Snapped chain twice in one outing....

ted-on-tour

I've reluctantly had to return home after what turned out to be a very very short ride...just to the end of my street in fact.

My chain snapped twice whilst out....first one, I got about 100 yards down my road and it snapped! Never happend to me before, so I went home to fix it by replacing a link....Then that link broke within 10 minutes of going back out.

I must be doing something wrong..... :oops:

Any tips to fixing 10 speed chains?

bonkstrong

I believe that "thebigbee" is our resident chain snapping expert at the moment, might be worth PM'ing him...

CiB

Shimano? Don't re-use the pin that you pushed out to split in the first place, if that's what you did. They're not re-usable.

Otherwise, rejoin it then pop out to buy a lottery ticket.

markos1963

Use a KMC quicklink to repair it, much safer and easier to split the chain for cleaning

ted-on-tour

I think CiB.....you've just highlighted my mistake,I feel like such a div now!

But still...everydays a school day. Cheers Folks!

I really had to fight the temptation of asking bigbee about it personally, but I thought it best I leave the fella alone

ted-on-tour

This has made me think that perhaps shimano chains aren't the best?

Are there better options to go for?

Just a thought.

MattC59

ted-on-tour wrote:

I think CiB.....you've just highlighted my mistake,I feel like such a div now!

But still...everydays a school day. Cheers Folks!

I really had to fight the temptation of asking bigbee about it personally, but I thought it best I leave the fella alone

Pleeeeeeeeze PM 'thebigbee' and ask for his advice, then post the answer on here
Go on........... Purleeeeeeze !!!!

wishitwasallflat

Wicked !!!

ddraver

ted-on-tour wrote:

This has made me think that perhaps shimano chains aren't the best?

Are there better options to go for?

Just a thought.

SRAM or KMC - it's not that Shim chains are bad, just that the joining mechanism is bad....

ted-on-tour

Yeah I've just been looking at some SRAM and KMC....didn't think it'd be so pricey though!

No I don't think PMing him would be the best thing to do, even if I were to PM him, whats to say he hasn't read this thread and knows whats coming? Probably just tell me P1ss off anyway.

It would be funny...but no.

ddraver

More money gets you a little less weight and a bit of bling, but nothing much more cheap ones are fine! Andy Schleck gets his for free, we don't!

ted-on-tour

I know....lucky get! I mean what has he done that I haven't!?....lol

So whats the cheap end that does the job just as well? like 20quid jobbers?

Also, I've noticed quite a jump in price between 8/9 speed and then up in price to 10 speed, I know it has to be thinner and materials used have to be stronger as a result, however it just seem a bit disproportionate to me.

I was wondering as well if theres any tell tale signs that the chains screwed without the use of a tool?

Thanks

MattC59

I use a Dura Ace / XTR chain, and take a link out and replace with a SRAM power link. I've been doing this for years and never once had a problem.

(You wait, I'll get 20miles from home on this Sunday's ride and have a failure !!! )

ddraver

I think that's just because 10spd is the main thing, but the I'm a cynic, there are few top of the range 7/8 spd systems around and all would rather prefer you to pay to upgrade to 2012 stuff obviously.

9spd is still used on MTB's so there are a few of those but SRAM have gone 2 x 10 MTB now. Usually I don't get the cheapest, but the second cheapest, but this is probably silly of me

Note that SRAM 10spd chains do not have a reusable 10spd powerlink so you ll have to buy a SRAM or KMC spare. loop each "hole" over the pin on your multitool chain tool and tighten it up so you ve always got one spare. You ll need a chain tool to remove the broken link. As you just remove the link completely they don't need to be that special as you re not using it to put anything back together. To fit a SRAM one (it ll be black) put it all in place (obvious) then hold the wheel still and turn the pedal to stress the chain, this will pull it shut

ted-on-tour

Thanks for the tip....

have you ever kicked your bike in frustration?.....I came close.

Thanks for the advice folks.

ddraver

ted-on-tour wrote:

Thanks for the tip....

have you ever kicked your bike in frustration?.....I came close.

Thanks for the advice folks.

Oh Hell Yeah!!! MTB especially!

racingcondor

I've always found SRAM chains to be noisier than Shimano so I stick with Shimano even though I ride SRAM. Nothing stopping you using a quick link on a Shimano chain though so that's a good way around the Shimano pin setup (which works great, once...).

I'd move to KMC if I could but Ribble keep on offering Shimano chains at 30% off and I've never seen KMC so cheap.

BruceG

Also worth remembering is that Shimano chains are actually manufactured by KMC, so if you buy price reduced Shimano chains get some KMC quicklinks and Robert is your fathers brother.

CiB

<Takes bow...>

I use Power Link things on my Shimano chains. I've had one fail about 4 miles from home so not a big issue, and it was about 7000 miles old.

brettjmcc

You need to go back to where you purchased the bike from and informthem they've provided a faulty chain.... and that you now need a Tarmac SL4 with Di2 for compensation.

t4tomo

BruceG wrote:

Also worth remembering is that Shimano chains are actually manufactured by KMC, so if you buy price reduced Shimano chains get some KMC quicklinks and Robert is your fathers brother.

+1. reusable quicklinks essential. great for taking chain off to clean it plus carry a quicklink and a cheap chain tool (for removing any creamcrackered link) for on the ride repairs.

ted-on-tour

Just ordered one off wiggle...quick link that is, I will order another one over the weekend to keep in the road kit.

shall have to have a look at ribble see what they've got.

Thanks for the advice.

lef

I reused a pin a couple of years ago and hey presto chain snapped. Never again. Also had a 6700 chain crack on a link, I hear they're a bit prone to that. KMC chains all the way these days and via ebay they aren't that expensive.

oldwelshman

I never actually use the pin ever, I just fit new chain with kmc quick link.
As others said KMC is same as shimano for chains, I find them great.
Not easy to fix 10 speed chain without a good chain tool for the job but asier to carry spare link. I got one of those topeak multi tool with a chain tool integral, great tool for the job just need that with two spare tubes, link and rubber boot