[cdloental78]

This was the worst weekend ever. Driving to SF w/ my girlfriend to visit a friend and brought our bikes to do some Marin trailriding. Halfway there on I-80, the wind picks up and rips my girlfriend's brand new Trek off of the rack... The bike must've gotten around 20 feet of air.

Luckily the bike did not come crashing down on another car and did not cause a wreck and did not get run over. But it *did* land in the middle of a 5-lane interstate.

Its truly amazing how easy it is to stop 80mph traffic if you just walk out in front of it with your hand in the PLEASE STOP position.

Yeah, so both rims were totally taco-ed, the handlebars got shaken loose, and the brakes look out of alignment and theres a nice scar on the rear-derailuer, hopefully its not bent, I'll find out tomorrow when my LBS asseses the situation. I'm praying that its only the rims and some minor readjustment, especially since its gonna come out of my pocket.

Anyway. I've used this rack (yakima mighty joe) for two years and I've never had a problem, and I've always followed procedure with strapping in the bike, even adding an extra piece to tie the bike directly to the rack.

My question is: WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED? The rack looked fine, it was still securely mounted to my car, and my bike was fine... it looked as if I had never mounted a second bike on it. I will never feel safe using it again.

Anyone else ever experience a catastrophe like this?

Can we have MTBR make a new forum called "Horror Stories"?

Thanks for listening.
-chris

 

[Berkeley Mike]

I've heard this story before.

In fact it happened right by San Quentin on the way to a team practice at China Camp to one of our adults.
Operator error.
It happens to the best of us.
We instituted a rule that whenever we load bikes on an external rack we have someone else check it before we go on the road.
Good luck on the repair bill.

 

[sonyisdope]

First time I got a Saris Bones rack, I was riding to the trail, and i had my bike and my fiances bike on it. We were about 15 minutes from my house, and I heard a "BOOM!" We pulled off the expressway at the next exit, and apparantly, I put her wheel hanging too low, and it was right in front of my exaust pipe. Yeah, I know I am a dumbass. As far as your story though, man that is weak!

 

[Berkeley Mike]

The blowout thing

Been there.Done that.

 

[HammerSAC]

Done it

Blew out the tire/tube on the exhaust pipe once.

Also had the outboard of 3 bikes fall off, only to be held attached to the car by the pedal wrapped around the spoke of the 2nd bike! Boy was I lucky! I felt the car shudder and looked back to see a semi-truck swerving lanes, and no third bike anywhere! Luckily all that happened is the grip and handlebar wore and the seat got shaved from dragging on the pavement.

Sorry to hear about the bad luck. Check it twice, then have someone else check it.

 

[Wilderness_Dave]

Sorry to here about the bike. My buddy cracked his trek frame when he drove it into the bank when driving too the bank window.

Don't forget to tie your tires down too. A buddy had his mavic crossmaxs fly out of the bed of his truck and land in the middle of the highway.

David