http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Topic: Snapped chain options en Sun, 28 Jun 2026 15:53:21 +0000 http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14322#post-179930 Thu, 05 Feb 2015 11:34:47 +0000 Harts Cyclery 179930@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Kenny, the pin you used was just a regular pin, which is not designed for rejoining a Shimano chain, because by reusing it removes the peened portion of the pin. You would have needed one of these:</p> <p><a href="http://www.parktool.com/uploads/images/blog/repair_help/chain_111.jpg" rel="nofollow">http://www.parktool.com/uploads/images/blog/repair_help/chain_111.jpg</a></p> <p>Shimano chains are also rather prone to breaking generally, along with the joining pin issue, it's another reason I don't stock them!</p> <p>Park have done this rather excellent page, which explains basically everything you'll ever need to know about joining derailleur chains:</p> <p><a href="http://www.parktool.com/blog/repair-help/chain-installation-derailleur-bikes" rel="nofollow">http://www.parktool.com/blog/repair-help/chain-installation-derailleur-bikes</a> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14322#post-179878 Wed, 04 Feb 2015 21:14:38 +0000 Kenny 179878@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><em>I suspect you rejoined it without a Shimano joining pin. Shimano chains WILL ALWAYS FAIL if a joining pin is not used</em></p> <p>Hmm, that is interesting to know. I certainly didn't change the pin, just rejoined it using the same pin that was in there. I was sure I had done this many times before, but then again, I typically use a KMC chain, and I think I had a Shimano chain as that was all that was available when I got it...</p> <p>The chain I now have on it is indeed a KMC chain, with a quicklink, so that should make things easier next time. If I was to get an Ultegra chain and it doesn't come with a quicklink, are the joining pins one use only, or can they be removed and reinserted again? </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14322#post-179866 Wed, 04 Feb 2015 18:07:58 +0000 amir 179866@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>A tool to go with the quick links is worthwhile e.g. <a href="http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/park-tool-master-link-pliers-mlp1-2/rp-prod109888" rel="nofollow">http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/park-tool-master-link-pliers-mlp1-2/rp-prod109888</a> or <a href="http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/bbb-open-link-closing-link-tool-btl77/rp-prod47439" rel="nofollow">http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/bbb-open-link-closing-link-tool-btl77/rp-prod47439</a></p> <p>They are not necessary (you can do this by hand out on the bike) but they make the process lemon-squeezy and less frustrating. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14322#post-179839 Wed, 04 Feb 2015 15:03:38 +0000 earthowned 179839@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I second the KMC/SRAM quicklink route. You can pick them up pretty cheap in pairs, or they sometimes come with new KMC chains. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14322#post-179829 Wed, 04 Feb 2015 14:21:25 +0000 Harts Cyclery 179829@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Kenny, I suspect you rejoined it without a Shimano joining pin. Shimano chains WILL ALWAYS FAIL if a joining pin is not used. </p> <p>If you want to break and clean your chain regularly, get a chain with a quicklink, either KMC or SRAM. As mentioned, you can clean on the bike, but there's no harm in removing to do it more thoroughly, if you have a reusable link (to be honest I've never heard of a once-only link failing when reused.)</p> <p>Day to day wear (chains wear, they don't stretch) aside, your chain was probably fine and it's the lack of joining pin that caused the fail.</p> <p>In the most polite way, some of the advice on here varies in its validity; speak to your friendly local bike shop for some good advice :-) </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14322#post-179758 Tue, 03 Feb 2015 22:47:47 +0000 Kenny 179758@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I've got the Tiagra 10 speed groupset on these days, installed it last Easter to replace the 2300 groupset the bike came with.</p> <p>The Ultegra one @ £13 on Wiggle does look more like it. I had been looking at KMC chains, which is what I have on the bike now. Cheapest KMC in-stock one is £21. That said, the Ultegra one is out of stock too, it appears this is not a good time to be getting a chain online! However, Chain Reaction seem to have Tiagra and 105 chains for around £13, and they are in stock, so that's not so bad. I'll probably pick up the 105 chain, unless the Ultegra one comes back in stock soon. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14322#post-179742 Tue, 03 Feb 2015 19:48:16 +0000 Uberuce 179742@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Kenny, that's on the daily fixed gear brute; 1/8" chains are pretty Soviet in delicacy, price and fortitude.</p> <p>I got an Ultegra 10-speed for the Croix for much the same as galaxy. Wiggle, I think. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14322#post-179717 Tue, 03 Feb 2015 14:56:48 +0000 amir 179717@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>And you can pick up 8 speed ones for e.g. £7 on well known online retailers </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14322#post-179714 Tue, 03 Feb 2015 14:47:01 +0000 CycleCommute.CC 179714@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>What kind chain do you use?</p> <p>I got an ultegra one for £13 last month. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14322#post-179713 Tue, 03 Feb 2015 14:44:13 +0000 Kenny 179713@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>A definite possibility, @IWRATS. </p> <p>Under a tenner for a chain?? Im going to be lucky finding one under £20 :( </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14322#post-179671 Tue, 03 Feb 2015 10:28:09 +0000 Uberuce 179671@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>For the sake of under a tenner, I'm in the camp of early replacement over intricate care. That does suffer the flaw of me being lazy and not actually replacing it often enough. I finally took the clunky-clunky hint from my fixie's chain on Friday, put a new one in over the weekend, and now wee blue floofy is running slick as an I'm not finishing that sentence here. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14322#post-179665 Tue, 03 Feb 2015 09:32:48 +0000 I were right about that saddle 179665@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@Kenny</p> <p>Looked to me like a foreign object got involved and drove the plates apart. Still worth replacing, for peace of mind. