Chain failure advice ?

rowdyflat

chez le médecin
Never quite understood the 50T cog either .
I am a 64yo weakling and 40T is good for me .
Maybe so you can a pizza tray 38 T cog at the front.
 

Stringybark

Likes Bikes
I've had some positive experience
I've had some NEGATIVE experience....I'm no expert but nevertheless I was confident that it had to be a dodgy chain. Rang the bikeshop today wrongly assuming they'd blame everything bar the chain but to their credit they agreed that on occasions, for no good reason, they can just fail, regardless of condition, age etc...which is somewhat disheartening. Every so often I venture high up (1100m alt) & deep into the scrub 30ks from the nearest farmhouse. Maybe I'll drag out the old Mongoose Canaan 26"....she's done about 4000ks (original chain) & she's slow but least I'll be safe in the knowledge that I'll be riding home...& not walking. I don't mind walking, it's that bike pushing business I dislike.
 

Flow-Rider

Burner
I've had some NEGATIVE experience....I'm no expert but nevertheless I was confident that it had to be a dodgy chain. Rang the bikeshop today wrongly assuming they'd blame everything bar the chain but to their credit they agreed that on occasions, for no good reason, they can just fail, regardless of condition, age etc...which is somewhat disheartening. Every so often I venture high up (1100m alt) & deep into the scrub 30ks from the nearest farmhouse. Maybe I'll drag out the old Mongoose Canaan 26"....she's done about 4000ks (original chain) & she's slow but least I'll be safe in the knowledge that I'll be riding home...& not walking. I don't mind walking, it's that bike pushing business I dislike.
I carry a small multi tool with a chain breaker and a joiner link with me everywhere I go.

352938

352939
 
I've had some NEGATIVE experience....I'm no expert but nevertheless I was confident that it had to be a dodgy chain. Rang the bikeshop today wrongly assuming they'd blame everything bar the chain but to their credit they agreed that on occasions, for no good reason, they can just fail, regardless of condition, age etc...which is somewhat disheartening. Every so often I venture high up (1100m alt) & deep into the scrub 30ks from the nearest farmhouse. Maybe I'll drag out the old Mongoose Canaan 26"....she's done about 4000ks (original chain) & she's slow but least I'll be safe in the knowledge that I'll be riding home...& not walking. I don't mind walking, it's that bike pushing business I dislike.
1100kms on my chain, still riding not pushing
 

Stringybark

Likes Bikes
1100kms on my chain, still riding not pushing
Jesus !!....don't speak too soon....what ol mate at the bikeshop said "anywhere, anytime, without reason" didn't exactly inspire me with confidence. Think I'll opt out on a Sram replacement & try a KMC titanium...& then smugly assume because of the big $$ cost it'll last forever....hmmm !!
 

Oddjob

Merry fucking Xmas to you assholes
Jesus !!....don't speak too soon....what ol mate at the bikeshop said "anywhere, anytime, without reason" didn't exactly inspire me with confidence. Think I'll opt out on a Sram replacement & try a KMC titanium...& then smugly assume because of the big $$ cost it'll last forever....hmmm !!
Not such a good idea. I've found that titanium drivetrain parts don't tend to last as long as steel. Eg XTR cassette vs XT cassettes.

Sent from my SM-G900I using Tapatalk
 

Flow-Rider

Burner
If you're talking about the gold KMC-X chains, it's only a Ti nitrate coating and not what the chain is made from. The EL version has the cut outs in the links and hollow pins to make it lighter but they're still quite a strong chain. For value and quality you can't go wrong with XT chains in my opinion.
 
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Stringybark

Likes Bikes
Not such a good idea. I've found that titanium drivetrain parts don't tend to last as long as steel. Eg XTR cassette vs XT cassettes.

Sent from my SM-G900I using Tapatalk
Thanks Oddjob & Flow-Rider for shattering my dreams AND saving me money & angst. I was always going to struggle knowing I'd paid more for a Scott 900 chain than I would for my Husaberg 450 chain. I'm no good at bling so the gold chain thing didn't really appeal & I didn't fancy riding around all the time grinning like a rat with a gold tooth.
Interestingly (maybe not), the wannabe house ruler only ever uses titanium coated needles in her quilting machine because they last heaps longer (stay sharper)...still break occasionally, as did the standard ones. Obviously the titanium makes them harder but that doesn't mean they're stronger (glass is hard)……...thank you both for your advice
 

carpetrunner

Likes Dirt
I have had reasonable luck over many years using chains with hollow pins - the ends are rolled and not peened, gives a mechanically stronger and higher tolerance join between the pin and the side plate. The chain starts life closer to the exact link length - so takes longer to wear to the length when it needs to be replaced.

