# Chain snapped today



## thewrinklyninja (20 Oct 2009)

Bugger. Just came off a RB one the way to work. Started to wind it up and BANG, chain snapped in half and of course the spare powerlink I thought I had was at home. So a walk home and drive in. Just ordered a new chain and cassette so should be back on the road tomorrow.


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## ACW (21 Oct 2009)

Just out of interest, what make of chain was it?


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## Chamfus Flange (21 Oct 2009)

Any ideas what caused the brake.



.


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## thewrinklyninja (21 Oct 2009)

Chain was a KMC Z9000 and I think the break was caused by general wear. I had a couple of skips and the odd creak but thought I was still safe. Will keep a better eye on it this time. The chain I am replacing it with is a SRAM PC-951


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## 45cotterless (24 Oct 2009)

I had 2 chains break . Reason was KMC snap on links, use SRAM snaps, on 9 speed chains. The second time was dramatic. The chain got well and truly stuck up the tube and I couldn't turn the pedals ! manged to tug the chain through. 
I'd always carry spare links and a Hexus ( including chain tool).


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## LeeW (23 Nov 2009)

I was riding with a mate though the netherlands when his chain broke when crossing a main road using a toucan type crossing. The chain got well and truly jammed in the cassette. After we had un-jammed it we realised the chain was shorter than before. I went back to the road and found a section of chain of about 4 links laying in the road. I'm not quite sure how the chain managed to break in two places at once.

I always carry a park tool chain tool and a few links of chain and a powerlink. I've never had a chain snap. Sod's law dictates that the day I forget the tools my chain will break.


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## AlanW (23 Nov 2009)

In nearly 30 years cycling I have never broke a chain till I went over to 10sp. Since then I have broken three chains in the last two years!


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## thewrinklyninja (2 Dec 2009)

three chain in two years sounds crazy!


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## Beardie (5 Feb 2010)

My most interesting chain break was riding into Leicester for Spokesfest 2002. I was riding a Flevo Oke-Ja, it was late and in the dark I put a 180 degree twist in the chain. Such is the length of the chain, however, that it still worked perfectly. In fact, I didn't notice until later, and didn't bother fixing it until much later.


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## Auntie Helen (6 Feb 2010)

I've had two chain breaks, the first when suddenly powering up a short sharp hill... didn't know what had happened initially. Looking behind and seeing this huge trail of chain behind me was quite amusing.

Second time was the very end of last year. Due to the bad weather I'd kept my chain much longer before changing it, assuming that the salt/snow would wreck a new chain. Anyway I was doing a 50 miler on a chain that'd done 4,500 miles (I usually change around 3,500) and had a most exciting moment when a chain part broke, lifted up a piece of chain which then caught on the front chain tube, ripped it off its mountings and into the front gear changer widget. Took me a while to work out what had happened, I thought the chain tube had just disconnected itself on its own. Although the chain didn't completely break so I didn't have the faff of re-threading it through the tubes, when I took it off I noticed cracks in about eight of the links. This encouraged me with the quality of KMC chains - it kept going way after I normally change them, despite several weak spots.


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## PaulM (7 Feb 2010)

*Can 9 speed chains be reliably rivetted?*



AlanW said:


> In nearly 30 years cycling I have never broke a chain till I went over to 10sp. Since then I have broken three chains in the last two years!



Some people stick with 8sp because it is much easier to rivet the links because of the thicker side plates. Indeed some claim that you cannot reliably rivet together 9 speed links but must use a connector instead. This must be a problem when replacing a recumbent's 9 sp chain, since I assume you have to buy 2 or 3 normal length chains and join them together.

How do people join 9 sp chains?


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## GrasB (7 Feb 2010)

PaulM said:


> How do people join 9 sp chains?


SRAM power links pack of 3.


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## AlanW (7 Feb 2010)

PaulM said:


> How do people join 9 sp chains?



For years I always used the snap rivet included with the chain on the MTB and never had any problems. 

However I now use a "Quick Link", and touch wood, again never had a problem.


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## 3tyretrackterry (7 Feb 2010)

PaulM
i maybe wrong having never bought a recumbent chain yet but surely you can buy it by the metre from the manufacturer or what about Tandem chains they are longer than normal chains arnt they. I am sure that the chain on my trike only has one power link in it so it must be possible i am running a 3X9spd hub gear and derrailleur set up
Ian (aka 3tyretrackterry)


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## Tigerbiten (10 Feb 2010)

Just had the chain on my Trice Q snap in two places today.

I'd done ~30 miles with ~20 to go to get home.
Short sharp hill and bang, no chain and no spare power links with me.
It had snapped about 10 links from one of my power links.
So I dropped it onto the smallest ring in front and took the short section out.
Set off again and a couple of miles further on on the next hill the same thing happened.
This time it snapped in the middle of a long section between the power link.

I got home by phoning work and getting picked by a horse box ...... 

I'm going to be carrying spare power links in the future.

Luck ..........


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## n-ick (10 Feb 2010)

If it's an original ICE chain, it'll be a KMC chain . You're better off with an sram , I fitted a pc951 to 9 speed. You'll need to buy 3 chains , they come with power links. Don't be tempted to rejoin chain using a chain tool, they break!


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## Auntie Helen (10 Feb 2010)

I found the KMC chain was better than the SRAM when I changed mine (I'm on my fourth chain after 15,000 miles). Horses for courses!


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## arallsopp (11 Feb 2010)

I am so not getting into this, as its akin to inviting the puncture fairy's family over for tea, but I've got 6500+ miles on the SMGTe's chain, and 4000+ on the KMC lightweight.

Given the hell I've put them through (year round commutes, 850 miles with a missing idler, etc...) I guess I'm overdue a snap. My mind says "the chain only really wears where its being wrapped around a tight radius or manhandled by the derailleur, so although I'm running 3 chains on each, only one of each is being worn at any time. Thus each chain has really only done 1500-2500 miles."

I know... I know... My mind won't be so clever when I'm walking the bent home next week.


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## Fiona N (11 Feb 2010)

Auntie Helen said:


> ...I'm on my fourth chain after 15,000 miles...



Blimey - what am I doing right: my Windcheetah is still on it's first chain after more than 40,000 miles and 9 years - and yes, I do check wear with a Parker chain gadget 

Could it be something to do with that offset wheel - less crud on the chain?


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## 3tyretrackterry (12 Feb 2010)

if carlsberg made bike chains!!!!


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## Alf (12 Feb 2010)

Fiona N said:


> Blimey - what am I doing right: my Windcheetah is still on it's first chain after more than 40,000 miles and 9 years - and yes, I do check wear with a Parker chain gadget
> 
> Could it be something to do with that offset wheel - less crud on the chain?


That's amazing! What do you do about cleaning and lubrication of the chain, if I may ask? Has your cassette lasted all those miles too?

Alf


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