New self-build (and advice please)
CaptAle
Posts: 13
Hi everyone
This is going to be a long first post, please bear with me... I put it under Your Road Bikes but it could fit under other sections so Mods please move if need be.
I recently built up a road bike from frame up - see pictures. Brief Spec:
Frameset: Triple butted alloy with carbon seat stays & carbon forks
Wheels: Kinlin rims/Novatec hubs built by Harry Rowland
Chainset: Raceface Cadence ext. BB 53/39
Cassette: Ultegra 12 - 25 9 spd
Brakes: Tektro R530
STI levers & front mech: Sora
Rear Mech: 105
Chain: KMC X9
Pedals: Wellgo
Total weight came out as somewhere between 8 & 9kg, this as ridden with pedals.
Total cost was around £630, not including tyres & saddle, which I already had. I managed to get a really good deal on some of the parts I think, particularly the frameset, the chainset and the STIs. This is the first time I have ever built a bike, and very pleased I was with the result, very fast and comfortable and nice shifting (not that I have ridden many decent bikes to compare - my previous bike was a £100 Halfords job). This website was an invaluable resource for tech advice and so on.
Ok, on to the second part of this epic post. I was cycling to work on the new bike for the first time, which was the fourth time I'd ridden it at all, when I was hit by a car at a roundabout. I broke my collar bone and elbow, and I am currently typing this one handed! The bike was also damaged, mainly the rear wheel (see image). There were also lots of scrathes and scuffs, mainly on the right seat stay, bars and right pedal.
A few questions:
I'm guessing the wheel is too bent to be fixed, and even if it can be fixed, would it be unsafe through being weakened?
Similarly with the frame, I've read that carbon can be invisibly weakened by a crash and so should be replaced, although there doesn't seem to be a concensus on this. The stay is pretty scuffed. What do you think?
I am claiming compensation for the accident, and I'm wondering if I can claim for a whole new bike. If I was an average rider and had just bought a bike off the shelf, I would maybe think of replacing the whole thing automatically rather than consider replacing individual parts. Or am I just being greedy with this idea? After the time spend building up the bike and scouring the net for deals, enjoyable though it was in the whole, I really just want a whole, new, pristine bike with no marks on it (as it was up til the accident!), without the hassle of fixing stuff.
Lastly, and I thank anyone with the patience to read this far) I am not sure, assuming I get a new bike, what would be equivalent to the one I built? I have looked around, my guess is I am looking at the £1000+ area? If I am wrong here and just deluding myself please just say, but based on weight and spec I think I am right. The complication is where I have skimped on some elements as my decision and mixed and matched the groupset - for example the sora shifters as the thumb buttons don't bother me. I also don't think the front mech varies too much, however I got a 105 rear mech as I felt this would make a difference and also because it looks better! I got an ultegra cassette because of the alloy freehub body, based on Harry
Rowland's advice. Basically I think the overall weight of the thing and quality of the wheels (very smooth and about 1.6 - 1.7kg together) were the bike's assetts, plus I think it looked really nice, I don't like logos and brandnames.
If I need/decide to replace the whole bike, can anyone reccommend something equivalent? As an aside, all the road bikes I've looked at seem to have compact chainsets rather than a 53/39 which I thought were standard?
I aplogise for the long winded post and look forward to hearing what people have to say.
This is going to be a long first post, please bear with me... I put it under Your Road Bikes but it could fit under other sections so Mods please move if need be.
I recently built up a road bike from frame up - see pictures. Brief Spec:
Frameset: Triple butted alloy with carbon seat stays & carbon forks
Wheels: Kinlin rims/Novatec hubs built by Harry Rowland
Chainset: Raceface Cadence ext. BB 53/39
Cassette: Ultegra 12 - 25 9 spd
Brakes: Tektro R530
STI levers & front mech: Sora
Rear Mech: 105
Chain: KMC X9
Pedals: Wellgo
Total weight came out as somewhere between 8 & 9kg, this as ridden with pedals.
Total cost was around £630, not including tyres & saddle, which I already had. I managed to get a really good deal on some of the parts I think, particularly the frameset, the chainset and the STIs. This is the first time I have ever built a bike, and very pleased I was with the result, very fast and comfortable and nice shifting (not that I have ridden many decent bikes to compare - my previous bike was a £100 Halfords job). This website was an invaluable resource for tech advice and so on.
Ok, on to the second part of this epic post. I was cycling to work on the new bike for the first time, which was the fourth time I'd ridden it at all, when I was hit by a car at a roundabout. I broke my collar bone and elbow, and I am currently typing this one handed! The bike was also damaged, mainly the rear wheel (see image). There were also lots of scrathes and scuffs, mainly on the right seat stay, bars and right pedal.
A few questions:
I'm guessing the wheel is too bent to be fixed, and even if it can be fixed, would it be unsafe through being weakened?
Similarly with the frame, I've read that carbon can be invisibly weakened by a crash and so should be replaced, although there doesn't seem to be a concensus on this. The stay is pretty scuffed. What do you think?
