I keep snapping chains!

[jack smith]

He does in the sprints though, as do riders like contador attacking during climbs they even use the big ring , its not as if im doing it constanly its a few times per ride as they do, the gcn interview with bertie lastweek he said he uses a hard gear when attacking up climbs in the 53 And mark cavendish uses 53 11 for sprinting in his interview

 

[ColinJ]

He does in the sprints though, as do riders like contador attacking during climbs they even use the big ring , its not as if im doing it constanly its a few times per ride as they do

Honestly - it is easy to see when you watch someone else doing it. I could see my mate was going to f*ck his bike by the way he pedalled, and he did!

The same guy did a local 25% climb with me on the big ring ... He talked exactly the way you do. I tried to get him to use a sensible gear but he was still thinking like a body builder rather than a cyclist!

 

[bianchi1]

Any chance you are 'powering' up hills in the big ring on the front, but using the granny sprocket on the back. This causes the chain to cross, and as it looks like you use your chain with up to 4 quick links in it, that can't be good.

Also, as you mentioned you were using a cheep, crappy chain tool...was it pushing the pins out straight, or was it putting stress on the remaining links?

 

[jack smith]

I havent used quick links at all apart from to get me home , i dont cross over gears either i always climb in the small ring unless its a short climb say less than 100 metres, the chain tool was really good when it worked its just the actual pin pusher that snapped it was only cheap/unbranded though but as mentioned above they never snap in the same place as it has been re joined

 

[bianchi1]

So what links are you using to 'fix' the breaks. Power lock?

 

[jack smith]

Sram replacement links for the same chain

 

[bianchi1]

Which require a tool to fit or just clip together?

 

[jack smith]

Tool, but as said before they never break in the same place

 

[screenman]

Something is not aligned properly, rear hanger possibly. You do seem to have a problem controlling all this power you develop, have you thought about joining a club and seeking out the advice of a coach.

 

[Flick of the Elbow]

There's been some talk on the other thread about poor quality chains fitted as original equipment by manufacturers. If a chain has broken more than once I'd ditch it and fit a new one. Personally I'd recommend KMC, they are inexpensive and I've never had any problems with them.

 

[mickle]

There's nowt wrong with SRAM chains.

 

[Yellow Saddle]

None so deaf as those who don't want to listen. Mr OP sir, it was valuable advice the old git in the bike shop gave you. You need to develop some finesse. Cycling is not granite quarrying. You did not "snap" those chains, you broke them by separating the pins from the sideplates, a rookie error compounded by Tarzan tactics. Show us a photo of the broken links and let's stop this speculation.

This is what a faulty chain looks like. You'll notice the same cracks on most of the links in exactly the same place. This chain wasn't broken by brute force but through hydrogen embrittlement, a manufacturing fault. I first noticed the problem when I did a poor shift and the chain split open. When I attempted to repair it, I noticed all the other links were cracked. It still got me home, all I had to do was ride carefully and ideally not shift too much.

 

[Yellow Saddle]

Which require a tool to fit or just clip together?

There is no tool for clipping together a chain link, only one for opening it. The fact that the OP agreed with you casts further suspicion on the account of events that leads to broken chains.

 

[bianchi1]

Tool, but as said before they never break in the same place

Where do you get these replacement links from? Usually a broken sram chain is fixed with power links.

I've been forced to botch up a sram PC 1051 chain, by just shortening it and pushing the pin back (like on most chains back in the day) and it did not work. The chain had done around 6000 miles and was stretched about 2 cm!

Sounds too me like you are doing something wrong mechanically.

 

[Yellow Saddle]

This is how a good chain fails through bad shifting technique, it separates. Note that it wasn't broken in tension i.e. broken by pedaling hard with a good chainline. Humans are just not strong enough to break a chain in this mode. Think Chris Hoy at a standing start.