It Happened...

[climb2ski]

I never wanted to do it but I drove my Trek into the garage. The wife wanted to run at Deer Creek so I decided to bike there then watch the kids while she ran. I biked there, put the bike on the roof rack, changed and watched the kids while she ran. When I pulled in the garage and heard the noise I knew what it was.

The new bike only had 150 miles on it. I will bring it to the shop today.

[Laps]

I had a friend who went to pick up his new $5,000 klein road bike, put it on his car, got on the highway and heard something slide off his roof. He looked in the rearview mirror just in time to see the truck behind him crush his brand spankin' new toy. I always check my rack is fastened at least twice.

[pointemstraight]

Friend of mine did that - now when he puts the bike on the roof, he puts his garage door opener in a little envelope he keeps in the glovebox that says "BIKE ON ROOF, IDIOT!" That, and he also hangs a tag from his rearview mirror that says the same thing.

[Ripzalot]

bummer. an expensive lesson for sure. i did it with my windsurfers once - they just slid neatly off the roof and dropped on the driveway.

i only do trunk or hitch racks for bikes now for that reason. plus they are better for the gas mileage.

[Laps]

The first surfboard I bought, I made my own bungee straps. Didn't work. So, I neurotically tightened it down. The next summer, I got a new epoxy board, and was so paranoid it would fly off the roof, I put pressure cracks in it

[Artie Fufkin]

Friend of mine did that - now when he puts the bike on the roof, he puts his garage door opener in a little envelope he keeps in the glovebox that says "BIKE ON ROOF, IDIOT!" That, and he also hangs a tag from his rearview mirror that says the same thing.

I would always stash my garage door opener under a seat or somewhere in the car that as I searched for it I would remember that my bike was on top.

A while back, right after I got my first roof rack I pulled into a bank with a low clearance cable and ripped my Jamis Diablo off of the roof, the bike was fine. Though I did damage the rack and car.

A few hours later while in the fast lane, traveling to get replacement parts for the rack, I saw my front wheel bouncing in the middle of the lane. I learned a few lessons about roof rack management that day.

Hopefully your bike is fine.

[homerjay]

That sucks bro. Trek is good about warranties, maybe you'll emerge from this with only a lesson learned.

[climb2ski]

i would always (well not always) put the opener behind my front tire. That only works when you put the opener behind the tire.

[SkiOrDie]

A friend of mine built a cute little waterproof box for the garage door opener that mounts on the roof rack. When he puts the bike on the roof, the opener goes into the box.