Replacing chain on triban 3 - how?

Teampi

Hi folks and apologies if this is in the wrong section but I am a newb so I out it In the newb section :-)

I need to replace my chain on my triban 3 because it snapped on a bike ride recently. It's strange but I think the link has fallen out ass opposed to it snapping and I actually haven't done that many miles on it, in fact it's only done about 60 miles since it was last serviced (1yr old this month). I'm keen to get hands on With my bike but chains are completely I new territory for me.

So I was wondering whether I should :-

1. Take it back to decathlon for a repair and argue the toss
2. Get some links and salvage the old chain - if so then which. Ones? or
3. Buy a new one - if so, then what exactly am I looking for?

Thanks for reading

Garryboy

Hey,
It might be worth going back to decathlon, how many miles total have you done?
If it's really low it could indicate that something in your set up I causing excessive wear or you aren't looking after it (cleaning / lubing regularly) or riding in big ring & big sprocket a lot.
Either way, replacing a chain is a good skill to learn and pretty easy to do if you take your time. Have a look on the park tools or Sheldon brown website both have good tutorials. Also get right chain for your set up 8,9 or 10 speed. Prob also need a chain tool.

I use kmc quick links which make joining the chain really easy (also taking it off for cleaning)

Good luck!

keef66

Assuming you're left with an inner link at each end I'd just buy a KMC quick link (or indeed one of Decathlon's own, which appear to be KMC anyway) and rejoin the chain.

Make sure you get the right one though. They come in 8 speed, 9 speed, 10 speed and 11 speed, and also Shimano / SRAM or Campagnolo types.

If you have an outer link at one end or both, you'll also need to buy a chain tool to remove it / them.

okeydokey79

just a quick question you say it has only done 60miles since the service? did they change the chain when they serviced it? if the chain wasnt changed you may need to change the cassette aswell depending on the wear on the chain!

Manc33

If you get a chain tool don't get one with any plastic on it.

The best I have ever used is this one:



http://www.jejamescycles.co.uk/weldtite ... tAodRhkAPA

It might look rubbish and be cheap, but its better than the £15 Topeak one I used recently and the Decathlon one with plastic parts on it, forget it.

I do away with any "snap link" or power link or whatever they are called this year - and run all solid links, because that power link thing starts wearing and it can wear so much it kinda fuses with the chain and you can't get it off, not even with a chain tool, so something that was meant to be convenient actually can cause you a massive headache if you don't have a chain breaker with you.

I take a chain breaker on every long ride, you gotta be a lunatic not to!

rolf_f

Manc33 wrote:

I do away with any "snap link" or power link or whatever they are called this year - and run all solid links, because that power link thing starts wearing and it can wear so much it kinda fuses with the chain and you can't get it off, not even with a chain tool, so something that was meant to be convenient actually can cause you a massive headache if you don't have a chain breaker with you.

I'm pretty sure that is just the quick link getting clogged up with dirt. Much less of a problem with Wipperman links or clean chains! It certainly isn't fusing with the chain - you'd quickly know if it was! I think the quick links are probably more durable than the normal ones.

Manc33

Rolf F wrote:

Manc33 wrote:

I do away with any "snap link" or power link or whatever they are called this year - and run all solid links, because that power link thing starts wearing and it can wear so much it kinda fuses with the chain and you can't get it off, not even with a chain tool, so something that was meant to be convenient actually can cause you a massive headache if you don't have a chain breaker with you.

I'm pretty sure that is just the quick link getting clogged up with dirt. Much less of a problem with Wipperman links or clean chains! It certainly isn't fusing with the chain - you'd quickly know if it was! I think the quick links are probably more durable than the normal ones.

Where the powerlink has a small hole joined with a big hole (like an "8") the metal plate had worn so the pin in the smaller hole could not be snapped out and into the bigger hole. The bigger hole was all worn, I don't know what the word is, gnarled.

I tried to make it snap across with pliers, no chance, you just can't make a bit of metal move to where there's metal already there and no gap for the pin to go into.

I ended up removing that completely, throwing it away and going back to all standard links. The way I saw it, if a powerlink is going to do that, I need a chain breaker with me at all times and if thats the case why have a powerlink at all. I still think they are a gimmick more than anything. :P

If they made the powerlink to a high spec so it couldn't wear like that. Its odd because it must be soft metal to do that. Wish I still had it so I could take a pic. I know its perfectly possible something wasn't set up properly on the drivetrain but it was all stock and done by a LBS etc, nothing I had done honest guv.

rolf_f

Gnarled is probably it!

You could do worse than to try a Wipperman link then. Certainly I've never had any problem freeing one of those and they are very different to the others so, if you do have problems with them, it probably won't be for the same reasons!