Dilema - lent bike = broken rear mech hanger!

miss notax

Hello

I lent a friends new other half my Orange a while ago as she wanted to try MTBing but didn't have a suitable bike - I figured the Orange is pretty indestructable! Anyway, to cut a long story short i'm not sure how much she enjoyed the ride which included a tumble :?

The bike looked ok (and it was dark and covered in mud when we finished!) and I hadn't ridden it since until I got to Afan at the weekend. As I was setting the bike up I realised that all wasn't well - the handlebars were skewed around and the rear mech was at rather a jaunty angle :roll: One quick trip to the bike shop later sorted me out with a new rear mech hanger - am I being mean in asking my buddy to reimburse me for this?

It's only £25 so not exactly a huge amount, but then again i'm pretty skint at the moment so don't really want to spend anything extra (especially when I didn't break it myself!).

What do you reckon?

bennett_346

The rule is always, "you break you pay". I always say this to whoever i lend my bike to even if its for 30 seconds.

stalkedtoast

The fact you said it was "a while ago" probably means you left it too long IMO. If you both noticed the damage at the time or end of the ride then you it would have been ideal to ask or point out the damage. She obviously didn't mean to break it, personally Id pay for the repair but not lend her the bike again, if she asks why then you can say it got damaged last time and you'd prefer it not to break again?? Call me mean but I wouldn't lend a novice my expensive bike

bennett_346

Yeah there's a window to it.

arthur_scrimshaw

I have a simple rule, no one rides my bikes but me. Avoids all kinds of problems. You were lucky it was a replaceable part, what if she'd put a nice dent in the top tube?

miss notax

Fair enough. It was about 10 days ago and TBH I should have noticed at the time but there have been quite a few things going on personally (meaning frazzled non-bike brain) and I simply didn't spot it until I went to use the bike at the weekend.

I also agree I was lucky that it was an easy part - but it was an easy ride so it was a pretty safe bet that nothing too damaging would happen to it.

I take everyone's point though about timing!

cooldad

I'd mention it but not lose friends over it.

cooldad

Although I have a long running feud after an idiot's idiot dog ate one of my gloves, which being an idiot he thought was hilarious.
If you are listening frenchie...

benpinnick

miss notax wrote:

Hello

I lent a friends new other half my Orange a while ago as she wanted to try MTBing but didn't have a suitable bike - I figured the Orange is pretty indestructable! Anyway, to cut a long story short i'm not sure how much she enjoyed the ride which included a tumble :?

The bike looked ok (and it was dark and covered in mud when we finished!) and I hadn't ridden it since until I got to Afan at the weekend. As I was setting the bike up I realised that all wasn't well - the handlebars were skewed around and the rear mech was at rather a jaunty angle :roll: One quick trip to the bike shop later sorted me out with a new rear mech hanger - am I being mean in asking my buddy to reimburse me for this?

It's only £25 so not exactly a huge amount, but then again i'm pretty skint at the moment so don't really want to spend anything extra (especially when I didn't break it myself!).

What do you reckon?

I reckon you should buy an adjustable spanner and an allen key. Then, you could have saved yourself between £15 and £25 on the repair, then it becomes a question of your friend buying the drinks because you had to fix up the bike after you lent it to her.

cat_with_no_tail

cooldad wrote:

I'd mention it but not lose friends over it.

This.

I mean it's not like she borrowed it, went hooning off down a trail in the peaks then put several big dents in the rims is it.
[cough]Richie63[/cough]

YeehaaMcgee

It's mountain biking, and she's new at it. What did you expect?
If I lend my bike to someone, then as long as they treat it with respect, I don't care. Crashes happen.

gezebo

Chalk it up to experience.

I think the usual rule of break it means you pay for it does not apply here as

a) they were a novice and did not know any better.
you where there and took the bike back...

Have you checked it for a cracked frame? ;-)

The Northern Monkey

Cat With No Tail wrote:

cooldad wrote:

I'd mention it but not lose friends over it.

This.

I mean it's not like she borrowed it, went hooning off down a trail in the peaks then put several big dents in the rims is it.
[cough]Richie63[/cough]

dhobiwallah

I don't know how much £25 is to either of you - or how good friends you are; both affect how to approach it...

If you regularly meet up, share rounds in the pub/split meals then £25 is probably neither here nor there in the overall scheme of things.

It sounds like she isn't even aware that she caused any damage - so being miffed/silently fuming/writing it off with resignation is a bit pointless as she may well be mortified and jump at the chance to pay for it anyway (10 days isn't that long - its not like there was a rental car type damage inspection before/after!).

I would mention minor damage casually/jokingly to your friend after bring up the subject of her first foray into mtb. If they pick up on the topic the extent of damage/cost will undoubtedly come up naturally and they may well offer to pay anyway. They may not in which case you have to choose how much chasing the price of a round of drinks will affect your relationship....

miss notax

Thanks guys

Just to clarify - she's not my friend (I had never met her before), she is the new girlfriend of a male friend of mine. Hence I was doing him the favour in lending his new flame a bike a bike to give it a go.

But yes, I agree, wit hindsight it's not worth stressing over 8)

Daz555

miss notax wrote:

Thanks guys

Just to clarify - she's not my friend (I had never met her before), she is the new girlfriend of a male friend of mine. Hence I was doing him the favour in lending his new flame a bike a bike to give it a go.

But yes, I agree, wit hindsight it's not worth stressing over 8)

Ahh, problem solved. Ask your mate for the £25.

cooldad

The obvious solution, not yet mentioned, is ditch, head, backwards.
Obviously.

coursemyhorse

hehe. I borrowed my mates stumpjumper a year or so ago and thought I was gods gift. I attempted a jump beyond my skill level and went over the bars. I bent and completely destroyed the saddle and also snapped and damaged a brake lever. Total cost was about £50 and I totally told my mate I would pay it all so no probs there at all.

However, in the above instance it sounds like she was obviously a total noob and does not even know she did the damage. In this instance 10 days later mentioning it is going to reek of pikey. It's just one of those ones not worth mentioning to be honest. £25 is just low enough for me to not mention it. Maybe you could jokingly to your mate, but only your mate in private so as not to cause awkwardness. Maybe show him the bust rear mech parts for a laugh? To be fair as said, perhaps you were "too nice" lending your bike to a) a noob b) a female one. Joke girls.

bluechair84

Daz555 wrote:

miss notax wrote:

Thanks guys

Just to clarify - she's not my friend (I had never met her before), she is the new girlfriend of a male friend of mine. Hence I was doing him the favour in lending his new flame a bike a bike to give it a go.

But yes, I agree, wit hindsight it's not worth stressing over 8)

Ahh, problem solved. Ask your mate for the £25.

I think this is your way to £25 in your pocket! I'd put a newb on a cheaper bike knowing that they are more likely to smash something, and that as they are beginners, you have to take some of the responsibilty of their riding yourself. But as it's not your friend, it's her man's job to take that responsibility. But don't overreact
I let a young 'un on my prized bike recently, he smashed it good! I bore the costs of replacement parts because he was my responsibility.

miss notax

I have a terrible memory so I will have forgotten all about this soon anyway!!

welshkev

miss notax wrote:

Just to clarify - she's not my friend (I had never met her before), she is the new girlfriend of a male friend of mine. Hence I was doing him the favour in lending his new flame a bike a bike to give it a go.
)

as said it's not worth streesing over, but i'd mention it to your male friend as i know if it was me i'd be gutted and want to pay for the repair