Wall of Shame

[BarelyAWake]

"Share safety tips for motorized bicycles. Some of these bicycle engines will reach great speeds and need respect."

Yet even with respect, sometimes stuff happens. Fasteners fail, mistakes are made and metal and flesh get twisted. With that in mind I figured I'd start a thread so others can learn from the pain and pennies spent. This is where the carnage goes, any pictures you have of cracked frames, fender failures, gutted and bent rims, anything broken, bent and bashed goes here. No need for excuses, it's not about blame - it's all about sharing the pain so others can avoid it.

I'll start the ball rollin' with a few of my own... interestingly, it's been all front wheel disasters



1: Lend a bike to a friend and this is what happens when he hits a pothole with cheesy single wall rims.

Entire front of bike wasted, walk home, minor roadrash, $200 for replacement bike of same model, weekend lost to rebuild;

2: Forget a dab of loctite = loose five spokes when yer brake adjuster jumps into the front wheel.

Rim bent, walk home, no injury except pride, $20 relaced and trued, weekend lost;

3: Run out-of-true scrap pile wheels, add another pothole (friend's bike).

Rim collapse, bent forks & bars, destroyed fenders, bashed fuel tank, trip to hospital for oral stitches, bike written off to build another, more than $1000 hospital bill, more than a month lost due to concussion & new build;

Lessons learned? Beware single wall rims, use loctite, maintain & replace spokes... oh yeah - and don't lend a MB to a friend lol

 

[Mac]

I don't have any pictures, but I will share last weeks disaster, built un my yard sale aluminum Mountian bike, front suspension, a older Bo-an bike, put motor on, waiting on offset intake from spooky tooth, figured I'd take a ride (pedal power) down the hill, see how it handles. Keep in mind I changed the neck and handle bars to a set that suit me better than the MtB ones. Things looking good, down the steep hill I go, up to about 15mph, SOMETHING not right, felt wierd, up in the air off the starboard quarter, into the ditch with bike following closely behind, bit it pretty hard on the sandy shoulder, got bopped in the head with the bike, oh, BTW, close one's mouth when falling in sand, just a suggestion. No damage to bike, I on the other hand, got racked real good, face scratches, I'm sore all over. Turns out I "forgot" to tighten the allen head that secures the neck to the fork, IE turn bars, front wheel no steer. Operator error, maintenance malpractice. Moral: Check your bike over, especially a new build AND wear a helmet, even on a short Pedal test ride.

Mac

 

[Dave31]

My last bad experience was with the J-Dog. When I first got the bike together the rear wheel had a very small wobble. Even after Dan told me I should true the wheel I was so excited to try out the bike I figured the wheel would be fine for it's first ride until I got around to truing the wheel.

Well, not taking proper care of the wheel bit me in the butt..... As I was making a turn on a nice smooth bike path my wheel folded on me and I went flying.