Broke A Chain!

02-05-2007, 12:47 PM

Riding in to work this morning I seemed to be getting a
break from the weather. Although quite cold (around 0F
I think, with a brisk wind allegedly putting wind chills
down into the -teensF), the wind was from astern and I
had virtually no wind chill effect.

With the sun out, I was starting to sweat a bit as I
headed up the hill towards Amherst center. Nearing the
top, I down shifted and immediately had no gears at all!

Looked down thinking the chain had come off the rings
and noticed no chain at all! Walked back 15 feet and
picked it up, hoping the masterlink was in place.

It was (sort of).

It's a SRAM PC48 chain of perhaps four years vintage.
One half of the master link was still in the chain but
the other half had only half of itself still in the chain.
It had broken!

I think this is the first time I've ever had a chain
break on me.

Walked into downtown Amherst to the local bike shop there
only to find them closed. Must be shut down on Mondays
during the winter, darn!

Coasted down the other side of the hill and then walked
the final half mile to my office.

Bike stays in my nice warm office tonight instead of its
normal frigid barn. Already ordered a new SRAM PC48 for
it and will get a ride home via a coworker tonight.

Will bring the bike back home via my "Global Warmer" later
this week. Fortunately, I've got a reserve ice bike (with
a PC48 chain that I guess I'd better look over closely!)
to pedal until the new chain comes in from Performance.

Wondered if a broken chain was anything the group found to
be a common or rare event? Can you buy just replacement
masterlinks from SRAM? Didn't see any on the Performance
or Nashbar web pages.

SMH

02-05-2007, 01:55 PM

I hate it when I have to repair the bike in bad weather conditions!
Yes, I've had a SRAM masterlink fall apart over three years ago, but I
think it was because I did not install it correctly. When the chain
fell off I never found one half of the link. So now I carry a spare
masterlink in my toolcase and I always take care to lube the
masterlink when I lube the chain. Funny thing, but since that time,
I've never had to use the spare.

Rick

02-05-2007, 03:05 PM

On Mon, 05 Feb 2007 21:47:11 GMT, Stephen Harding
<[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> may have said:

>Looked down thinking the chain had come off the rings
>and noticed no chain at all! Walked back 15 feet and
>picked it up, hoping the masterlink was in place.
>
>It was (sort of).
>
>It's a SRAM PC48 chain of perhaps four years vintage.

Four years of commuting and you haven't had to replace the chain?

Have you checked it for wear?

>One half of the master link was still in the chain but
>the other half had only half of itself still in the chain.
>It had broken!
>
>I think this is the first time I've ever had a chain
>break on me.
>[snip]
>Wondered if a broken chain was anything the group found to
>be a common or rare event?

IME, chain breakage is only common if the chain is badly worn or
corroded. It's been nonexistent for me on chains that are in good
condition.

>Can you buy just replacement
>masterlinks from SRAM?

That depends on the dealer. *You* won't buy them direct from SRAM,
but they are packaged and available for ordering by SRAM dealers
through the normal distribution channels.

>Didn't see any on the Performance
>or Nashbar web pages.

There are many more vendors out there. Those two just have the most
advertising.

KMC also makes a snaplink that works with most 8-speed chains (all
that I've tried, anyway), and there are others around.

--
My email address is antispammed; pull WEEDS if replying via e-mail.
Typoes are not a bug, they're a feature.
Words processed in a facility that contains nuts.

02-05-2007, 04:47 PM

I'vge never had any brand of "masterlink" break in tens of thousands of
miles. I always carry a spare, though. just in case ANY of the links
break. It makes a great lightweight chain repair/replacement

- -
Compliments of:
"Your Friendly Neighborhood Wheelman"

If you want to E-mail me use:
ChrisZCorner "at" webtv "dot" net

My website:
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

02-05-2007, 07:48 PM

Stephen Harding wrote:

> It's a SRAM PC48 chain of perhaps four years vintage.

4 years!

> Wondered if a broken chain was anything the group found to
> be a common or rare event? Can you buy just replacement
> masterlinks from SRAM? Didn't see any on the Performance
> or Nashbar web pages.

Breaking a chain is indeed a rare event--- but so is riding with the
same chain for 4 years; unless you don't ride that bike much at all.
Chains on geared bikes rarely last more than 2000 miles or so, and even
that requires regular cleaning. Replace a chain when the measurement of
12 full links exceeds 12 + 1/16 inches. Waiting until 12 + 1/8 inch
will often mean having to replace the cassette as well, which may very
well be your fate. You'll be lucky to not have to replace the chainrings.

Don't bother to replace just the master link. This chain is worn out,
unless you only ride 500 miles/year.

--

David L. Johnson

Arguing with an engineer is like mud wrestling with a pig...
You soon find out the pig likes it!

mobusparrcwq · 05-21-2007, 04:31 AM

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