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14322#post-179650 Mon, 02 Feb 2015 23:42:51 +0000 Kenny 179650@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I'd measured it very recently and it wasn't stretched. I'm at a bit of a loss as to why it has disintegrated; maybe my cleaning was a bit over the top... </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14322#post-179640 Mon, 02 Feb 2015 22:24:45 +0000 paddyirish 179640@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Chain wear tool, something like <a href="http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/cyclo-chain-wear-indicator/rp-prod42815?utm_source=Google&amp;utm_medium=Shopping&amp;utm_name=UnitedKingdom&amp;gs=1&amp;gclid=CLjIve-YxMMCFUTItAodZU4ANw&amp;gclsrc=aw.ds">this</a> is well worth buying. The idea is to measure the stretch in the chain and replace it before it gets to 1% stretched. Looking at the remains of your chain you'd probably find it was time to replace...</p> <p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y54ekC8PHB0">This guy</a> shows how to use it</p> <p>I remember Greenroofer saying in a work blog that if you view the chain as a consumable part of the bike (like brake blocks) and replace it regularly, more expensive parts like the cassettes will have a much longer lifetime. Really rings true (and I need to replace my chain...) </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14322#post-179621 Mon, 02 Feb 2015 20:57:23 +0000 Kenny 179621@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>As it turns out, the decision was taken out of my hands. I had a spare link so went to put it on, and then another part of the chain disintegrated. New chain is on and tested. Only slipped once in the short 2 mile spin I went on, which was possibly because I hadn't changed gear properly. I'll leave changing the cassette until after I've commuted to work and back tomorrow, that'll give it a good test, and if it is slipping during that ride, I'll swap it too. I have some confidence it'll be fine though as it was solid the rest of the time.</p> <p>Oh, and the front mech is still working ;) </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14322#post-179614 Mon, 02 Feb 2015 20:32:52 +0000 Colin 179614@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>My pal snapped his chain yesterday when we were riding up the Lyne Valley. I had a quick link and it worked fine as a get home option, but he was off to buy a new one today. The current thinner chains wear more rapidly and need to be replaced more often to preserve the cassette and chain-rings. Also, some quick links are for single use, others are multiple use. </p> <p>I imagine that the salt and winter grime will increase wear rates, so for peace of mind, I'd suggest replacing your chain. </p> <p>I don't remove chains to clean them, but give them a good scrub with a rag wrapped round my hand. </p> <p>Good luck.<br /> Cheers<br /> Colin </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14322#post-179612 Mon, 02 Feb 2015 20:12:44 +0000 ih 179612@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Lizzie's suggestion would work if the resulting shortened chain is long enough for the largest combo of sprocket and chain ring. You could carry a spare chain first time out just to be sure, but chains are quite heavy; I wouldn't want to lug a spare around on the off-chance of another break. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14322#post-179611 Mon, 02 Feb 2015 20:00:53 +0000 Kenny 179611@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Hmm, Lizzie offers an alternative... I could always carry a spare chain with me if I go down the route of link removal? </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14322#post-179609 Mon, 02 Feb 2015 20:00:22 +0000 Kenny 179609@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@ih - I split it. Tbh, I was fairly confident I had reattached it properly, as I work the link once reattached to ensure it moves freely and looks ok. However, it seems a bit of a coincidence. That said, consensus already appears to be a new chain. I have a spare so there's no issues there, but I may also be best to replace the cassette at the same time. Quite glad I didn't need to buy a new front mech now! </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14322#post-179608 Mon, 02 Feb 2015 20:00:08 +0000 Lizzie 179608@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>snapped chains are one of the problems of having many rings on the back block. The chain has to be very fine, and can rust through more easily.<br /> Its why I use my Brompton as my bike of choice in winter...yes it needs cleaning more, but the chain is fairly chunky given there is only a 2-speed derailleur and the rest of the gearing is in the hub.<br /> I have rescued a split chain before by just removing 2 links. And really given the fact we are half way through a winter, and so the whole chain is likely to be compromised, this is what I would recommend now.....followed by purchase of a new chain (and if necessary chainset) in spring. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14322#post-179605 Mon, 02 Feb 2015 19:41:42 +0000 ih 179605@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Hi @Kenny. Did you split the chain to clean? Or clean it in situ? If former, I would guess you didn't replace the link quite right. If the latter, it just broke!</p> <p>Either way, definitely a new chain, but I know some of these 'connecting links' can be tricky to fit. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14322#post-179604 Mon, 02 Feb 2015 19:39:00 +0000 amir 179604@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I'd go for a new chain for peace of mind. You can get them pretty cheap if you shop around (at least if not 10speed+) </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14322#post-179603 Mon, 02 Feb 2015 19:30:38 +0000 I were right about that saddle 179603@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@Kenny</p> <p>New chain, most definitely. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14322#post-179601 Mon, 02 Feb 2015 19:15:15 +0000 Kenny 179601@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Yesterday, I gave my chain a bit of a clean, it wasn't a perfect job, but much better than before. Today on the way home, it was making an odd sound, which suddenly got a lot worse as I neared my destination, and then it snapped. Pic below.</p> <p>The question is, do I remove the link and hope the rest of it is ok? Or should I just use a new chain? I'm wondering whether I hadn't put this specific link back in properly and it's worked its way loose on the way home. Or maybe the chain was being held together with a year's worth of NEPN sludge. I know it's impossible to know for sure either way, so ultimately I'm asking... if this was your chain, what would you do?</p> <p><a href="https://flic.kr/p/qKmwDn"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7434/16243177087_70c3a5fefc.jpg"></a><a href="https://flic.kr/p/qKmwDn">IMG_4708</a> </p>