Bit of advice re. damaged bike?

IWJ

Hi guys, long story short: A Giant Defy 4 which I bought for around €720 (through BTW scheme 17 months ago) is now unfit to ride since fork is damaged (in a crash on the day I got the bike). This, along with new gear cable, new pedals, new chain, and a service is amounting to around €350, which I might be able to haggle down a little.

Two different shops have told me that the bike is written off in its current state.

So I can either go ahead with the repairs or buy a second hand bike for around the 350 mark.

In either case, I would like the bike to last me another (5 years - 17 months).

Any suggestions from experienced cyclists or otherwise?

It has been too long without being on the road and the Luas is killing me!

CantGetNoSleep

I'd buy a second hand bike in good working condition (post a wanted post in the adverts forum here) and sell the Giant as parts - you might get 150 / 200 euros for the wheels, frame minus fork and groupset

IWJ

Cheers for that.

Out of curiousity why not get it repaired?

Would it take long to sell it by parts? Tbh I am so busy now right now I can't spend much time on that. But good suggestions- both tyres are puncture resistant but I might keep them for next bike, dimensions allowing.

magicbastarder

was it left outside? or why do the chain and pedals need replacing (i'm guessing it hasn't been ridden since the crash on day one)?

IWJ

magicbastarder wrote: »

was it left outside? or why do the chain and pedals need replacing (i'm guessing it hasn't been ridden since the crash on day one)?

Not at all. I've ridden it almost every single day since the crash. The pedals literally fell off one week after the next and the chain hasn't been replaced in the last 17 months so about tine.

cdaly_

Learn to do your own maintenance, buy a new or second hand fork and fit that. Replace pedals, cables, chain yourself.

Cee-Jay-Cee

IWJ wrote: »

Not at all. I've ridden it almost every single day since the crash. The pedals literally fell off one week after the next and the chain hasn't been replaced in the last 17 months so about tine.

Your posts aren’t making sense. You say in your opening post that you crashed the bike the day you got it and above you say you’ve ridden it every day since. So what has happened now that renders it a write off by the bike shop?

IWJ

Cee-Jay-Cee wrote: »

Your posts aren’t making sense. You say in your opening post that you crashed the bike the day you got it and above you say you’ve ridden it every day since. So what has happened now that renders it a write off by the bike shop?

I should have been more clear.

Although I crashed it the day I got it, I still continued to ride it (and at least 14 km/ day since October).

When I brought it into a bike shop to have new pedals etc put on last week, I was told that after examination, they realized that the bike is unsafe to ride since the fork is damaged ( in the crash 17 months prior). And I know that the fork was in fact damaged in the crash because after the crash I was told the same by a different bicycle mechanic.

Now the shop where the bike is being kept currently told me that unless I get it repaired, it is a write off, because of the damaged fork, missing pedals, bad chain, etc. Apparently the frame is okay but there is always doubt unless I get a crash evaluation right?

Hurrache

Makes no sense claiming it's a write off if the frame is undamaged, replace the forks, pedals and chain?

Type 17

Assuming that the bike fits you, and is still the type of bike you want, you should get it fixed - it's a cheapish bike, so the correct-spec fork won't be too expensive either (be aware that you probably won't get a perfect colour match).
A secondhand bike could have problems of its own - at least you know what needs fixing on yours, etc.

8valve

plenty of secondhand good parts around.

fix the bike...€350 sounds ludicrous to me......I'm a fulltime bike mechanic.

CramCycle

Put up pics (to make sure the way you are describing issues is the way they are) but as said already , 35o sounds insane. All the parts could be got forr 100euro, a bit of time and effort with youtube, and you would have it done for under half of that.