Snapped Chain :(

jonnyboy77

Fortunately is was 7.5 miles into the 8 mile ride to work when it went, so I only had to push/freewheel the last little bit.

I think I caught a gear shift as I was pulling out of a side road, whilst at the same time putting a fair but of energy down through my legs to the pedals - snap, clang, locked rear wheel ...

The chain is a total write off with a couple of the links bent, so it went in the bin. Time for a new one. I'm a bit surprised, it was meant to be a decent chain, and this is the first one to go like this rather than wear out. It was an SRAM PC971 (9 Speed chain) on my Kona MTB.

Off to Evans at lunch for a replacement, armed with some price matching by the look of the prices on their website!

Rant/vent over ...

- Jon

pitchshifter

Probably worth your while getting a new cassette at the same time, especially if its done a few miles. If you put a new chain on a used cassette your gears won't shift very well.

thistle_

If you were powering out of a junction and the chain jammed, you might want to check your mech/mech hanger hasn't bent either (has happened to me after a couple of dodgy chain snaps).

jonnyboy77

pitchshifter wrote:

Probably worth your while getting a new cassette at the same time, especially if its done a few miles. If you put a new chain on a used cassette your gears won't shift very well.

I'm not sure I buy into that

jonnyboy77

thistle (MBNW) wrote:

If you were powering out of a junction and the chain jammed, you might want to check your mech/mech hanger hasn't bent either (has happened to me after a couple of dodgy chain snaps).

good point, bugger.

TommyEss

jonnyboy77 wrote:

pitchshifter wrote:

Probably worth your while getting a new cassette at the same time, especially if its done a few miles. If you put a new chain on a used cassette your gears won't shift very well.

I'm not sure I buy into that

It depends why the chain snapped - if it's done plenty of miles and worn out/stretched enough to break then there's a very good chance your cassette teeth have worn significantly with it. Brand new chains on worn teeth slip like buggery.

Of course, if you're just a monster who powered the chain into pieces then the teeth might be fine - you'll know after about 10 pedal strokes if you've got a problem with your cassette, and can sort it from there.

gbsahne001

jonnyboy77 wrote:

pitchshifter wrote:

Probably worth your while getting a new cassette at the same time, especially if its done a few miles. If you put a new chain on a used cassette your gears won't shift very well.

I'm not sure I buy into that

If you're using predominantly the same gear on the cassette and it's done a few miles then you may find it slipping with a new chain, hence the remark.

rolf_f

If it was a low mileage chain, I think I'd have just replaced the broken links rather than binned the chain. Aside from instant surface rusting, I've not had any probs with those chains on my MTB.

jonnyboy77

Rolf F wrote:

If it was a low mileage chain, I think I'd have just replaced the broken links rather than binned the chain. Aside from instant surface rusting, I've not had any probs with those chains on my MTB.

I was irrationally p*ssed off and threw it in the bin, it only owed me £13 so I didn't mind too much

- Jon

jonnyboy77

New chain fitted, £16.99 from Evans for an SRAM PC971 - cleaned up all the drivetrain beforehand and had a good look at the cassette which shows no signs on wear (it was fitted about 1,000 miles ago) and everything else looks straight ..

The ride home will be the acid test, my lunch break wasn't long enough to really ride anywhere on it!

- Jon