Was enjoying a ride out yesterday, on the way home there is this crossroads I know well, there is no red light but cars can go from different directions.
I was on a main road and on a marked bicycle lane, I saw this car coming from the left so I must have already stopped pedalling (from probably about 35-37kmh).
I have many years of experience on motorbikes and I always look at drivers to see if they see me, and I generally ride defensively.
I saw the people in the car and the front passenger was looking in my directlion.
I first thought the car would turn to the left as most do but it continued straight.
Then I started braking, with the back wheel, which locked up, I am sliding and veering off to the right, in hope the driver stops (they were going very slow), thinking surely they see me now, will stop and I just pass in front of the car... but she did not and there was no avoiding collision, I crashed into the car (I think BMW X1 or X3) right in front of the front door.
A woman driver, 83 years old, together with a woman passenger of same or slightly younger age.
Accidents happen.
I was very very lucky, and I think my experience helped.
I did not damage any of my clothes.
I only got a small cut on the left hand big finger.
I did dislocate and, as it turned out after x-ray, cracked a bone in my right ring finger, now in a cast.
I hit the car with my left side chest, so pain in that area, but no broken ribs and no blue marks either.
My face may have connected with the hood as I have a little pain on the side of the jaw, but no blue marks either.
That's all for my damages; no scratches, no blue marks anywhere, just broken finger.
I must have been going pretty slow at the collision point, my Garmin did not fall out of the holder either.
My poor Tarmac Peter Sagan Superstar, on the other hand ...
Well, front wheel does not seem to have any damage, no scratches, no cracks as far as I can see with unarmed eye, spokes are tight, the wheel rotates true, tire did not deflate and one day after the accident still at full pressure (about 90psi).
As far as I can see not a scratch on the bike, not even on the quick releases front or back, nothing on the fork or frame, just a little scratch on the seat on the drive side, but probably because I put the bike down after the collision (I did not fall).
The chain fell off, I cannot get it back on now, but no scratches on rear derailleur and it seems to hang "true" when looking from the rear, I did not bend the hanger. OK, tiny scratch on rear derailleur, but that is because one of the people that stopped after checking the bike put it back on the asphalt on the drive side (two car drivers stopped, one turned out to be an ironman participant and avid cyclist and he trasported my bike to my house while I took a ride in emergency vehicle to the hospital).
The handlebar is broken on the left side, under the tape it desintegrated and hangs, both (duraace) shifters are displaced, left shifter has lost the big plate (the gear shifter), I guess I touched the car with the handlebar, car had two small dents on the front fender.
The big question is - is this bike salvageable?
I really like SL6 Tarmac, and I love this Sagan paintjob.
I planned to keep this bike till the end of time, even bought spare praxis rings.
Seems like I was not going that fast and there are no scratches or dents on the frame, surely it is strong enough to take a jolt, I mean, it carries my 90kg and I sometimes hit potholes without a second thought.
A friend of mine bought a C64 frame, it had a crack around seat post area, he fixed it and he rides that bike no problem.
Anyone here had a similar experience?
What is your view on this?