I have had side plates pop off peened solid pin chains - usually a desperate shift under power on a climb that was steeper than it looked.

- carpetrunner
 

Stringybark

Likes Bikes
I carry a small multi tool with a chain breaker and a joiner link with me everywhere I go.

View attachment 352938
View attachment 352939
Great photos & advice. I do have a chainbreaker & links, but I just love 'riding light' & been getting away with it for years. With no tools/spares I can't do repairs & that's good because just the thought of it downright spooks me. It's not the actual repairs, it's the 'other'. Obviously, Murphy will set you up with the worst place/time scenario...stinking hot, threatening thunderstorm & because of where he's placed you, you'll be battling to get any repairs done at all. You'll be far too busy swatting horseflies, stomping on bull ants & coaxing snakes away with a stick...& just at a critical point in time a bloody big spider jumps out & you lose the chainlink in the leaf litter...& I can handle all that....apart from the spider, hate those bastards !!
In the meantime the wild dogs & wedgetails are patiently watching, waiting, hoping....nah, bugger that !!….no f#%king way !!
 

Flow-Rider

Burner
Great photos & advice. I do have a chainbreaker & links, but I just love 'riding light' & been getting away with it for years. With no tools/spares I can't do repairs & that's good because just the thought of it downright spooks me. It's not the actual repairs, it's the 'other'. Obviously, Murphy will set you up with the worst place/time scenario...stinking hot, threatening thunderstorm & because of where he's placed you, you'll be battling to get any repairs done at all. You'll be far too busy swatting horseflies, stomping on bull ants & coaxing snakes away with a stick...& just at a critical point in time a bloody big spider jumps out & you lose the chainlink in the leaf litter...& I can handle all that....apart from the spider, hate those bastards !!
In the meantime the wild dogs & wedgetails are patiently watching, waiting, hoping....nah, bugger that !!….no f#%king way !!
It can be annoying at times but I always ride with a Camelbak that carries my tools and tubes. There's all sorts of little packs and gadgets for tools these days that fit in your handle bar end or steer tube and even in the crank hollow. I went for a ride without spares not long ago, put a large hole in a tubeless tyre and never realised how long the trail was when you need to walk it.

Spiders and snakes hardly ever harm you. It's usually the shock to the system when you stumble on them by surprise, just never be the second rider after the first runs over the snake because they're usually pissed off and lunge at the second target. The drop bears are the biggest threat to man in the Australian bush, everyone is shit scared of them buggers.
 

Mr Crudley

Glock in your sock
It can be annoying at times but I always ride with a Camelbak that carries my tools and tubes. There's all sorts of little packs and gadgets for tools these days that fit in your handle bar end or steer tube and even in the crank hollow. I went for a ride without spares not long ago, put a large hole in a tubeless tyre and never realised how long the trail was when you need to walk it.
I've always been pretty pro backpack too. Everything you need is in there and will always take it for rides longer than 1.5 hours or if walking back to the trailhead isn't a great option.

Saying that, I sure do love the Bonty Rapid waistpack. I take that now exclusively for shorter rides. I have now 2 x CO2 cartridges, a joining link, multitool, tube, keys, energy bars, water bottle, phone and not much else. Fortunately all has worked out well so far but that will change one day I'm sure.

I have contemplated those on bike tool sets. I'm not wild about adding unsprung weight though but worth looking into.
Any recommendations that aren't stupidly expensive but works as they say they do on the box?
 

Stringybark

Likes Bikes
It can be annoying at times but I always ride with a Camelbak that carries my tools and tubes. There's all sorts of little packs and gadgets for tools these days that fit in your handle bar end or steer tube and even in the crank hollow. I went for a ride without spares not long ago, put a large hole in a tubeless tyre and never realised how long the trail was when you need to walk it.

Spiders and snakes hardly ever harm you. It's usually the shock to the system when you stumble on them by surprise, just never be the second rider after the first runs over the snake because they're usually pissed off and lunge at the second target. The drop bears are the biggest threat to man in the Australian bush, everyone is shit scared of them buggers.
Whatya mean "spiders & snakes hardly ever harm you"....Jesus !! I almost sat on this feisty look'n critter some time back.
These days, strangely enough, if I'm to sit on a log I'll walk around it a couple of times beforehand :)
 

Attachments

Flow-Rider

Burner
Whatya mean "spiders & snakes hardly ever harm you"....Jesus !! I almost sat on this feisty look'n critter some time back.
These days, strangely enough, if I'm to sit on a log I'll walk around it a couple of times beforehand :)
Yeah, I never sit on logs in the bush, learnt that one a long time ago and never lay your backpack on the ground either.
 

