Broke A Chain!

On Mon, 05 Feb 2007 21:47:11 GMT, Stephen Harding

may have said:

Looked down thinking the chain had come off the rings
and noticed no chain at all! Walked back 15 feet and
picked it up, hoping the masterlink was in place.

It was (sort of).

It's a SRAM PC48 chain of perhaps four years vintage.

Four years of commuting and you haven't had to replace the chain?

Have you checked it for wear?

Quoted message said:

One half of the master link was still in the chain but
the other half had only half of itself still in the chain.
It had broken!

I think this is the first time I've ever had a chain
break on me.
[snip]
Wondered if a broken chain was anything the group found to
be a common or rare event?

IME, chain breakage is only common if the chain is badly worn or
corroded. It's been nonexistent for me on chains that are in good
condition.

Quoted message said:

Can you buy just replacement
masterlinks from SRAM?

That depends on the dealer. *You* won't buy them direct from SRAM,
but they are packaged and available for ordering by SRAM dealers
through the normal distribution channels.

Quoted message said:

Didn't see any on the Performance
or Nashbar web pages.

There are many more vendors out there. Those two just have the most
advertising.

KMC also makes a snaplink that works with most 8-speed chains (all
that I've tried, anyway), and there are others around.

--
My email address is antispammed; pull WEEDS if replying via e-mail.
Typoes are not a bug, they're a feature.
Words processed in a facility that contains nuts.

Stephen Harding said:

It's a SRAM PC48 chain of perhaps four years vintage.

4 years!

Quoted message said:

Wondered if a broken chain was anything the group found to
be a common or rare event? Can you buy just replacement
masterlinks from SRAM? Didn't see any on the Performance
or Nashbar web pages.

Breaking a chain is indeed a rare event--- but so is riding with the
same chain for 4 years; unless you don't ride that bike much at all.
Chains on geared bikes rarely last more than 2000 miles or so, and even
that requires regular cleaning. Replace a chain when the measurement of
12 full links exceeds 12 + 1/16 inches. Waiting until 12 + 1/8 inch
will often mean having to replace the cassette as well, which may very
well be your fate. You'll be lucky to not have to replace the chainrings.

Don't bother to replace just the master link. This chain is worn out,
unless you only ride 500 miles/year.

--

David L. Johnson

Arguing with an engineer is like mud wrestling with a pig...
You soon find out the pig likes it!

Quoted message said:

It's a SRAM PC48 chain of perhaps four years vintage.
One half of the master link was still in the chain but
the other half had only half of itself still in the chain.
It had broken!

Similar happened to me once. A bad shift with the front derailler and the
link popped off. I usually try to carry a chain tool, but that time I had
to phone for a ride.

I'd prefer to avoid chains with (unique critical) master links. When I
install an SRAM, I'll splce it out.

Reminds me of Oliver Wendell Holmes' "The Deacon's Masterpiece" or "The
Wonderful One-Hoss Shay"
--
mac the naïf

Quoted message said:

I hate it when I have to repair the bike in bad weather conditions!
Yes, I've had a SRAM masterlink fall apart over three years ago, but I
think it was because I did not install it correctly. When the chain
fell off I never found one half of the link. So now I carry a spare
masterlink in my toolcase and I always take care to lube the
masterlink when I lube the chain. Funny thing, but since that time,
I've never had to use the spare.

I think lack of lube might have been a contributing factor.

The chain has been "squealing" a bit for a week but I just
hadn't gotten around to dumping some sort of lube on it.

Since it's an ice bike, the drive line gets a lot of abuse
with slush and salt, and although we haven't had much snow,
we have had some ice and the attendant salt on the roads
which will rust up the chain real quick.

An inability to easily pivot at the pins might have helped
the chain come apart, although I'm a bit perplexed at one
half of the link actually breaking.

Live and learn!

SMH

Werehatrack said:

On Mon, 05 Feb 2007 21:47:11 GMT, Stephen Harding

may have said:

Looked down thinking the chain had come off the rings
and noticed no chain at all! Walked back 15 feet and
picked it up, hoping the masterlink was in place.

It was (sort of).

It's a SRAM PC48 chain of perhaps four years vintage.

Four years of commuting and you haven't had to replace the chain?

Have you checked it for wear?

