Opinion needed

[Seats]

I purchased a new road bike recently from Ribble with a Shimano Ultegra Groupset. I've done about 150 miles on it, then during a ride at weekend my chain snapped and when my local bike shop looked at it they said the front large ring had also bent - they had no idea why the circumstances of the chain incident would have caused such a result and suggested I contact my bike supplier. FYI I was pulling away on a slight incline and was on large ring on front and 4 or 5 on rear cassette, when this happened.

I was told by Ribble that cause of the failure was misuse of the equipment as I was in the wrong gear and had put the chain under too much strain.

This response feels completely ridiculous to me. I would be interested what more experienced cylists think about this?

 

[Accy cyclist]

So they're adamant they're not going to change it at no cost to you?

 

[MiK1138]

Does seem a high gear to be pulling away up a hill, but no way it should wreck the chainset unless its made of cheese

 

[outlash]

Looking at it from Ribble's point of view, it sounds like you've had an accident and you're trying it on. How would the chainring bend otherwise?

 

[Seats]

So they're adamant they're not going to change it at no cost to you?

That's the size of it. I wasn't really even expecting free replacement - cost would have been nice! The person who recommended Ribble to me raved about their customer service and was sure they would replace - it's clearly been a while since he bought a bike from them.! Avoid warranty claims at all costs is clearly their new mantra.

 

[Seats]

Looking at it from Ribble's point of view, it sounds like you've had an accident and you're trying it on. How would the chainring bend otherwise?

If that were true I would understand. It's not. They asked for a picture - clearly no accident damage. Understanding how the ring bent is exactly my point - it shouldn't and it did

 

[Seats]

Does seem a high gear to be pulling away up a hill, but no way it should wreck the chainset unless its made of cheese

Slight incline - certainly not a hill

 

[ianrauk]

Pulling away up a hill in the gears you were in shouldn't have caused those problems. What they are saying is the cause is bullcrap.

 

[Yellow Saddle]

It is your fault, I'm afraid. You botched a shift in one way or another and applied power when the chain was transferring between two rings. It is a simple matter of physics to show that it could not have happened just from some innocent pedaling.

Take it on the chin, have it fixed at your cost and write it off as school fees. Learning always come at a cost.

 

[MiK1138]

It is your fault, I'm afraid. You botched a shift in one way or another and applied power when the chain was transferring between two rings. It is a simple matter of physics to show that it could not have happened just from some innocent pedaling.

Take it on the chin, have it fixed at your cost and write it off as school fees. Learning always come at a cost.

At no point did the OP say he was shifting gear, where did your diagnosis come from?

 

[mjr]

Probably a bit of a big gear for an uphill start (75"?) and I'd try not to make a habit of that but I think the bike should cope. Could be defective or damaged ring, chain or both - and the risk of that is why I'd try not to make a habit of putting strain on things.

https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/bike-purchase-quandary.178748/ and many other threads have warnings about Ribble. Fit a new front ring (blimey! Ultegra outers are £75?!? ) and chain and avoid them in future?

 

[martinclive]

Single speed has to cope with 'wrong' gear the whole time and a lot of pressure up hills (although straight chainline helps) - sounds like something else happened to bend the chainring not just being in high gear............

 

[Dec66]

This response feels completely ridiculous to me. I would be interested what more experienced cyclists think about this?

I agree, as does pretty much everyone else here. Yep, you're in the wrong gear for a hill start, but your chainring should be able to cope without bending. At worst, the chain breaks, or slips off the ring, or possibly the hanger on the rear derailleur snaps.

I'm a swine for being in the wrong gear at inopportune moments, and I've never bent a chainring yet. Sounds like yours is/was defective.

EDIT: just reread your OP and you say that you pulled away up a slight incline on the big ring and "4 or 5 on the rear cassette". I don't know exactly what your gearing is but I'm guessing that you were on something like 50/17, and that really shouldn't be an issue, apart from your grimace as you realise what gear you're in and have to stand up on the pedals.

 

[mjr]

Single speed has to cope with 'wrong' gear the whole time and a lot of pressure up hills (although straight chainline helps) - sounds like something else happened to bend the chainring not just being in high gear............

Singlespeed often has thicker chain, ring and sprocket too... it's possible that the indexing might have been slightly out so it started trying to shift once high load was applied, but that still shouldn't bend a ring unless the chain got trapped against the front mech, should it?

 

[mjr]

I'm a swine for being in the wrong gear at inopportune moments, and I've never bent a chainring yet. Sounds like yours is/was defective.

I've only ever bent one from use (rather than stuff hitting the bike) - don't try to outsprint a road bike on a folding bike that uses a huge chainring to compensate for its small wheels