Ethics on Post Crash Parts Usage

[93KgBike]

Clearly, personal ethics differ on the question of whether to allow parts to be used by others after you've crashed them.

But everyone seems to agree that full disclosure of the crash is absolutely necessary.

There's also another lesson here: when building a bike from used parts, or buying a used bike, you must disassemble it and rebuild it so that each part can be inspected.

I have straightened bent (steel) bars and used them without issue, and rebuilt brake calipers as well. Metal parts (with the exception of magnesium alloys) have never failed me catastrophically. So I wouldn't be conservative about reusing them. But I'd try to never use a part I hadn't thoroughly inspected.

Bike co-ops and used parts/bike sellers require us to employ caveat emptor. They can't know everything.

[ElvisMerckx]

Originally Posted by vqdriver

the brakes, i'd probably destroy. even if unmarked.
if i wouldn't use em i wouldn't let anyone else either.

This I don't get. I crashed plenty in my racing days, and never ever messed up a brake caliper. Can you elaborate on this concern?

Also, what kind of apocalyptic wrecks are you guys getting into? I've bent frames, tacoed wheels, ripped off rear derailleurs, bent handlebars, scuffed levers, etc. But I've never been in a wreck so catastrophic that I'd have any concern for every other part on the bike.

[Then again, I raced in an era of metal parts.]

[Blue Jays]

Paceliners are getting into bicycle wrecks so horrendous that the cassette is getting destroyed? Dang!

[tuxbailey]

Originally Posted by Blue Jays

Paceliners are getting into bicycle wrecks so horrendous that the cassette is getting destroyed? Dang!

Well, the cassette and wheels were not destroyed and I plan use the wheels myself if they are straight. Cassette is a freebie since I am using 11 sp now so I might as well give the cassette along with the 10 sp RD.

BTW, parts are actually spoken for...