Advice Needed: Bike Kicked In

So, I parked my Fuji Track off Camden Road to take some photos for my uni assignment.
10 minutes later, I find that the chain is off. Odd as i just bought a chain tensioner and it couldnt really have just fallen off. Turns out that my bike has been kicked in, Crank bent like a taco. Suspect damage to BB and rear wheel might need trueing. It was dark so i dont know what else has been damaged without a full on inspection, but definately unrideable.

Luckily, my bike is insured, so off to the police station.

At the po po, I was told i need to get a damage quote from a bike garage and return to the police station. Apparently i'm a 'lucky one' for it not to be stolen, 'only vandalised'.

Has this happened to anyone else?
Does anyone know where i can get one of these damage quotes where they ultra generous about what i can claim back?
I wanna know who will do it as I dont really wanna drag my bike around london anymore than i have to.

Just feel really pissed off that I've been victimised + wasted an evening walking around with a bike on my shoulder.

thats shit mate, just head to most expensive bike shop you can think of for your quote.

hope you get it sorted, carrying bikes isn't fun. Had a flat on tower bridge and had to walk back to camden the other night.

sheesh mate, this type of shit is even more exasperating than the seemingly endless thievery going on. Decent locking practice can't protect you - in fact, it may even lead to it happening if the scummers realise they can't nick the bike and decide to go medieval on it instead!

It wasn't locked up somewhere that someone might have objected to was it? Brings back memories of this thread...

http://www.londonfgss.com/thread3376.html

sounds like someone tried and failed to steal it and wrecked it in anger. bastards.

i'm not from london, or the UK for that matter, i'm just cruising the forums lately throwing a few posts out (which will likely end soon.)

i'm from the US and i've lived in a number of major cities here (NYC, Atlanta, Cleveland, Chicago), and based on how much i hear on these forums about stolen bikes, traffic accidents, and bikes getting torn up, london sounds pretty whack for cyclists.

(i will suggest that, in the thread posted above, locking to someones window grating isn't the brightest move)

Go to a sympathetic LBS, get a damage quote. It will be worth it, take the quote back to the police, get a crime report number [insert correct name here].

Your insurance company will need all the above anyway. You may even be able to claim back the cost of a cab [insert Dogsballs comment here].

Post back on this thread. I am sure it will happen again to some other poor soul.

People are really shit. I hope things work out for you.

i'm from the US and i've lived in a number of major cities here (NYC, Atlanta, Cleveland, Chicago), and based on how much i hear on these forums about stolen bikes, traffic accidents, and bikes getting torn up, london sounds pretty whack for cyclists.

thing seemed worse than they are.

nuff said.

well done

fuck sake, the stupid shit keep popping up all over the forum, in different username too.

probably the same person, needs an IP blacklist doing

huh? What does that mean midda scoble?

oh, I see

stay the fuck away from OYB.

Go to a sympathetic LBS, get a damage quote. It will be worth it, take the quote back to the police, get a crime report number [insert correct name here].

Your insurance company will need all the above anyway. You may even be able to claim back the cost of a cab [insert Dogsballs comment here].

As it turns out, i checked my insurance policy and I could have got a cab home on the expense of the insurance. I left my bike at finsbury park so i'll just cab it to the LBS and claim that back.

sounds like someone tried and failed to steal it and wrecked it in anger. bastards.

Ya.. I should check the lock for any damage too.

stay the fuck away from OYB.

Whats OYB?

Thanks for all the advice / sympathy! Off to get damage quotes this morning. i'll let you know how it goes. I'm insured with ETA insurance, i'll check back when its done to let you know how they performed as an insurance company too.

carrying bikes isn't fun. Had a flat on tower bridge and had to walk back to camden the other night.

Did you not think to use the spare tube, tyre levers and mini pump in your "courier" bag?.........

As for OP, sounds like it might be vehicle damage to me, have you tried kicking a crank until it's bent like a taco?...just a thought.

As it turns out, i checked my insurance policy and I could have got a cab home on the expense of the insurance. I left my bike at finsbury park so i'll just cab it to the LBS and claim that back.

Ya.. I should check the lock for any damage too.

Whats OYB?

Thanks for all the advice / sympathy! Off to get damage quotes this morning. i'll let you know how it goes. I'm insured with ETA insurance, i'll check back when its done to let you know how they performed as an insurance company too.

Claim for a cab home anyway, just get hold of a private hire card, and fill in your own amount on the back.