Broken chain after 800km

[nick_the_wheelbuilder]

Chains only break when something causes the outer plate on a link to be pulled off the pin. This only happens when shifting under power, or the chain has been previously damaged.

 

The only way to avoid breaking chains is to be more careful when shifting.

 

Chains have a breaking strain of TONS. There's no way you can put in enough power to break one.

[porqui]

Chains only break when something causes the outer plate on a link to be pulled off the pin. This only happens when shifting under power, or the chain has been previously damaged.

 

The only way to avoid breaking chains is to be more careful when shifting.

 

Chains have a breaking strain of TONS. There's no way you can put in enough power to break one.

 

I would totally agree with you but last week I actually broke a chain - one of the loops tore open.Road bike.

[Eldron]

I'm with Nick on this one. Of all the chain breaks I've seen (and Ive seen a lot in my days) I'd say 99.99999% were due to poor fitment and the other 0.000001% due to some weird manufacturing defect.

 

Lubing, cleaning, care etc only effects how long the chain lasts. Steel is way stronger than human.

[Hairy]

I would totally agree with you but last week I actually broke a chain - one of the loops tore open.Road bike.

also had that before

[TyronLab]

Steel is way stronger than human.

 

I lolled at the eloquence of this statement. 

 

A poorly maintained / lubricated chain will only wear away its bearing faces faster than a properly maintained one, and subsequently cause increased wear on your drivetrain due to increased play between the components (surfaces slide across each other vs. roll across each other).

 

My common sense tells me that after 800km it could only be a pin that wasn't inserted correctly or an impact shifted it over, chain is only supported on one side plate vs two, another impact and boom, you're walking home.

[Pieter-za]

Is the hanger bent?

[SwissVan]

I would totally agree with you but last week I actually broke a chain - one of the loops tore open.Road bike.

In chain terms, whats a loops?

[porqui]

In chain terms, whats a loops?

 

I knew this was going to come up. The ring of metal that fits around the pin - you know what I mean. What would you call it? Iow the plate sheared at the pin.

[Martin PJ]

Chains only break when something causes the outer plate on a link to be pulled off the pin. This only happens when shifting under power, or the chain has been previously damaged.

 

The only way to avoid breaking chains is to be more careful when shifting.

 

Chains have a breaking strain of TONS. There's no way you can put in enough power to break one.

 

I sheared through the plates on a master link, the pins were still in place. Now, I don't re-use the old ones. I only weigh 70 kgs, so not a power thing. Some type of fatigue in the plate caused it.

[mazambaan]

er, flame suit on; not all chains are born equal. That (made of pewter) on your Makro bike is not quite the same as, say the Shimano XT at least one would expect on a new high end MTB.

[MrJacques]

Are certain brands of chains more prone to breakage than others? Will a 11 speed chain be more prone to breaking than a 10-speed?

[SwissVan]

I knew this was going to come up. The ring of metal that fits around the pin - you know what I mean. What would you call it? Iow the plate sheared at the pin.

Hehe....

Think you mean the roller

[Headshot]

Are certain brands of chains more prone to breakage than others? Will a 11 speed chain be more prone to breaking than a 10-speed?

I read somewhere that 11 is actually stronger. Perhaps because the pins are shorter. I haven't been on 11 for long and had no issues so far. Previously did break 10 speed XTR chain, which now does duty on my wifes 9 speed road bike. 

[Headshot]

Hi there

 

Broke my chain on my Momsen AL529 after riding for 800km on it. My question- is what could be the cause with such low distance having been done? Broke while on a mild single track.

 

What to know :

I clean it after 9/10 rides

Started using Squirt chain lube at about 600km

I fixed it by using a master chain link. I now have two on the same chain - Is that a problem?

 

So what should I check? Or should I send it bike for a service?

Thanks

I suspect you were sitting on the chain and cracked it that way...

 

Admit it. 

[JK7]

I suspect you were sitting on the chain and cracked it that way...

 

Admit it. 

 

Ahhh, negative... 

Even so, I only weigh 65KG (yes, 65KG) 

Chains only break when something causes the outer plate on a link to be pulled off the pin. This only happens when shifting under power, or the chain has been previously damaged.

 

The only way to avoid breaking chains is to be more careful when shifting.

 

Chains have a breaking strain of TONS. There's no way you can put in enough power to break one.

Yeah, i suspect i am guilty of shifting under strain.  Will take more care. 

[rudi-h]

Question A

User error:

• Not cleaning chain often enough - refer to your statement marked as (Statement A)
• Not lubing chain - You only started at 600km? - Refer to your statement marked as (Statement B) - Assuming this is MTB (because everybody is afraid of doing road on road bikes
• Possibly cross chaining?
• Possibly changing gears under power?

 

Question B

No, if you refrain from user errors as mentioned under question A

 

Statement 1

No good enough

 

Statement 2

The inference is you did not lube the chain before that, as you have lots of detail about your actions, but nothing about your lubing strategy for first 600km. Your lube strategy is not good enough

 

Statement 3

Not a real issue, but given all the above, you borked that chain

 

harsh on the poor guy...  

 

i doubt that breaking a chain after 800km is not user error, something else went wrong.  I've only broke a chain once and that was because i pushed the pin too far in with the chain tool, and i'm generally pretty damn bad (worst than the OP) with bike cleaning and maintenance.  I rode in the mud and rain for 4 days once on a bike tour in alaska where I had no running water to clean the chain.  I just applied some wet lube ontop of the mud every morning until the squeaking stopped.  After about 400km of riding i found a stream, washed the mud off and the chain was still good for thousands of km's after that.