[Dubgurl]

So where I live, the mayor decided that flowers for his office staff is way more important than paved roads, so there are potholes everywhere. Including the one that I hit on my ride today. Not a big one, just big enough to fit enough of my front wheel in to make it hurt.

Well when I hit it, my bike made a sharp "Crack" noise, kinda like what a thick piece of plastic makes when it breaks, just louder. Luckily I didn't go down and the bike kept rolling, since I was only about 1/2 mile from home I limped slowly home, the bike felt fine.

When I got back I looked over everything and nothing obvious is broken. But I was wondering where you would look if it happened to you? It's an aluminum bike so I don't know if that would make a difference.

Thanks

 

[photosbymark]

Glad you didn't go down. First place I would look is the front wheel and fork. It might be an aluminum bike, but many of those also have a carbon fiber front fork. The crack that sounds like plastic could be that what broke WAS plastic. Anything plastic or carbon fiber gets an extra close look. With the front fork check the area around the slot where the wheel attaches closely. Outside of the wheel, that area would take more stress than anywhere else. Id check to make sure the wheel still was round. A quick spin of the wheel watching the distance between the brake pad and the rim. If the wheel is true, the rim should stay about the same distance from the brake pad through the entire rotation of the wheel. Also look for cracks in the paint, especially in higher stress areas. With a new bike, a crack in the paint could mean a crack in more than the paint.

If you don't find anything, you could have a wrench look at it if it bothers you. It is also possible that the crack didn't come from the bike, but something giving or breaking on the street or on or around the pothole.

 

[froze]

I think your town, since it's so much into growing flowers, should plant flowers in the pot holes!

If your not sure what your looking for in the way of damage have an LBS check it out and tell them what happened and what you heard.

 

[Dubgurl]

Looked over everything on the bike, and cleaned it while I was at it. All the paint looks intact, nothing creeks, bends or rubs so I guess it was either something in the street or I'm going crazy (both of which are plausible.) I'm gonna go ride it and see what happens, If I'm not back in 2 hours, send a search party

 

[Dubgurl]

Well I'm alive and the bike was fine. Though I haven't had much luck with hitting things though.

Reached down to get my water bottle and hit one of those cans of cheap spray on coglone that someone decided to just leave in the middle of the trail. I was down hill, and down wind so I was flying, almost went over the bars, and it messed up my rear wheel a little. I'll try and fix it myself but I think before I ride it again I'm gonna have the LBS look at it. I guess I get a couple free rest days.

 

[froze]

Well I'm alive and the bike was fine. Though I haven't had much luck with hitting things though.

Reached down to get my water bottle and hit one of those cans of cheap spray on coglone that someone decided to just leave in the middle of the trail. I was down hill, and down wind so I was flying, almost went over the bars, and it messed up my rear wheel a little. I'll try and fix it myself but I think before I ride it again I'm gonna have the LBS look at it. I guess I get a couple free rest days.

Well did you at least spray some of that cheap cologne on yourself?

 

[Dubgurl]

Well did you at least spray some of that cheap cologne on yourself?

Dear god no! What I like about Jersey Shore is I can't smell the 8 gallons of that crap they shower in.

 

[ksr5]

Check to see if your handle bars slipped down i have been told it makes a terrible noise like you are describing when that happens.

 

[photosbymark]

Could be worse Dubgurl. Not that long ago I had a close encounter of the nearly smelly kind. Cruising along one night, actually the night I last rode and crashed by the way, what looked to be a dark spot in the road from a pot hole repair raised a tail with a white stripe right down the center. Then again I think I would have rather been hit with the skunk than some of the colognes out there.