Crashed myWhizzer today....

MaxGlide

Member
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Joined
Aug 6, 2009
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Location
Vancouver, BC, Canada
Well I disobeyed a warning clearly posted on this forum and paid for it today.

I had just gotten my rear rack, chain guard and Columbia Springer fork back from paint and was trying to get it all together for a friends car show that I said I would bring it to.

Well when it came time to put the front forks on the front fender stay was too long for the spot it was supposes to go to so i took it off.

Now I had read the post about making sure your fender screws were in good so that if did not come out and then roll forward, jamming the wheel and sending you doing the superman over the handlebars.

So I put some loctite on the screw, made sure it was tight and promised myself I would pay attention and get a fender stay put on asap.

Made it to the show, the bike was a hit but forgot my back pack with tools at home. (I was going to take the wheel off at the show and make sure the screw was tight)

Started heading home and there was this loooooong hill going down with a brief hollow then a loooooong climb back up. The pavement was smooth, the sun shining and I opened her up. Engine roaring, wind in my ears.... prolly 40 mph. Then I thought maybe I shouldn't be going so fast..... looked at the fender that was sort of rattling away so I watched it more and started to climb the hill and to slow down.... lucky for me. Then the fender really started rattling and I knew what was going on. Hit the brakes, springer flexed and wheel caught, slamming forward and into groung... instant wheel stop.... and WHAM!! Me kissing assphalt!.

Well veeeeeery lucky for me i was going quite slow by then...... MAYBE 10 mph. If it had happened 15 seconds earlier when I was doing 40.... I shudder to think about it. As it turns out.... a few scrapes and bruises... few bent parts, but veeeeery lucky indeed!

Had to call the wife to come and get me with the van.......

So have a look at the results.
 

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More Pics.

Few more for you all. Would have taken some at scene of crash but wife had the camera.
 

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Oh man! I am sorry to hear of this! And you just got her all together too..... This just sucks! I hope you heal up quickly and have some more fun getting her all back together.

The fender is not a total loss either. If you have the want, it can be massaged back to looking new.
 
Thanks guys,

Yeah, sheer stupidity on my part. I will make sure that this does not happen again. Gonna check the suggestions in here and get it done.

On another note, do you all think that the fork can be straightened or would it be too weak now ? Have a look at the bend in the last pic. A fella who does custom bikes here says that the bend stretches the metal and bending it back will make it look straight but that will be a weak spot. I was wondering how much stress that part of the springer fork takes.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Wayne

PS: If it should not be straightened I will be looking for that piece of the Columbia springer fork if anybody has one for sale.
 
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Thanks guys,

Yeah, sheer stupidity on my part. I will make sure that this does not happen again. Gonna check the suggestions in here and get it done.

On another note, do you all think that the fork can be straightened or would it be too weak now ? Have a look at the bend in the last pic. A fella who does custom bikes here says that the bend stretches the metal and bending it back will make it look straight but that will be a weak spot. I was wondering how much stress that part of the springer fork takes.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Wayne

PS: If it should not be straightened I will be looking for that piece of the Columbia springer fork if anybody has one for sale.

Glad you are ok...Sorry about your bike.Is your fork an original or repop?I can get the piece for you but he aint cheap and it might take alittle while.I bought a nos repop from him for $160 I believe.He has originals too.Let me know
 

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The bike is all replacable, you are not. Glad to hear you were able to walk away. Ah, were you wearing a helmet? I hate wearing the dam things, especially the kind you see everyone wearing on their 10 speed racing bikes, so I'm looking for a chrome skaters helmet. They look cool, or at least better then the bike ones, and are safety proven for bike use too. Worst thing in the world is seeing someone who came off a bike or motorcycle with no broken bokens, but a scrambled brain which doesn't work anymore due to the sudden unprotected impact.
Robert Faust
Redwood City, CA
 
If you are going faster than 30 MPH, a bicycle or skaters helmet is not much protection. Forces increase exponentially with speed. If you are concerned about safety, get an approved motorcycle helmet. They are heavier, but we aren't pedaling all that much so weight shouldn't be an issue.
 
I was definitely wearing a helmet, a proper motorcycle one to boot. I was also wearing a decent jacket so no road rash!

The fork is original and I am pretty sure I have a complete one from a fella on The Cabe. Just waiting to see if the locking mechanism on the Columbia fork will work with the Elgin frame. I am wondering if it locks of its own accord or if it must mesh with something in the head tube?

Thanks all for your good wishes. Will keep you all up to date.

Wayne
 
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