It was in good shape except for needed lube.

Although it's four years old, it's on a bike I use for
MTB/trucking/boating in summer and "bad weather" during
winter, so it isn't used frequently like a general
commuter. Other bikes get more miles on them.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

One half of the master link was still in the chain but
the other half had only half of itself still in the chain.
It had broken!

I think this is the first time I've ever had a chain
break on me.
[snip]
Wondered if a broken chain was anything the group found to
be a common or rare event?

IME, chain breakage is only common if the chain is badly worn or
corroded. It's been nonexistent for me on chains that are in good
condition.

Corrosion is a definite possibility. Need to lube it
more frequently.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Can you buy just replacement
masterlinks from SRAM?

That depends on the dealer. *You* won't buy them direct from SRAM,
but they are packaged and available for ordering by SRAM dealers
through the normal distribution channels.

Quoted message said:

Didn't see any on the Performance
or Nashbar web pages.

There are many more vendors out there. Those two just have the most
advertising.

KMC also makes a snaplink that works with most 8-speed chains (all
that I've tried, anyway), and there are others around.

Think I saw the KMC in Nashbar/Performance but wasn't
sure as to compatibility issue with SRAM and with 7 speed
chains. I think 6/7/8 are all compatible but am not
certain.

SMH

David L. Johnson said:

Stephen Harding said:

It's a SRAM PC48 chain of perhaps four years vintage.

4 years!

Quoted message said:

Wondered if a broken chain was anything the group found to
be a common or rare event? Can you buy just replacement
masterlinks from SRAM? Didn't see any on the Performance
or Nashbar web pages.

Breaking a chain is indeed a rare event--- but so is riding with the
same chain for 4 years; unless you don't ride that bike much at all.
Chains on geared bikes rarely last more than 2000 miles or so, and even
that requires regular cleaning. Replace a chain when the measurement of
12 full links exceeds 12 + 1/16 inches. Waiting until 12 + 1/8 inch
will often mean having to replace the cassette as well, which may very
well be your fate. You'll be lucky to not have to replace the chainrings.

I think chains are good for better than that!

I have no problem running chains on my road bikes for
3 years or so, paying more attention to lube than I do
for the lesser ridden MTBs.

I typically run the entire drive line down, letting them
wear out together, then replace the chain and the cogs
at once. Chain rings seem to be harder to wear than
cogsets, so a ring can last a couple chain/cog replacement
cycles.

I put about 2500 mi/year and 1500 mi/year typically on my
two primary rides (one road/one MTB). Chains last for
2+ years easily.

Quoted message said:

Don't bother to replace just the master link. This chain is worn out,
unless you only ride 500 miles/year.

Probably about right for this particular bike.

SMH

Alex Colvin said:

I'd prefer to avoid chains with (unique critical) master links. When I
install an SRAM, I'll splce it out.

You mean remove the masterlink altogether and use a
pin instead?

I hate those danged pins! Sooo many more ways to go
wrong with it than with a masterlink IMHO.

SMH

David L. Johnson said:

Stephen Harding said:

It's a SRAM PC48 chain of perhaps four years vintage.

4 years!

Quoted message said:

Wondered if a broken chain was anything the group found to
be a common or rare event? Can you buy just replacement
masterlinks from SRAM? Didn't see any on the Performance
or Nashbar web pages.

Breaking a chain is indeed a rare event--- but so is riding with the
same chain for 4 years; unless you don't ride that bike much at all.
Chains on geared bikes rarely last more than 2000 miles or so, and even
that requires regular cleaning. Replace a chain when the measurement of

I rarely ever could get 2000 miles on an SRAM chain. I switched
over to Shimano chains with the sram quick link connector (Jenson
bikes online sells them for about 4 bucks each) and I have logged
over 3000 miles with only about a 1/32 of inch of stretch noted so
far.

When you switch out that chain with a new one be prepared to change
the rear cogs too. 4 years! Wow.

Stephen Harding said:

I have no problem running chains on my road bikes for
3 years or so, paying more attention to lube than I do
for the lesser ridden MTBs.

I typically run the entire drive line down, letting them
wear out together, then replace the chain and the cogs
at once. Chain rings seem to be harder to wear than
cogsets, so a ring can last a couple chain/cog replacement
cycles.

