Originally Posted by
Redbullet
It would help me to hear opinions from some more experienced people in this topic: can a bike repair shop securely assess whether a carbon frame and fork are safe or not to be used after a crash? The bike in discussion is a light construction rated as total 6.6 kg without pedals.
The event: frontal bump at 32-34 km/h in the lateral part of a car that suddenly turned from the opposite direction. Apart from scratches of prominent parts (shifters, pedals, quick releases, bar tape), the visible damages at a fast look are:
Front wheel severely bent and spokes pulled out from the hub (obviously totally damaged, although it is a sturdy DT Swiss wheel).
Rear wheel hardly bent (cannot rotate, as it touches the rim brake pads even with the caliper fully opened).
A shifter (carbon fiber) twisted severely on the handlebar.
Thanks
if this incident is being handled by the drivers insurance (as it sounds like it should be), then I’d be prepared to write the frame off. A front impact sufficient to trash the front wheel could’ve damaged the fork and/or the head tube area. Personally I wouldn’t ride it without a full-court-press evaluation by a specialized carbon repair facility. I doubt any bike shop would risk the liability of clearing your frame for use without a thorough evaluation.