if a chain breaks what do i do

Depends on the chain. Shimano chains need to be repaired with shimano pins, SRAM chains can be re-joined with a Powerlink, other chains can be rejoined with one of the pins already in the chain.

To get you home remove the busted link and rejoin, shortening the chain by one link won't make a lot of difference, just avoid gear combinations where the chain is stretched. You should probably replace the chain once a link has snapped although in the past I've continued to ride with a shortened chain (before I knew any better).

I'm pretty sure you can use the SRAM powerlink on a SHimano chain, so you just carry a SRAM Powerlink and pop that on.

Not used Shimano chains though so someone please correct me if I'm wrong :oops:

Tony

yes you understood correctly about the gear combos. Any decent bikeshop will be able to sell you the pins. they look like this

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/ProductDetail.a ... ain%20Pins

be careful there are two types, the one in the link is for 7 & 8 speed chains, the narrower 9 speed chains use a different pin.

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/ProductDetail.a ... ain%20Pins

They are actually double the length of a standard pin, the idea is you push the first narrow part in by hand, it's a loose fit and allows you get your chain back together, you then use the chain tool to push it all the way in so that the narrower section comes out the other side. You then snap the pin in half to remove the narrow part. I tend to use a pair of pliers to do the snapping although they do break fairly easily as they are designed this way (surprisingly enough).

Here's some things I've read/learnt/tried with chains.

The sram power link works with sram and shimano chains, no problem at all.

Yes it can be a bit fiddly to undo and do but you shouldn't have to use any tools. Sometimes if I can't unjoin I'll spray a little oil or gt85 to clean the pins/lbricate, the chain then undoes very easily. I've never had to undo a chain in the field.

In the past I've messed up the original cutting of the chain and then had to use a short length and an extra sram joinner. This might seem bad but if you think about it, if you do this, you know have two places where you can unjoiin if you have problems. I've read that someone had a chain made entirely out of sram joiners.

Since I'm not paranoind I never carry any chain tools or extra links. Then again on my last mtb ride I did snap a chain so from now on I will be carrying chain kit for mtb, this will be a chain tool, 2 sram connectors and a very short length of an oldish chain. I still wont bother carrying chain kit on my road bike.

I wouldn't bother with expensive chains. The reason I say this Is that rumour has it that one of the best timetrialists in Britain, Michael Hutchinson, uses a new cheap chain for every important race. He's the type that would have done some measuring of this sort of thing. So it would suggest that a new cheap chain is better than an older more expensive chains.

Hope that helps