This strikes me as false economy. Chains are available for $15 or $20
just about anywhere. Cassettes are more like $50, $100 for fancier ones
like 10-speeds. Chainrings can cost $50 apiece. Frankly, tossing a
chain every once in a while is a lot cheaper.

Quoted message said:

I put about 2500 mi/year and 1500 mi/year typically on my
two primary rides (one road/one MTB). Chains last for
2+ years easily.

At your mileage I would be replacing 1 chain per year (per bike), and
keeping the cassette for several years, and the chainrings for longer
than that.

--

David L. Johnson

The motor car reflects our standard of living and gauges the
speed of our present life. It long ago ran down Simple Living,
and never halted to inquire about the prostrate figure which
fell as its victim. -- Warren G. Harding

Fritz said:

I rarely ever could get 2000 miles on an SRAM chain. I switched
over to Shimano chains with the sram quick link connector (Jenson
bikes online sells them for about 4 bucks each) and I have logged
over 3000 miles with only about a 1/32 of inch of stretch noted so
far.

When you switch out that chain with a new one be prepared to change
the rear cogs too. 4 years! Wow.

I have over 4000 miles and 5 years on an original Shimano 9sp chain.
I take my share of hills, but then again, I'm only 130#.

David L. Johnson said:

Stephen Harding said:

I typically run the entire drive line down, letting them
wear out together, then replace the chain and the cogs
at once. Chain rings seem to be harder to wear than
cogsets, so a ring can last a couple chain/cog replacement
cycles.

This strikes me as false economy. Chains are available for $15 or $20
just about anywhere. Cassettes are more like $50, $100 for fancier ones
like 10-speeds. Chainrings can cost $50 apiece. Frankly, tossing a
chain every once in a while is a lot cheaper.

Only my joy bike has 9 speed. The others are 6 and two 7
speed cassettes that run about $25. I think my procedure
is quite cost efficient.

You may be more correct in the "false economy" charge WRT
my 9 speed bike. Never replaced the cogset so I'm not up
on what they go for, but $50 for one might make me more
attentive towards replacing the chain more frequently.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I put about 2500 mi/year and 1500 mi/year typically on my
two primary rides (one road/one MTB). Chains last for
2+ years easily.

At your mileage I would be replacing 1 chain per year (per bike), and
keeping the cassette for several years, and the chainrings for longer
than that.

I think that's way too frequent for a 7 speed cogset.

In the 15 years I've owned my Trek 520 (my primary ride with
the most miles per year on it), I've replaced the large ring
3 times, the middle ring twice and never replaced the small
ring.

Not certain how many times I've replaced the drive chain and
cogset but perhaps 4 times (???). I really don't think I'd
do a hole lot better with more frequent chain changes.

I suppose if crisp shifting were more a requirement chain
changes might be more critical, but I'm a "Fred Rider", so
it's largely irrelevant.

Until the rings start skipping teeth in gear during stand up
climbs, they stay put; that's the indicator that a ring needs
replacement for me!

SMH

Fritz said:

When you switch out that chain with a new one be prepared to change
the rear cogs too. 4 years! Wow.

Yes, that's very possible [likely].

Because the chain and cogs wear together, I never fully know
if a replacement chain will bring gearing back to spec.

The cogs will tell you they need replacing when the new
chain comes on and you still get lots of noise and some
shifting roughness.

If the rings are skipping teeth, they're telling you they
need replacement as well!

[Keep in mind these bikes are 6 speed freewheel or cassette
or 7 speed cassette drivetrains. A big ring (usually from
RaceFace) will set you back $25 all by itself, but not
frequently while chains are $15 and a cogset/freewheel less
than $25. I'm more attentive of my Trek 2000 with a 9 speed.]

SMH

David L. Johnson said:

Stephen Harding said:

I typically run the entire drive line down, letting them
wear out together, then replace the chain and the cogs
at once. Chain rings seem to be harder to wear than
cogsets, so a ring can last a couple chain/cog replacement
cycles.

I put about 2500 mi/year and 1500 mi/year typically on my
two primary rides (one road/one MTB). Chains last for
2+ years easily.

