Breaking a chain on the road

[KevinK]

From a different thread, Weisan said:

"I get into a time-trial position and pull my buddy during the last few miles trying to make up time lost b'cos my chain broke earlier on a nasty climb and my pal had to stop for about 10 mins waiting for me to fix it."

How do you fix a chain on the road? I've never broken a chain, and never even considered carying a chain tool. So after 25+ years of riding/racing, all of a sudden you got me nervous about breaking a chain! How and where does it break? Is it at the quick-link? Did the chain show obvious signs of wear before it broke? As my wife says, I come from a long line of worriers. Please help ease my troubled mind!

Kevin
Eugene, OR

[weisan]

How do you fix a chain on the road? I've never broken a chain, and never even considered carying a chain tool. So after 25+ years of riding/racing, all of a sudden you got me nervous about breaking a chain! How and where does it break? Is it at the quick-link? Did the chain show obvious signs of wear before it broke? As my wife says, I come from a long line of worriers. Please help ease my troubled mind!

Kevin-pal, please don't get overly worried over this. As far as I know, none of the buddies I rode with had a "broken chain" except maybe me. Let me alleviate your fears by telling you first the broken chain was a direct result of my stupidity and past mistake.

The chain broke at one of the links which I have taken apart before and put it back without using a new "break-off" chain pin. Why? cos' I am too cheap and insist on not paying my lbs 5 bucks for those stupid pins. In the end, I lost, they win.

The buddy I rode with that day had one of those multi-tools that come with a built-in chain tool. I fixed it by taking out a link. I always ride with people who carries everything and I carry nuthin'...GingerM'dam would be my perfect riding partner. Any other question? :D

Sleep well tonight.

[weisan]

And know that this will happen AGAIN!!! b'cos the link that I used to fix back the chain is also "glued" together the way it's not supposed to. I like to impress people with the amount of power I can churn out on those legs to tear-off da-chain.

I just need to stay off riding on tracks or risk getting fined with $$$.

[ada@prorider.or]

From a different thread, Weisan said:

"I get into a time-trial position and pull my buddy during the last few miles trying to make up time lost b'cos my chain broke earlier on a nasty climb and my pal had to stop for about 10 mins waiting for me to fix it."

How do you fix a chain on the road? I've never broken a chain, and never even considered carying a chain tool. So after 25+ years of riding/racing, all of a sudden you got me nervous about breaking a chain! How and where does it break? Is it at the quick-link? Did the chain show obvious signs of wear before it broke? As my wife says, I come from a long line of worriers. Please help ease my troubled mind!

Kevin
Eugene, OR



well since there are chain 's people brake them
even on top level i have got beatiful pic's of top riders and and examples of them,
as i discussed this with a chain manufacuture and designer when i did a gold plate chain before the world s in colombia for danny nelissen they told me that
it only take one tiny pin thats not hardened good enough to brake the chain and eveninside the metal pin there can be a weak spot
all pins are on rontgen when they are mounted and regular testing daily of chains and they once in a while keep having that a chain brake's even after very good inspection
take a look at the space shutle they do every thing cost a fortune and still glue does not hold
its simply not as easy as it looks
cees

[weisan]

Dunder and Blixem!

cees-pal, now that you break the bad news to Kevin-pal, he can't sleep tonight.

[ada@prorider.or]

Dunder and Blixem!

cees-pal, now that you break the bad news to Kevin-pal, he can't sleep tonight.

well he did not see the eneco tour
that's a big laugh
even your country men van de velde and jason mc chartney would never forget this race of there live's
so compare to that whats a broken chain
i had one and had walk 25 miles to home
good that 's good that was a triathlete

[deechee]

funny you mention this, my chain snapped on my commute bike on my way to work the other day. Most likely from a violent chain slap, (it was a REALLY crappy road). Unfortunately I hadn't lubbed my chaintool on my multi-tool (and the turn-key SUCKED) so it kinda got stuck halfway through the pin.

http://www.parktool.com/repair_help/FAQchnRe.shtml

[weisan]

Thanks for posting the info DeeChee-pal. One thing that I find interesting on the Park Tool article is this:

"Grab chain on either side of protruding rivet. Flex chain toward the protruding chain rivet then pull on chain to separate."
http://www.parktool.com/images/TTOL/chain_removal_w__flexing.gif

And I do this all the time. But recently I come across another source that says that's a bad practice and a lot of times is the main cause of chain breakage.

[zap]

HA, broke 2 chains when hammering like a sob up short steep hills.

One was a Suntour, the other was a Regina (sp) hollow link chain. I don't keep chains that long, so wear wasn't an issue. I can't tell you if the Suntour chain broke where I inserted the pin. The Regina, well, it was never meant for sprinting :rolleyes:

Both times my knee hit the hbars quite hard. Hitched a ride back home both times since there was no way the chains could be used again unless you had a machine shop right next to you. Plus, both times my knee hurt like hell.

This all happened 14-16 years ago. I've been using DA (8 & 9) and Record (8 & 10) chains ever since with no problems.

[ada@prorider.or]

and Record (8 & 10) chains ever since with no problems.[/QUOTE]

campy chains are made by regina

[weisan]

campy chains are made by regina

Perfect Grammar!
bananasasnas!!!

weisan©™®

[Kevan]

I participated in an organized ride and on the same day at two separate occasions the chain broke on a bike rolling just in front of me. I too have broken a chain while riding and the little chain breaker tool I keep my saddle bag has come in handy. So too if a rear derailleur decides to go kaput while on the ride that tool can make getting home possible under your own steam.

Not sure whether the new chains of today are any better or if its simply that people are now using those speed-linx (or whatever they're called) which lessens those sloppy repinnings, which to my best guess was the cause for this problem.