stirk

Burner
Great photos & advice. I do have a chainbreaker & links, but I just love 'riding light' & been getting away with it for years. With no tools/spares I can't do repairs & that's good because just the thought of it downright spooks me. It's not the actual repairs, it's the 'other'. Obviously, Murphy will set you up with the worst place/time scenario...stinking hot, threatening thunderstorm & because of where he's placed you, you'll be battling to get any repairs done at all. You'll be far too busy swatting horseflies, stomping on bull ants & coaxing snakes away with a stick...& just at a critical point in time a bloody big spider jumps out & you lose the chainlink in the leaf litter...& I can handle all that....apart from the spider, hate those bastards !!
In the meantime the wild dogs & wedgetails are patiently watching, waiting, hoping....nah, bugger that !!….no f#%king way !!
Hey stringy, I'm not sure I understand your point. You'd rather ride light with no way fixing a small issue such as a broken chain which then leaves you more exposed to the critters for longer and at a slower pace as you walk back to base?

A 5 minute chain repair trail side beats the crap out of walking a bike for hours back to base getting harrassment from critters.

I've found that us blokes who carry the tools and spares end up using them on others bikes more often than our own because we maintain our bikes quite well.

Also while not bike fix related basic first aid gear can save you or someone else. Recently I saw an old bloke had an off in a high speed area, face planted into the ground, knocked out in shock with amnesia. A rider in the group had a 'space' blanket which I'm sure helped. You just never know what is gunna happen.

Serious question, how do you tourniquet a snake bite on the arse?




I sense a "want do you carry in your pack" thread reboot, @pink poodle will carry the flame!
 

Litenbror

Eats Squid
Hey stringy, I'm not sure I understand your point. You'd rather ride light with no way fixing a small issue such as a broken chain which then leaves you more exposed to the critters for longer and at a slower pace as you walk back to base?

A 5 minute chain repair trail side beats the crap out of walking a bike for hours back to base getting harrassment from critters.

I've found that us blokes who carry the tools and spares end up using them on others bikes more often than our own because we maintain our bikes quite well.

Also while not bike fix related basic first aid gear can save you or someone else. Recently I saw an old bloke had an off in a high speed area, face planted into the ground, knocked out in shock with amnesia. A rider in the group had a 'space' blanket which I'm sure helped. You just never know what is gunna happen.

Serious question, how do you tourniquet a snake bite on the arse?




I sense a "want do you carry in your pack" thread reboot, @pink poodle will carry the flame!
When I donate plasma they give great bandages the ones that conform really well and stick to themselves. I keep a couple in my pack and if not riding with a pack one in my pocket.
 

stirk

Burner
When I donate plasma they give great bandages the ones that conform really well and stick to themselves. I keep a couple in my pack and if not riding with a pack one in my pocket.
I'll happily ride into the wilderness with you, my bandage carrying friend.

I'll carry the tools.

And in reply to the OP problem, quick links save the day. Replacing a pin with a pin is a gamble based on so many variables.

Have the chains been shortened by the shop and repinned?

I'd only ever shorten a chain and use a quick link to rejoin.
 

Flow-Rider

Burner
I'll happily ride into the wilderness with you, my bandage carrying friend.

I'll carry the tools.

And in reply to the OP problem, quick links save the day. Replacing a pin with a pin is a gamble based on so many variables.

Have the chains been shortened by the shop and repinned?

I'd only ever shorten a chain and use a quick link to rejoin.
All the bandages in the world aren't going to help you if this happens. :D

 

rowdyflat

chez le médecin
One of the female riders at Yack thought it was OK with no tools to fix a flat tyre.
Walked about 12 kms.
 

Stringybark

Likes Bikes
Hey stringy, I'm not sure I understand your point. You'd rather ride light with no way fixing a small issue such as a broken chain which then leaves you more exposed to the critters for longer and at a slower pace as you walk back to base?

A 5 minute chain repair trail side beats the crap out of walking a bike for hours back to base getting harrassment from critters.

I've found that us blokes who carry the tools and spares end up using them on others bikes more often than our own because we maintain our bikes quite well.

Also while not bike fix related basic first aid gear can save you or someone else. Recently I saw an old bloke had an off in a high speed area, face planted into the ground, knocked out in shock with amnesia. A rider in the group had a 'space' blanket which I'm sure helped. You just never know what is gunna happen.

Serious question, how do you tourniquet a snake bite on the arse?




I sense a "want do you carry in your pack" thread reboot, @pink poodle will carry the flame!
Serious reply, I'd try a compression bandage if the mongrel spiked me on the arse…...a tourniquet if it was on the nuts :(
 
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