I am claiming compensation for the accident, and I'm wondering if I can claim for a whole new bike. If I was an average rider and had just bought a bike off the shelf, I would maybe think of replacing the whole thing automatically rather than consider replacing individual parts. Or am I just being greedy with this idea? After the time spend building up the bike and scouring the net for deals, enjoyable though it was in the whole, I really just want a whole, new, pristine bike with no marks on it (as it was up til the accident!), without the hassle of fixing stuff.
Lastly, and I thank anyone with the patience to read this far) I am not sure, assuming I get a new bike, what would be equivalent to the one I built? I have looked around, my guess is I am looking at the £1000+ area? If I am wrong here and just deluding myself please just say, but based on weight and spec I think I am right. The complication is where I have skimped on some elements as my decision and mixed and matched the groupset - for example the sora shifters as the thumb buttons don't bother me. I also don't think the front mech varies too much, however I got a 105 rear mech as I felt this would make a difference and also because it looks better! I got an ultegra cassette because of the alloy freehub body, based on Harry
Rowland's advice. Basically I think the overall weight of the thing and quality of the wheels (very smooth and about 1.6 - 1.7kg together) were the bike's assetts, plus I think it looked really nice, I don't like logos and brandnames.
If I need/decide to replace the whole bike, can anyone reccommend something equivalent? As an aside, all the road bikes I've looked at seem to have compact chainsets rather than a 53/39 which I thought were standard?
I aplogise for the long winded post and look forward to hearing what people have to say.
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Comments
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Thats a bit sh*t! Sorry to hear that. Looks like a good build aswell!
I think you should claim what you can in this instance. I wouldnt want to risk it, although you could probably take it to a specialist to test the rear stays.
Wheel looks pretty bent, although maybe rescuable should the rim be structually ok.0 -
Hi and welcome to the forum
That's some pretty bad luck to be hit on your fourth ride
In terms of the cost of the bike, well you've researched and lovingly built this thing up and as long as they driver has admitted liability then you're entitled to a new bike from their insurer. Not worth the chance with carbon bits and that rear wheel has had it.
You could probably get a similar specced bike online for £600-700 bit it would be more from a LBS. See what the insurers say, don't be shy about the value of your bike and demand a replacement. Think of all the time and effort you put into building the thing in the first place.0 -
Thanks guys
Confirms what I thought about the wheel and frame damage.
Regarding the price, the bikes I've looked at in the £600-£700 range seem to lose out on spec where the wheels are concerned as the wheels are heavier, eg. on the Specialized Allez Sport the wheels are about 3kg, mine I believe are basically the same as the Planet X Model B's except hand built and are more like 1.7kg, unless I'm missin something.
Rest of the components about right except the rear mech and cassette.
Another thing I liked about my build was the horizontal top tube, they mostly seem to be sloped or curved now...0 -
The insurance should put you in the same position as you were prior to the accident.
Try not to concentrate on price so much.
Allez comp 2010 has carbon stays.. not sure about 2011. I have dealt with wheelies through insurance before and they were very reasonable at matching like for like.0 -
I have dealt with wheelies through insurance before and they were very reasonable at matching like for like.
Is that how it works then? I assumed that I would get a cash lump sum with x amount of it being calculated for replacing the bike ie.
£xxx loss of earnings
£xxx replacement bike
£xxx compensation for distress etc.
I am persuing a personal injury claim through a solicitor rather than direct with insurer if this makes any difference.
If it works like you say then that is better - I can pick and choose like I did when buying the parts, which woul be awesome, rather than trying to find a closest off-the-shelf bike and worrying about total cost. Unless I've misunderstood...
Thanks0 -
As a part of your claim it is most likely that you will have to take your bike to a shop to see how much it would cost to repair/replace. But dont hope on a quick settlement these things can take along time to complete.0
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Yeah that's right, about 6 months minimum I was told.
Which leaves me the question of what do I do in a month or so when I can ride again? Do I buy a bike and hope they will reinburse me? This is why I was going on about total cost.
I still have my old bike but don't fancy going back to that for months on end...0 -
Hi
I also got knocked off my bike by a car & i too went through a solicitor to help recover what i was owed, I was told to get 2 estimates for my damaged bike, which was also a self build, the estimates were then sent to the solicitors who sent them to the insurance company who paid out for the bike quite quickly, it was then 10 months before i got the compensation part (i dislocated 2 fingers in the accident). the main reason for going through a solicitor was to speed up the process as i have experience dealing with car insurance companies & they can be a bit awkward when it comes to paying money out.
Hope this helps & i hope you get a decent payout.0 -
Hi ped8
Out of interest how badly damaged was your bike? Did you have it repaired (or repair it yourself) or replace it?
The frame I used is no longer avalable at the price I paid, the closest I've seen is getting on for three times as much!0 -
Sorry for delay in reply been away for a while.
My frame was a total write off so i replaced it i did manage to salvage some parts once the insurance had paid out. In the end i managed to build a bike out of various parts i had which is still in use now. I never went out and bought a bike because i wanted to put the money i received to a new summer bike.
regards0
