Ugh I need to learn about chains - mine snapped yesterday and I hit the deck :-(

[Dogtrousers]

Interested to hear others' experience of whether they had any prior notice of a failing chain.

The only time it's happened to me I noticed a click with an unusual frequency (not in time with wheels or pedals). It was a 5-speed chain and I had bodged joining it, and it had come apart at the bodge (no fractured plates).

I've also experienced stiff links that cause clicking (and jumping) with that same frequency, which is chain length/chainwheel teeth number of pedal revs. So two and a bit or three and a bit pedal revs for a 50/34.

 

[smutchin]

The other was a fractured (?) side plate that then failed. I should have known something was amiss as every time the link went through the sprocket/jockey wheel area there was a noise. Being something of a novice at the time I just ploughed on....until it failed completely

That's pretty much what happened to me the one and only time I had a chain failure.

AIUI, such failures are typically caused by shifting while pedalling hard, although this is unlikely* to be the case for the OP given that he was riding singlespeed.


*understatement

 

[Racing roadkill]

Interested to hear others' experience of whether they had any prior notice of a failing chain.

I've had two chains fail on me. The first failed at the point where I had reconnected the chain (no quick link) so I presume I hadn't done a very good job. The other was a fractured (?) side plate that then failed. I should have known something was amiss as every time the link went through the sprocket/jockey wheel area there was a noise. Being something of a novice at the time I just ploughed on....until it failed completely

Certainly now I listen out for the "click" of a failing link

I've never had a chain fail, I make sure I check for damage every time I clean and lube the chain, and I regularly check for stretch. I may have just been lucky, I prefer to think it's down to my mad skillz with chains.

 

[Salty seadog]

Learn to MICKLE and your chain woes will be over

I don't think that is enough on it's own, the chain surely needs washing too with some sort of cleaning product to get out the grit and crud build up, or will a good Mickling achieve this?

Thoughts......?

 

[ColinJ]

I don't think that is enough on it's own, the chain surely needs washing too with some sort of cleaning product to get out the grit and crud build up, or will a good Mickling achieve this?

Thoughts......?

That is the whole idea of the technique! If it didn't get the dirt out then it would just be called 'oiling' or 'lubricating'!

Maybe you could make your chain look more pristine by intensive cleaning methods but then you have to get the detergent/degreaser out of the chain and relube it. It is much easier and very effective to just get most of the crud out with lube and settle for that.

I get thousands of miles from my chains without ever 'cleaning' them and that will do me.

 

[winjim]

Ah. Clefty deloopification.

Ah yes, Clefty deLoopification. I was at Wellington with him you know. Bloody nice bloke, old Clefty.

 

[HLaB]

Hope you recover soon. I think I've snapped three chains but fortunately stayed upright. A brand new bike I got for Christmas when I was a kid (a 7spd); a chain at uni I ran too long (7sp too) and a fixie chain and touchwood I've never broke any of the so called more fragile 10 and 11spd chains. I've had chains last for over 5,000 when I've replaced them anyway. I tend to just wipe them down and relube every so often (more often in winter) but maybe I'm not as powerful as you #TOOMUCHPOWER

 

[Stealthrider1]

Worth mentioning if you need a new chain, i recently bought a new 11 speed shimano chain from decathlon. Miles cheaper than anywhere else