Snapped my second ever chain

[weaponsgrade]

In all my years riding I've only had one chain snap on me. Last weekend I had a second. I was on my mtn bike and did a somewhat poorly timed shift under load. I didn't think it was too much load and I've certainly made worse shifts over the years. But somehow the stars aligned and the chain snapped. Luckily no injuries. I carry a Oneup EDC multi-tool which has a chain breaker. It's the V1 version of the tool and I remember reading somewhere how the weak point of the thing was the chain breaker. But, it did a fine job cutting out the broken link and letting me join the remaining ends together. The chain was too short to handle the low gears, but at least I was able to gingerly pedal out. Chain was a waxed YBN 12spd with about 350 mtn miles.

[LouDeeter]

Glad you could do an on-trail repair. I broke one about 30 years ago, two blocks from a bike shop. They wouldn't let me use their chain tool and I didn't have any money on me, so they wouldn't fix it on a "promise". Never went back to that bike shop. Not my current location. I threaded some string through the chain ends and limped home, amazing I even made it.

[weaponsgrade]

That's pretty lame that the shop wouldn't help out.

I've been rethinking the repair and one other thing I remember was how easy it was to push the pin out. There's a chance I might've gotten the chain on Amazon and now I'm wondering if I got a counterfeit chain.

[AngryScientist]

It’s probably a good possibility.

I bought a couple of chains through shady channels during the peak pandemic shortages and one measured out at full stretch in under 100 miles! Almost certainly a fake. Also recently got burned on fake shimano pedals. Lesson learned and I buy that kind of stuff now only through authorized distro channels.

Glad you didn’t get hurt and were able to limp home!

[bigbill]

In the late 80s, I had a MTB with 7 speed XT and I broke two chains and a RD, which I think broke due to the chain. The first chain broke on a fast descent and I couldn't find it. The second one broke in the parking lot of my apartment, and snapped the RD. I went with Sachs chains after that. I carry a SRAM 12 speed link and a Shimano 11 speed link in my saddle bag. I think they have protected me from broken chains. I figure I can use the Shimano link on my campy 11 to get home. FWIW, I never used campy chains on my 10 speed stuff, I used Wipperman or KMC.

[unterhausen]

I have broken two chains. I generally carry an extra quick link and a chain tool, but one time I was out on my fatbike which was pretty new so I had skipped putting a multitool and quick link in the saddlebag. It actually broke at the quick link. Pretty lucky I noticed the chain giving way, so I didn't go otb. I had to walk over a mountain, about 7 miles. And my fatbike is heavy.

I was really lucky on the other one, we were just riding a short way to the start of a 200km ride and the quick link broke. My riding companion just shortened the chain. I guess I didn't have a quick link that time either.

[oldpotatoe]

Originally Posted by weaponsgrade

That's pretty lame that the shop wouldn't help out.

I've been rethinking the repair and one other thing I remember was how easy it was to push the pin out. There's a chance I might've gotten the chain on Amazon and now I'm wondering if I got a counterfeit chain.

When the chan was new, did it use a snap link? Hope so, NO chains these days are made to push pin partially out then back in to hook chain together. Plates too thin/soft.

[benb]

Just yesterday I saw a thread on Reddit about counterfeit YBN chains and master links from Amazon that had side by side pictures of real/fake.

Particularly on the master links the difference was obvious but only if you had a real one to compare to. The peening on the pins was different.

[Spaghetti Legs]

I broke a chain for the first time in about 20 years a couple months ago. I was crossing a 4 lane divided highway, stomped on the pedal and chain snapped. Luckily I had enough momentum to carry me across and the chain didn’t fall into the roadway, thereby forcing me to play frogger in my bike shoes to fetch.

This was an 8 speed chain and I only had 10+11 speeds quick link in my kit. Luckily I was able to repair although first attempt I pushed the pin all the way out, so the 2 link shorter chain only allowed small cog use for the remaining 20 miles home.

I’m theorizing, since I’m not a masher and chain wasn’t that old that it was weakened recently when the chain had annoyingly on an over shift, slipped past the chainring pin and wedged behind it requiring a lot of torquing of the chain to get it out. When I got home I replaced the chain and removed the chainring pin, added 8 speed link to my kit. Pic of my roadside OR:

[Turkle]

This has come up many times before, but this is why I only purchase these types of consumables from my LBS. Chains, pedals, cassettes, etc. It's a few bucks more than eBay/Amazon but you know what you're buying and they are glad to have the business.

This reminds me, time for a new cassette on the road bike...

[martl]

In my experience, there are two reasons why chains snap: 1 forced front shift under really heavy load, as in on a MTB on a very steep slope, and 2 chain wasnt properly riveted together. That's about it.
In case this happens to you, It helps to carry a mini tool with a chain rivetting option in order to continue the ride, and sometimes a very soft saddle.

[weaponsgrade]

Originally Posted by oldpotatoe

When the chan was new, did it use a snap link? Hope so, NO chains these days are made to push pin partially out then back in to hook chain together. Plates too thin/soft.

Yes, it had a snap link. I was wondering whether snap links were required to join chains now. Thanks

[merlinmurph]

Originally Posted by martl

In my experience, there are two reasons why chains snap: 1 forced front shift under really heavy load, as in on a MTB on a very steep slope, and 2 chain wasnt properly riveted together. That's about it.
In case this happens to you, It helps to carry a mini tool with a chain rivetting option in order to continue the ride, and sometimes a very soft saddle.

Or 3, the chain was compromised by an earlier event, like chain suck, bad shift, etc. After that, it's a matter of time. It may even take awhile.

Broken mtb chains are common because riding conditions can cause these events to happen.

My first broken chain was around 1990 riding a rental mtb to Gemini Arches at Moab. I didn't have a chain tool, but a group of 8 people from CO rode by, had a chain tool, fixed the chain, and I hung out with them for the next 2 days. Great people.

[giordana93]

Strong chance it was a fake. I came across some fake dura ace chains and they were pretty convincing if you don't know what to look for.

[ColonelJLloyd]

Originally Posted by oldpotatoe

When the chan was new, did it use a snap link? Hope so, NO chains these days are made to push pin partially out then back in to hook chain together. Plates too thin/soft.

I thought this was silly/overly cautious until an 11s Shimano chain I had intentionally broken and reconnected snapped on me while I was doing a standing climb on a fully loaded bikepacking rig. Bruised my gooch and learned my lesson.