I raced on Saturday in Long Branch, NJ on a course that has some pretty gnarly pavement. At one point during the bike, I was taking a sweeping turn while on my base bar and drilled a pothole. I immediately felt the front end drop by what felt like 2 or 3". I pulled over, check the bike, and couldn’t see any damage. Wheels are true & not harmed (I hope), tires not flat, nothing missing. BUT my base & aero bars rotated about 20 degrees down from horizontal while in the stem. No creaking or cracking, and after my amateur once over everything seems to be okay.
I’ve never had this happen before. I looked the bike over again today and can’t find any problems. That being said, should I still bring it in to the shop for a professional once-over?
Yeah. All I had to do was loosen one of the hex screws on the stem and pull the bars back to horizontal.
My main concern is whether any of that impact could F up the structural integrity of anything. But I figure if it was bad enough, I would have at least flatted my tubie.
I did that a year ago on some gnarly pavement as well (but not in a race)-40mph downhill on my basebars, and cranked the things about 25deg from horizontal.
Made for an uncomfortable ride home, stopped at the lbs where I picked it up, they flipped it up, tightened it down, and said i was good to go. after 1000mi since then, and i havent noticed anything else (except a bit of a death wobble the other day when i hit a bump with no hands… but i’m gonna pin that one on carelessness)
I’d get some of that stuff that you put on carbon joints to increase friction (someone help me here with the name), but otherwise, doubt it’s a problem. Also double check the torque on your stem (assuming you have carbon. If it’s aluminum, crank it down).
That segment around the lake definitely warrants a bit of care - especially when lapping lots of slow people. For those that don’t know it, it’s long 180 degree left turn with no lines, rarely any cars and terrible pavement, where everyone tends to hug the inside (left side). On your second lap, if you’re fast, you’re lapping big groups of people new to the sport on their wal-mart special mtn bikes, zig-zagging through the crowd, dodging pot-holes. Not fun.
I’d get some of that stuff that you put on carbon joints to increase friction (someone help me here with the name), but
Tacx, Ritchey, and FSA all make or market carbon assembly paste. AFAIK Tacx is the only one that makes it in larger containers (it’s what I use here in the studio) the others I’ve only seen in little “single serving” packets but I’ve never looked for them.
Absolutely! I wasn’t concerned about the incident because the OP didn’t report hearing any “crack” noises. But when I read about him “reefing” (whatever that means) on aluminum parts – then I became concerned.
I believe the rotation of the base bars took the impact of the bump.
Otherwise some other none moving part of your bike would have in a more disastrous & expensive way.
Damage also depends if your base bars are carbon against aluminum and your wheelset training against carbon wheels.
I agree with inspection around the headtube. Also, trueness doesn’t always mean no damage.
Close inspection of every part by your mechanic will be good.
Thankfully my whole front end setup (other than the fork) is aluminum. I just reefed on the screws real good - so I guess I’m good to go.
Using your aerobars as a bong is not recommend… Seriously, if you bought you bike at your LBS, they might check it out for free.
Taking the hit with the pothole isn’t so much of a concern, but I’ve seen aluminum handlebars snap during races because they were overtightened. I would seriously consider getting them checked if you really cranked down on the screws, especially if you tightened them all the way one at a time.
Seriously, if you bought you bike at your LBS, they might check it out for free.