You have every right to be concerned about the bike... I'm absolutely the same way... and I think my wife thinks the same way considering she knows approx how much these damn bikes cost.

Bikes are tough and titanium bikes are the toughest, so I wouldn't worry about it too much. My advice: Replace your handlebar tape, true your wheels, check your rear derailleur hanger to make sure it's still straight, give the rest of the bike a once-over, then get back out there.

Hope you are feeling better.

-Marc

Just be thankful you are okay. When I crashed and broke my neck, the furthest thing from my mind was my bike. What was going through my mind was things like "What would my wife and kids do if I died?" and "Why did Go let me walk and live? Does He have things He needs me to do with the rest of my life?"

You can buy another bike. (Oh, and if you'd spent less money and gotten an Airborne instead of a Litespeed, you'd have a lifetime crash warranty on that frame!!!)

Glad you are okay.

Be careful out there,

Brian

I'm sure we all feel similar here. But if you ride enough (say, 4-5K miles/year), you WILL crash eventually. This is exactly why I like titanium. You may have to get stem or aerobars, but your bike will be fine. Even a scratch buffs right out with a green scotchbrite - good as new! Crashing aluminum frames can often result in trouble. Carbon fiber? Who knows - perhaps a slight crack, then .... I would hate not knowing or waiting for failure.

I have crashed my Vortex twice pretty good, and a couple of smaller incidents with numerous car issues, falling in transition areas or falling over etc. It is a 1999 and looks brand new. The initial cost is high, but well worth the proce of entry. I am on my 3rd set of handlebars though and will never have any carbon fiber ones again (previous failure with Easton EC90s).

Now, if I was pro with an unlimited supply of bikes - I'd love to pilot an R2.5 or sexy Look - just not with my money.

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Fatigue is biochemical, not biomechanical.
- Andrew Coggan, PhD

Sadly, I think my crash technique would vary depending on if I was on my training bike or my race bike. On the race bike, I would probably try to get my head between the bike and the road to cushion the fall (for the bike...)

"On the race bike, I would probably try to get my head between the bike and the road to cushion the fall (for the bike...)"



Take it from me--NOT a good plan;^)

Falling does suck. no fun. I am glad you are OK. That could have been much worse. I hope your bike is OK too.

Yeah, when my bike gets messed up I usually hurt for days.

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Tom Demerly
The Tri Shop.com

Wow, you're absolutely right it could have been worse. These posts are great. Even though it is a minor issue in the grand scope of life, it does sting a bit. I was truly amazed that noone stopped to see if I was OK. It wouldn't matter where I had to go, if I saw someone out there who had crashed, I would have stopped to help in some fashion as would have anyone on this forum. Thanks.

Are you in contention for top three in your age group at regional and national level events? One of the contributing factors to you accident may be that you are over your head with a aggressive tri bike like that. Tri bike (forward geometry) are simply not as stable as road bikes. As we get older our reaction time is slower and balance is not as good. You may want to consider if it is worth it to lust after an elite level bike that is realy made to be handled by a younger advanced athlete or if a more stable road geometry would be more suitable. Also that type of forward geometry is hard on the back too, are you experiencing any back problems too yet? I can't tell you how many triathletes I know over 40 that have developed debilitating back problems from tri'ing to ride like a pro.

I can't believe no one stopped to help you. I am thankful that several people (non-riders, btw--construction workers and nearby residents) came to my aid immediately and called 911. Of course, the people whose dog knocked me off my bike never came (two houses down the street) to check on me. That is one of the reasons they have now heard from my lawyer. If they had shown some concern for me, I might have felt different about going after them.

What part of "Need moral support" you did not get?

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"Yeah, no one likes a smartass, but we all like stars" - Thom Yorke


smartasscoach.tri-oeiras.com

Why are you so mean? The poor dude crashed his bike and he's upset. Hopefully you are just joking and not trying to rub salt in his wounds?

