is my chain too tight and what can i do about this noise more info in comments

(ignore my room ik its hella dirty chill)

my chain snapped while i was riding a couple days ago so i took a link from an old bike and used it to replace the missing one, i do plan on buying a masterlink or a whole new chain but idk how to measure chains so im probably gonna just buy a masterlink, anyways ever since it snapped the brakes were only working on one side which i just fixed today and now its making hella noise when i pedal, i think it might be a problem with my rear hub because im pretty sure thats where the noise is coming from *(im really hoping its not my hub bc i have no idea how to fix those)* but i also kinda believe its coming from the chain being tight or the slightly bent link that doesnt belong to the chain. it could also be it being super fucking dirty because when the chain snapped it fell onto the concrete *(obviously)* and then i had it on my dusty carpet trying to snap the link on it. please someone help because im kinda scared to ride since i dont want my chain to snap and have my knee be obliterated by the bars

Highly unlikely to be your hub.

Dropping a link from a different make / style of chain in is not a great thing to do. I’ve got by at times by making up Frankenstein chains out of all the short lengths of chain I have, but its never a good thing to do.

Always go from cheapest to most expensive:

1. Cheapest: Disassemble everything

Take the chain off, dunk it in a bowl of white spirits for about 12 hours then thoroughly scrub it, check all the links one by one to make sure they are working (loose and able to move), then refit the chain and apply lube.

1a. While the chain is off, get the sprocket off, clean it, check it’s still flat and not worn. Check that all the teeth are still in good shape and one hasn’t been dinged.

Clean all the crank parts to get rid of any crud and grit that might be pushing stuff off register. Refit all the nicely cleaned parts making sure you get everything dialled in, aligned, and tightened up.

2. Replace chain
Chains are one of the least expensive items and you can buy a decent enough halflink chain for lunch money. Half link chains are generally more sturdy than the average bike chain, and they give you a much better chance of getting the chain tension exactly right.

3. Test the rear hub while everything’s off.
In the unlikely event your hub does feel grouchy and grabby when rotating in your hands (rather than on the frame) then you might be about to learn the simple process of disassembling a hub, cleaning the internals, and maybe replacing the bearings.

It’s not anywhere near as difficult as it seems like it might be when you’ve never done it before. Photograph everything as you take it apart so you have references for how it goes back together. Hubs ought to be stripped and cleaned fairly regularly.

Cheapest is always “Take it apart, clean it, re-lube it, refit it”

Most expensive is “Buy parts to solve the problem”

In between is Cheapest + new chain + get into that hub and burst your maintenance cherry and feel like a hub boss 🙂