Broken chain

[Iven]

Ultegra 10 speed chains are notoriously weak' date=' well from my experience. KMC should be better yes. The chain will skip if your cassette teeth are worn though, but I doubt it if the grouppo is only six months old. [/quote']

 

My bike came specced with a Dura Ace chain and when the time came to replace it I started using Ultegra chains. I simply cannot justify the increased cost of the DA chain. Since then I've used a ton of Ultegra chains and can't say that I agree with you.

 

I was once foolish enough to get suckered into buying a Wipperman stainless steel chain . Never again.

[bob_the_builder]

 

A broken chain in the fashion you describe' date=' usually happens for one of two reasons: poor shifting, poor installation.

 

A poorly installed chain will break very soon after installation. I'll leave it to you to narrow down the reasons for the break.

 

A worn chain does not break more easily than a new one, as the wear does not affect the bit that keeps the chain linked.

 

Since a poorly installed chain is very likely to break soon into the race, it is bad strategy to install a new chain after every stage of a multi-stage race such as the Epic. I've seen people with too much money and too little common sense to this. They probably think they're eliminating break-downs when they are in fact encouraging breakdowns.

 

 Finally, a broken link is no reason to replace the chain. If it is still within spec (I've described the measurement technique here often enough), simply remove the broken link (and its neighbour), spice the chain and go ride.

 

[/quote']

 

I've broken two chains on bikes. Both Shimano, sorry for that. The first one was improperly installed, as the one outer link "peeled off" when the pin loosened during the ride. So no worries there. Lesson learnt (I didn't install it)

 

The second one was on a very dusty and dirty chain. I assumed then that the grit formed a type of"grinding paste" and wore the pin and or link to the point of failure. Comments?

 

[Sabre484]

I had the same happen to me on the sunday morning ride. It started by continously climbing off the small chainring. Then suddenly it breaks... I have a chainbreaker on my multi tool so I removed the link and its little neighbour. But it didn't last. So I guess I'm off to the LBS to buy a new Chain...

[ewep]

On the topic of chains, the new SRAM 10 speed "chain link" works on Campy, SRAM and Shimano (as per BigBen).  I know Steven won't like this, but it works!!!  And it's the best thing since sliced bread.

[Zaskar]

 

My bike came specced with a Dura Ace chain and when the time came to replace it I started using Ultegra chains. I simply cannot justify the increased cost of the DA chain. Since then I've used a ton of Ultegra chains and can't say that I agree with you.

 

 

R50.22 price diff on the CWC site btw DA and Ultegra chains. Thats the price of a burger and chips these days! My 105 chain snapped a about two years ago on my training bike, and i replaced it with a DA chain. Since then i havnt had a days trouble with it, and i ride that bike daily. For R50 more i would go Dura Ace every time!

[GoLefty!!]

I won't repeat what JB has already said. Thats 100% correct.

 

Most likely the failure was due to incorrect installation bu not using the re-inforced joining pin supplied with all Shimano chains. Some mechanics just force the original pin back in. This makes the chain weak. I havenever ever had a Shimano Chain fail, but I always use the supplied joining pin or I use a SRAM, Connex or TAYA chain connector. They all work.

 

Shimano Chains do work best with a Shimano Drivetrain. Even with a SRAM drivetrain, they shift better than a SRAM chain. They just seem to hook the shift ramps better than others. This could be due to several factors like sharper edges to the joining plates or more lateral play but thats what I experience. All 10s chains will work on any 10s system, same for 9 s and 8s and 7s. They all work.

So it's not a blatant plug by Steven, but a design fact. Shimano components are designed to work together. SRAM vcomponents are designed to work together and Campagnolo components are designed to work together. Fortunately the sapcing between sprockets is pretty generic and close enough to make chain choice more a matter of economics than performance.

[Iven]

 

My bike came specced with a Dura Ace chain and when the time came to replace it I started using Ultegra chains. I simply cannot justify the increased cost of the DA chain. Since then I've used a ton of Ultegra chains and can't say that I agree with you.

 

 

R50.22 price diff on the CWC site btw DA and Ultegra chains. Thats the price of a burger and chips these days! My 105 chain snapped a about two years ago on my training bike' date=' and i replaced it with a DA chain. Since then i havnt had a days trouble with it, and i ride that bike daily. For R50 more i would go Dura Ace every time!

[/quote']

 

Thanks for the heads up . The price difference at my LBS is much more. CWC here I come.