The first part of your post sounds like my story. However, so many cars stopped for me that they blocked traffic in both directions. I was glad when the ambulance arrived, as it rescued me from a horde of would-be first-aiders. The hospital people decided that I had broken ribs.

Be happy that you are in condition to ask questions like this, it sounds like you will be back riding soon without permanent damages. All else is secondary.

As for your bike, consider any marks as honourable scars. Repair, clean up, and then be proud of them. Bikes are made to be ridden, not displayed in museums. Far better to have signs of use then to have a beautiful bike gathering dust somewhere.



Jim

I thought Ti was indestructible too until I broke my almost brand new Axiom Seven almost in half just behind the head tube. I was climbing a hill one block from my house after a set of intervals warming down. I looked back at a passing car and hit a parked car. I know, how could I be so stupid.

Anyway I was in a 39-23 going about 10 miles per hour and the frame buckled at the top and down tubes. I weigh all of 145 pounds so there was not a whole lot of energy at that speed. The wheel was not even knocked out of true, no other damage that was visible. Not even a scratch on the brake levers.

I sent it back to Seven and they said it was not repairable. They said tough luck and offered to build me a new frame at the same cost as the original. I guess I should have bought an Airborne like some else posted.

Anyway all the components off that bike are now on a Cervelo Soloist going strong for about 10,000 miles. By the way I have one very hard crash on it at about 25 mph and it is just fine.

Just my experience on the indestructibility of Titanium versus "disposible" aluminum.

DUDE, change the wife not the bike;-)

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S�rgio Marques
When it hurts is when it feels good ;-)
Sergio-Marques.com

Litespeed also has a lifetime warranty on their frames, as well as a fairly liberal trade in policy on a new bike. Most bikes (ti included) will fail at the welds anyway. I think Litespeed's titanium welds (FAR different than welding aluminum - no oxygen environment) are second to none with LOADS of experience. Certainly better than Airborne, and they cold work their own tubing (from Michigan I believe) instead of just welding stock tubing (like Airborne) - hence the price. They used to have the welder of your bike sign his name on the right rear chainstay (stopped in 1999 I think - hey Herbert, why not bring that back? That was cool). I have yet to inspect some Guru titanium welds, but their aluminum welds are the best I've seen.

Where titanium probably won't fail is the middle of the toptube, downtube, etc. vs. the SAME stress/accident as aluminum (especially the sexy new aero shaped Al that is usually thinner to keep the weight down). This is also why some carbon frames are NOT monocoque, but lugged (i.e. many Looks) as this is where the stress riser is most likely to develop.

You hit a parked car? That would have really hurt going downhill :(

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Fatigue is biochemical, not biomechanical.
- Andrew Coggan, PhD

"I am spread out on the road, helmet cracked, etc... Remarkably at least 6 cars drove around me (none of them stopped- A-holes!)."

Tell your wife that if I was there on the scene, I would have pulled over to see if your bike was okay.

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**All of these words finding themselves together were greatly astonished and delighted for assuredly, they had never met before**

I agree wholeheartedly.

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"You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream" - Les Brown
"Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishment" - Jim Rohn

Great reply! Tailwind must be one of those people that thinks sitting too close to the TV ruins your eyes or that running ruins your knees or that you will go blind if you....

Dave

Tailwind,

Sounds to me like you are jealous and have bike envy. I know plenty of triathletes over the age of 40 who can handle a tri bike very well. I don't think riding a road set-up or one of your quote "elite level bikes" would have made much difference riding into the mud on the shoulder of the road. The fact of the matter is that TriMD had a mishap on his bike and fortunately lived to tell about it. He feels bad about his wreck, is sore in places he didn't know could be sore, and like most of us who are passionate about their bikes and this sport, is concerned about the damage he has done to his new bike. So why do you have to give him a hard time about which style bike he chooses to ride? Be a little compassionate and sympathetic. If he wanted coaching advice on bikes, I'm sure he would have requested your assistance.

Rooster

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