Hello bike enthusiasts,
Will appreciate your expert advice. I had a major snafu in the middle of a long ride.
My chain snapped.
I had taken the chain apart yesterday to clean and oil it. The chain lasted for about 60 km into the ride as well. It looks like it snapped exactly where I had taken it apart. Could any one of you help me understand why and what can be done to avoid it?
Thank you.
by Weary_Strawberry_346
6 Comments
So the general consensus is to use a new quick link every time you take your chain apart. I have ignored that advice my whole life but I do get super anxious when putting the chain back together. You have to make sure that you push the pin all the way through as otherwise it can come apart under power.
to take the chain off you pushed the pin out, and in the process you either damaged the plate a little bit or just didnt push the pin back in all the way. they’re really not designed to be repeatedly broken and put back together like that.
next time use a quicklink, its what they’re for.
If you use a chain tool to force the pins out you will notice that a slither of metal gets shaved off. This weakens the link and makes it easier for the chain to come apart while under load. I only use hub motors so this has never affected me yet but I should imagine mid drives and manuals snap chains due to this reason. Using quick links also solves this problem.
When you say you took it apart, do you actually mean you pushed the pin out (or partially out), then reconnected it by pushing it back in? Your picture doesn’t look like a quick link.
If so, that’s why it snapped. Most modern chains are not designed so that you can reconnect them with the same pin that has been pushed out before. The pins are generally peened on both sides to retain it between the plates mechanically. Disconnecting it by pushing the pin out will destroy the peening, so it’s a one-time thing that you should only do to permanently cut the chain.
The proper way to rejoin a cut chain is to use a quick link.
This is usually because you haven’t joined it back properly. Probably the pin went in slightly off centre and never fully connected with the other plate. Happened to me last week. Each time you split a chain you can weaken the link. Which is why I mark the link and avoid splitting that link again. Best using a quick link in the future.
It sure did!