Broken chain. How common ?

keithc440

I had a broken chain tonight for the first time ever. Been riding a bike all my life (46 now) and at 10stone 4 I didn't think it would ever happen to me. Was sprinting up a sharp climb standing up but turning the pedals round fairly smoothly when my chain came to a halt. One of the outer links had snapped at the front end. Chain was still joined but the link was sticking out so no way would it turn. I had to call home for a lift as never expecting it to happen to me I carry no spare link and link extractor tool.
The chain was entering its third cycle on a 3 chain rotation policy. It had probably had about 4 months use, 10 hrs a week on average i would say. Had cleaned it at the weekend in white spirit and rinsed and oiled before use. It looked in good nick and was not slipping in any gears.
Think I may have to invest in a mini tool with a mini link extractore. It was a sram chain so joining with a quick link
would have been no problem once the broken link was out.
How often have other riders broken their chain ?
Is the use of white spirit and issue ?

thistle_

I carry one of these and a bag of SRAM power links instead of the puncture repair kit.
http://www.topeak.com/products/Mini-Too ... valGearBox

I snap a chain every 3-6 months, it's quite common for me but not too much of an issue because it's easy to fix if you have the tools with you. If you ride gently it's less likely to happen than if you thrash it.

If a chain snaps, I'll check it for 'stretch' when I get home, and replace if necessary. Sometimes it snaps randomly, sometimes the chain's just worn out.

mididoctors

thistle (MBNW) wrote:

I carry one of these and a bag of SRAM power links instead of the puncture repair kit.
http://www.topeak.com/products/Mini-Too ... valGearBox

I snap a chain every 3-6 months, it's quite common for me but not too much of an issue because it's easy to fix if you have the tools with you. If you ride gently it's less likely to happen than if you thrash it.

If a chain snaps, I'll check it for 'stretch' when I get home, and replace if necessary. Sometimes it snaps randomly, sometimes the chain's just worn out.

every 3-6 months!!!!

bl00dy hell...

in the last 40 years AFAICR I have snapped one chain through isolated chain failure and it nearly had me off big-time.

The number of mangled chains due to the drive chain jamming up is somewhat more numerous but usually the chain stays intact and some rear mech catastrophe/hanger mayhem ensues

desweller

I've had two chains fail in the last 4 years; only one of which was a complete breakage, the other gave up piecemeal and allowed me to ride home at a very gentle pace...

earthvspace4XTuUWcX

In 30 years of cycling I've never snapped a chain and don't carry a chain tool/spare link etc. Perhaps I've just been lucky.

desweller

xdoc wrote:

In 30 years of cycling I've never snapped a chain and don't carry a chain tool/spare link etc. Perhaps I've just been lucky.

Both my chain failures were on nearly new KMC chains (i.e. weeks old rather than months) so were probably manufacturing faults. I think I've just been unlucky; I don't think failure is a common thing. Unless you're thistle of course.

turnerjohn

DesWeller wrote:

xdoc wrote:

In 30 years of cycling I've never snapped a chain and don't carry a chain tool/spare link etc. Perhaps I've just been lucky.

Both my chain failures were on nearly new KMC chains (i.e. weeks old rather than months) so were probably manufacturing faults. I think I've just been unlucky; I don't think failure is a common thing. Unless you're thistle of course.

KMC recalled a load of 10speed chains (think the L or SL) a while ago...may have been unlucky ?

Hoopdriver

In nearly 50 years of riding, since I was a kid, I've never snapped a chain (knock on wood) but I still always carry a chain tool and spare link. It weight next to nothing and it just seems like good insurance.

Bozman

Never in 20 yrs but I always carry a mini chain tool and quick link.

Many moons ago I had a Raleigh DynaTech and that 105 chain lasted well over 30000 miles, I probably should of changed it but I knew no better at the time and it never missed a gear or slipped.

giant_man

Ive only snapped one in over 20 years riding, i can't think what it must be like every 3-6 months, bloody hell!

keef66

Over 40 years of riding. The only chain I ever snapped was on a cheap BSO I bought in a box from a disused garage forecourt. Unfortunately I was going uphill at the time and it caused my testicles to come into violent contact with the top-tube. No mobile phone in those days either, so once the pain had subsided I had a 2 mile walk home

A few months ago I did have a missing link which lost a pin, but the chain didn't fail till I took it off for cleaning .

I always carry a spare Missing link and a multi-tool which includes a chain tool. Whether or not I'd be able to remove a pin from a 10 speed chain with said tool is another matter. Hopefully I'll never have to try.

zx6man

I snapped one after about 2000 miles (pretty much not really fully cleaned ever). One link widenendd then snapped within 5 miles. Chain tool and quick link and was back on the road in five mins. Glad I had the link and tool as I was on the TPT c2c and was in the middle of nowhere :-)

kettrinboy

Only broke a chain once in ~35,000 miles, like the OP it was a SRAM chain but it had done 6800 miles in all weathers so cant complain really, my original Shimano Ultegra 6600 chain did 11,000 miles and the current one is over the 4,000 mile mark with no problems so pretty pleased with them.