

Having spoken to Tesco Direct whom i bought it from (and thinking they'd be aweful at customer service) the guy was very helpful and asked for photos and write a letter in after asking quite a few questions and they'll see about poss refund of bike rack (£130), sort out damage to car (deep bumper scratches and rear light broken) and also compensate for the damage to the bike (forks possibly damaged, handlebars screwed, stem sheared clean off, grips knackered, unsure what else I dont wanna go into the garage to look at my hurt pride and joy with all its scratches and scrapes...

One note - the bike didnt COMPLETELY fall off - it was hanging off from one tyre/wheel strap - the other strap had given way but one was still holding it on - dragging it behind my car - this may have actually saved there from being much more damage.

Its bloody scarey doing an emergency stop at 70mph though - the brakes were squealing!!

On another note - Cwmcarn was AMAZING - even better than Skyline trail in my opinion (and ive ridden there ALOT!!)

Radioactiveman

Good luck and hope you get it sorted one way or another. Did the rack get damaged post falling off? Will be interesting to see if they want to inspect the rack.

I thought thule products were pretty good ( I use 591 racks on top and a thule euroway on the back)

paulscutt

thanks mate - nah the rack never fell off - just let go of my bike and then tangled up with the bike frame and so damaged the rack even more (i'm guessing) but the rack stayed on the car - just threw the bike off it!

dwclay99

i am sorry to hear whats happend mate . I am just intrested to see some pics of the damage caused?

Raymondavalon

Sorry to hear about your loss. Thank goodness the bike didn't hit or get stuck under another vehicle.
Now for the curved ball question. What is the recommended maximum speed rating of the Clip-on-High? Some boot lid mounted racks have a maximum speed rating for the very reason that opposite direction wind and speed can be an issue and jeopardise the stress tolerances that the racks were designed to take.
I had a boot mounted rack, cannot remember the brand but it wasn't a Thule, it's manual said that when loaded up the maximum recommended speed is 100Km/h (60MPH)

paulscutt

raymondavalon - good point - i'll check that in the manual - yeh was quite lucky the whole bike didnt smash onto the tarmac and was dragged along by one wheel strap really - as far as i can see the only damage at the mo is handlebars, stem, top cap, grips and left hand brake lever all need replacing - gonna get the bike checked out by a bike shop though...

saprkzz

god, I drive with my bikes on the roof and it scares the crap out of me, I dont like going over 40mph with it on.

Hope you get it sorted soon

Raymondavalon

saprkzz wrote:

god, I drive with my bikes on the roof and it scares the crap out of me, I dont like going over 40mph with it on.

Hope you get it sorted soon

I use the Thule Aerobar with 591 bike carriers. Ashamedly I admit to doing in excess of a ton once (on an overtaking mission) with two bikes on the roof of the Golf. I do trust the 591.. obviously.. and do prefer it to anything that sits upon the boot lid

cgarossi

This is why my bike always goes in the boot and I only have a hatch back.

Hope it gets sorted.

silveringsurfer

Hmm this sounds fishy. My guess is that the bike hit a static object while on the car and you're fishing for support for a claim or else you're an insurance loss adjuster trying to fish for reasons to dismiss a claim. :oops:

The story does not stack up for the following reasons.
1/ There is no reason for the middle bracket to snap unless the front bracket has gone first as it is hardly loaded hence why it's pretty weedy. It only stops side to side movement.
2/ If the strap had snapped loading the centre fixing then it might have overloaded the central fixing BUT it wouldn't have bent the rack at the front so that options out.
2/ The deformation of the front of the rack and the fact that the front strap snapped suggest a pretty huge force on the front of the bike - after all the bike was held onto the car by the rear strap alone after all else had failed so they must be strong.
3/ Could wind resistance apply this force? Almost certainly not at the speeds you claim to have been driving and thus only if driving illegally and hence uninsured.
4/ There are thousands of Thule car racks in use in the UK and they are the best respected rack manufacture in the world. Having sold them in a past life I've never seen a properly fitted rack fail despite gross overloading and many years of abuse.

I stand to be corrected and if you are genuine then I don't aim to cause offence but the information that you have provided doesn't add up. :roll:

scotto

Does happen though seen it myself and is the reason I have kept my van, no way would I rack a bike onto my car.

Bad one, sorry to hear the story but you are not alone.

Daz555

Has to be said though that quality bike racks are just that - quality. Roof or tow bar ones being far more solid of course.

paulscutt

silver surfer> i'm trying not to feel offended but you are completely and utterly wrong...

The 'arm' didnt snap it gave way and simply let go of the bike - releasing it so it was only being held by the wheel straps and then the force of gravity has pushed the bike backwards and down towards the road, thus twisting the wheel gulleys out of shape and then one of the wheel straps, due to the weight (and them not being designed to actually carry much weight at all) snapped and dropped the bike to the floor.
This is what happened, i would not want to damage my pride and joy on purpose and was very upset when i saw it damaged on the roadside, especially as my last payment on the bike is next month! I've not finished paying it off yet!