[zee]

tell me guys when the chain is on the smallest gear both front and back will it touch the chain stay.it seems as if my chain sags a lot and rest's on the chain stay when stationary.

[bob_the_builder]

Chain sag...

 

Add that to the chain suck... WTF column...

 

[MintSauce]

tell me guys when the chain is on the smallest gear both front and back will it touch the chain stay.it seems as if my chain sags a lot and rest's on the chain stay when stationary.

 

 

That would be what we call cross-chaining. This is very bad for your chain and cogs as it causes excessive wear.

 

The reason it sags is because the derailleur cannot take up all the slack.

 

Many people don't realise that just because the salesman told you it has 18/20/24/27 gears doesn't mean they're all usable.

 

On a 27spd MTB you probably only have in the region of 12-14 usable gears since their is plenty of overlapping gears(similar ratios on different combinations of the cogs and rings)

[GoLefty!!]

tell me guys when the chain is on the smallest gear both front and back will it touch the chain stay.it seems as if my chain sags a lot and rest's on the chain stay when stationary.

 

Sounds like the chain is way too long

[zee]

can anyone suggest a bike mechanic who can check my drivetrain and advise me on what my problem is.my ride is a cervelo soloist team which is 6 months old and me being new in this sport, need too find a good mechanic in the joburg area.

thanks guys

your suggestions are really appreciated.

[madmarc]

Ultegra 10 speed chains are notoriously weak' date=' well from my experience. KMC should be better yes. The chain will skip if your cassette teeth are worn though, but I doubt it if the grouppo is only six months old.
[/quote']Shimano in general is notoriously weak...

Veyron, lets not turn this into a Shimano hate thread its unnessacery, and uncalled for.

 

Okay i'll stay out of this one as well

[Johan Bornman]

  

I've broken two chains on bikes. Both Shimano' date=' sorry for that. The first one was improperly installed, as the one outer link "peeled off" when the pin loosened during the ride. So no worries there. Lesson learnt (I didn't install it)

The second one was on a very dusty and dirty chain. I assumed then that the grit formed a type of"grinding paste" and wore the pin and or link to the point of failure. Comments?
[/quote']

 

Grit combined with oil is an effective grinding paste and chains do wear in the pins - that's why they elongate. However, a chain's pin looks like a dog's bone in a comic - it has two mushroom-ends which are formed by peening - a fancy word for a whack with a hammer and punch.

 

The peened head does not wear and the sideplate's hole elongates but doesn'tg enlarge its diameter, therefore won't slip over the mushroomed end of the pin.

 

A worn chain is therefore not more prone to breaking than a new one. Also interesting about a worn chain is that it doesn't affect shifting either. Theoretically a very, very worn chain (so worn that it will only engage on your most favourite sprocket and skip on all others) combined with an RD that's set with the top idler pulle far away from the sprockets, may not shift into gear, but that's not a likely scenario. Therefore I feel safe to say a worn chain does not affect shifting.

 

Someone also said that Shimano chains should always be spliced using the special Shimano pin. I'm one of those guys who says that properly ejecting USB devices from PCs by going through the official rigmarole is only for sissies. I also say special Shimano pins are for sissies. Anyone with a good chain breaker and four or five hands can successfully reuse a Shimano pin. Althoug they are peened more than other chains, it is possible to get those pins back into their holes.

 

A good inspection of the splice is always a good idea. You don't want to discover half-way through the ride that you didn't do a good job with your chain.

 

You do this by looking for perfect engagement of the pin and perfect symmetry of the two mushrooms and two sideplates.

 

And just as an extra safety measure, always wear black shorts, you never know when you may have to wipe your oily hands halfway during a ride.

 

 

[Johan Bornman]

 

My bike came specced with a Dura Ace chain and when the time came to replace it I started using Ultegra chains. I simply cannot justify the increased cost of the DA chain. Since then I've used a ton of Ultegra chains and can't say that I agree with you.

 

I was once foolish enough to get suckered into buying a Wipperman stainless steel chain . Never again.

Save even more money by going even lower down the food chain.

 

Shimano's cheapest chain is exactly the same insofar your sprockets care about chains. Only the shiny coating is different.

[bob_the_builder]

JB, just a guess from you then why the dust covered one went? I mean it was a clean bike, well serviced, went in trailer on a lengthy piece of dirt road, then taken out for a ride, 120km in, chain go poof.