How to determine steel frame damage?

[disspence]

First time poster, but I've been lurking for a bit.

So today I hit the side of a car turning left through an intersection and the driver didn't see me coming down the bike lane. I was going fast enough to bend my fork and handlebars, and now I'm curious how best to assess if there is damage to the headtube or frame in general. Any advice is much appreciated before taking it to LBS.

I hit a T Free Ride so I'm hoping I can claim whatever is damaged and if I need to get a new bike, the MBTA insurance will cover it.

[Cicli]

Look for paint damage where the head tube meets the downtube. Paint chips or anything.
Post a pic if you can.

More importantly, hope you are okay.
Oh, and welcome.

[pbarry]

Sorry to hear about the accident. If the fork is bent, it's likely you've got a dimpled downtube and top tube. A few images will help.

[disspence]

I'll post photos tomorrow. thanks!

[Ken Robb]

I bent the hollow steel fork on my Schwinn Traveler in 1955. There was no other damage so we replaced the fork with a Schwinn that had solid steel blades like dull swords. I never bent that one. Based on my experience I can hope that OP's frame is fine. :-)

[pbarry]

I bent the hollow steel fork on my Schwinn Traveler in 1955. There was no other damage so we replaced the fork with a Schwinn that had solid steel blades like dull swords. I never bent that one. Based on my experience I can hope that OP's frame is fine. :-)

Ashtabula forks are unique, in so many ways. ;) That the frame suffered no further damage is a testament to .060+ tubing.. :beer:

[charliedid]

Sorry to hear but glad you seem fine. Take bike to a good shop that can assess. Some will use what is called a FAG tool that determines frame alignment.

Be well.

[Ken Robb]

Ashtabula forks are unique, in so many ways. ;) That the frame suffered no further damage is a testament to .060+ tubing.. :beer:
I got the bike for my 11th Birthday. We kept it in the basement of our Chicago bungalow. It was not too easy for me to put it on my shoulder and carry it out of the basement when I was 11. By 13 it was easy. Sturmey-Archer 3 speed hub, bottle generator and headlight, aluminum fenders.

After many later years experimenting with saddles I wonder if I would still like the one that came on this bike. It was fake leather with coil springs running longitudinally from the nose to the back of saddle. There were bag loops and a fake leather bag that could hold 2 one-pound loaves of bread.

[aki]

First time poster, but I've been lurking for a bit.

So today I hit the side of a car turning left through an intersection and the driver didn't see me coming down the bike lane. I was going fast enough to bend my fork and handlebars, and now I'm curious how best to assess if there is damage to the headtube or frame in general. Any advice is much appreciated before taking it to LBS.

I hit a T Free Ride so I'm hoping I can claim whatever is damaged and if I need to get a new bike, the MBTA insurance will cover it.
I was in a similar accident and both top tube and bottom tube were bent nea head tube to basically make head tube steeper. Look for paint damage or something on the under side of the tubes. if you have a spare fork with the same rake, measuring wheelbase may help.

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