I dont want to gain from this experience, just get back to the position i was in before i got scared half to death watching through my rear view mirror as my bike flew off its rack!
All i simply want is to be put back into the position i was in pre crash and if i can help to stop this from happening again all the better.

Raymondavalon

silveringsurfer wrote:

4/ There are thousands of Thule car racks in use in the UK and they are the best respected rack manufacture in the world. Having sold them in a past life I've never seen a properly fitted rack fail despite gross overloading and many years of abuse.

+1 on the above and at that point I shall not elaborate on any other points made in silveringsurfer's reply in my efforts to remain neutral
However that is the reason I (and many others) choose Thule products

FS bikes can be swines to align on certain racks and when I bought my Felt FS bike I never did trust my hatch mounted cycle rack although it was fine for the Kona HT, so I invested in the 591s for that very reason
Perhaps you overlooked something when securing the bike to the Thule rack, sometimes it's the small details that cause major problems.

furby

This thread is useless without photos.

silveringsurfer

Hey - it's your bike and your claim and if you're being genuine then I feel your pain. I'm only saying that if that is your explanation to the insurance company they may ask you some tougher questions because as reported it doesn't add up. Furbys right post some pics. I guess it may be possible to damage the centre bar by adding a large sideways load which with a big bike like the remedy you just might generate if cornering really hard at speed - ie 'rallying' round some of the lovely A/B roads you have in South Wales, but I would have then expected the bike to fall sideways onto the roof. I can't say how rare it is to hear of Thule racks failing without some error from the user in fitting or striking another object. A couple of years ago friends of mine rode around Europe incident free but when arriving home forgot about the bikes on the top of their car and drove straight into the garage. The bikes were flattened and it nearly tore the roof off the car but the racks stayed on.

I hope you prove me wrong as I really would hate to be in your shoes - I nearly cry when I get a stone chip!

paulscutt

silver surfer> i nearly was crying at the side of the road! lol

I wasnt driving like a loon at all - like i said i was doing just uinder 70mph on a straight road (dual carridgeway) when it simply fell off i'm gonna see what Tesco say once i've sent them a letter as they've asked with pics of the damage - i'll also put some pics up of the damage on here shortly too - just really gutted that my beautiful bike is all scratched up
Dont know whether any of you know the road it happened on at all but it was the dual carridgeway from cwmcarn heading towards the M4 just after the morrisons supermarket roundabout, not a windy a road at all...

welshkev

that's guttting!! i use the thule 591 roof mounts and i always worry the bike will come loose up there. i bungee it on aswell just to make sure.

hope the insurance pays out mate

weeksy59

I know a man on here who does 130mph in his super CLio with the bike on a Mont Blanc Barracuda.... Safe as houses apparently.

camerauk

weeksy59 wrote:

I know a man on here who does 130mph in his super CLio with the bike on a Mont Blanc Barracuda.... Safe as houses apparently.

On a private road I take it LOL

Really feel for you bud hope tesco sort you out ok

ratty2k

This is why I always put mine in the boot...

Big boot tho'!

paulscutt

thanks for all the support guys
I'd love a lil van like that just for the bikes but dont have the money or space! lol

yeh gotta get the bike checked by mt local trek dealer on saturday then get the letter and pics done over the wkend to Tesco...

silveringsurfer

Found out the problem with not using racks today- badly ripped the roof lining of my car with a handlebar (Probably justice for doubting Paul's story)

paulscutt

silveringsurfer wrote:

Found out the problem with not using racks today- badly ripped the roof lining of my car with a handlebar (Probably justice for doubting Paul's story)

ah no way!! that would be just as bad i think - i do like to keep my car looking shiny and 'new' - torn headlining is pretty bad and unsure how you'd get it replaced?

silveringsurfer

Fortunately it's an old car so probably gaffer tape will be the solution. Not elegant but effective and fortunately it's behind the rear seats so not in anyone's eyeline

Mind you the prize was a great ride on Dartmoor after sloping off work for lunch and it was well worth it. Fab weather and rough bouldery climbs and descents.

Raymondavalon

welshkev wrote:

that's guttting!! i use the thule 591 roof mounts and i always worry the bike will come loose up there. i bungee it on aswell just to make sure.

The 591's are secure. I've carried 4 bikes on them on my Landy Discovery at well over a ton and also use them on my golf.
My bike being all mountain is no lightweight and I have absolute faith in the 591 racks.
The only issue is parking under tree canopies or any area with restricted height. This is even more of an issue when they're mounted on a Discovery due to the added vehicle height.