This strikes me as false economy. Chains are available for $15 or $20
just about anywhere. Cassettes are more like $50, $100 for fancier ones
like 10-speeds. Chainrings can cost $50 apiece. Frankly, tossing a
chain every once in a while is a lot cheaper.

It's not that bad (forgive the citation reordering, but it makes the
point a bit clearer). If Stephen runs 2-3 times longer on a $20 chain,
he's not paying that much extra to replace a $50 cassette. And since
we're talking about 7 or 8 speeds, if you replace a $20 cassette
(Perf/bar house brand) and $15 chain, it's almost a wash.

Pat

Alex Colvin said:

I'd prefer to avoid chains with (unique critical) master links. When I
install an SRAM, I'll splce it out.

I bought an SRAM replacement chain a couple years ago after running out
of my stockpile of SedisSport chains. I didn't even realize it had a
master link until I'd already pinned it together in the traditional
manner. It's still sitting in my tool box someplace.

--

John "Huh? What's this piece, then?" ([email hidden])

Stephen Harding said:

You mean remove the masterlink altogether and use a
pin instead?

Yup.

Quoted message said:

I hate those danged pins! Sooo many more ways to go
wrong with it than with a masterlink IMHO.

How so? I haven't had one fail in 30 years.

--

John ([email hidden])

John Thompson said:

Stephen Harding said:

You mean remove the masterlink altogether and use a
pin instead?

Yup.

Quoted message said:

I hate those danged pins! Sooo many more ways to go
wrong with it than with a masterlink IMHO.

How so? I haven't had one fail in 30 years.

The pins on Shimano chains discourage proper chain cleaning, since you
have to replace it with a new one each time. The standard bins on most
new chains do not work properly once you've pushed it out with a chain
tool. The only chain I've had fail on me was the last one I used
without a master link, 10 years ago or so. I have never had a problem
with the "superlinks" supplied with SRAM chains. They break apart
easily for cleaning, and so far, never failed me.

--

David L. Johnson

Let's be straight here. If we find something we can't understand
we like to call it something you can't understand,
or indeed even pronounce. -- Douglas Adams

David L. Johnson said:

John Thompson said:

On 2007-02-06, Stephen Harding <[email hidden]> wrote:

I hate those danged pins! Sooo many more ways to go

Quoted message said:

wrong with it than with a masterlink IMHO.

How so? I haven't had one fail in 30 years.

The pins on Shimano chains discourage proper chain cleaning, since you
have to replace it with a new one each time. The standard bins on most
new chains do not work properly once you've pushed it out with a chain
tool. The only chain I've had fail on me was the last one I used
without a master link, 10 years ago or so. I have never had a problem
with the "superlinks" supplied with SRAM chains. They break apart
easily for cleaning, and so far, never failed me.

My belief too. It's very convenient being able to take
the chain off so easily (although I obvious don't do it
as often as I should!).

I also have found getting the pins back in and properly
positioned can sometimes be a tricky. They need to be
well centered and it's easy pushing the pin back in too
far or not far enough.

No doubt just me since I have a prejudice against them.

SMH

"Road Dog" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Fritz said:

I rarely ever could get 2000 miles on an SRAM chain. I switched
over to Shimano chains with the sram quick link connector (Jenson
bikes online sells them for about 4 bucks each) and I have logged
over 3000 miles with only about a 1/32 of inch of stretch noted so
far.

When you switch out that chain with a new one be prepared to change
the rear cogs too. 4 years! Wow.

I have over 4000 miles and 5 years on an original Shimano 9sp chain.
I take my share of hills, but then again, I'm only 130#.

Same here on an 8 speed cassette - (apart from the 130 bit)

"Stephen Harding" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:zBNxh.1657$177.473@trndny08...
=>

Quoted message said:

Wondered if a broken chain was anything the group found to
be a common or rare event? Can you buy just replacement
masterlinks from SRAM? Didn't see any on the Performance
or Nashbar web pages.

SMH

Riding along the Blue Ridge Parkway about 10 years ago my SRAM chain w/
master link very quietly laid itself out on the road behind me sans master
link. Fortunately I had a spare in my seat bag and was back on the road in a
bout 5 minutes. I've not had the opportunity to fix my own chain again on
the road but I've helped two others since then. They are damn near
weightless. Don't leave home without one. Not cheaper that a phone call but
way more convenient.
Bill