chain broken, repair or replacement?

Tar.Aldarion

So my chain broke as I left work today and I had to walk home, lame! I assume this is my own fault through negligence/not taking care of it...as the bike is only 3 months old and has 500k on it.

Here are some pics, what is with that one link where I can slide it and remove the chain?! I never noticed that before, so now the chain can open that way:



Was something holding it in place before?


Now I can also remove it from the other side as a piece has fallen off, so both side broke at once




So I have to replace it completely? I assume grit/rust was the problem here.

colm_gti

Is it a KMC or SRAM chain? 9 or 10 speed drivetrain?

If it's just the back of that snap link thats missing and not an actual broken link then you can go and buy the relevant snap link and replace it, 30 second job, dead easy to do. KMC ones are supposed to work with any chain and are reusable, SRAM ones aren't as far as I know. Even if it is a broken link you can get by with a second snap link for a few hundred kms. It's no harm to have a spare snap link in your pocket for such an occurrence in future

colm_gti

Also, some amount of rust for a 500km old chain, you need to wash and lube it frequently if it gets used in crappy weather....my last chain had about 6000kms on it and still looked like new, til I dropped it dropping from the big ring to little ring in anger and snapped it in half

Tar.Aldarion

It's a 9 speed kmc chain: here is the bike: http://www.marreybikes.com/en/road-racers-625-to-1500/1928-specialized-allez-sport-2013.html

Yeah it's that snap link that is missing. Must pick up some of those! The snap link on the other side is a bit bent (first pic) and I have no idea why it slides with those 2 half holes? Why is that link different? That would need fixing too.

Tar.Aldarion

colm_gti wrote: »

Also, some amount of rust for a 500km old chain, you need to wash and lube it frequently if it gets used in crappy weather....my last chain had about 6000kms on it and still looked like new, til I dropped it dropping from the big ring to little ring in anger and snapped it in half

Yeah it's a crazy amount of rust, I just never really looked at the chain (first bike ), I have lube but never used it. Might try and clean it with oven cleaner and lube it up. Then have a look for a snap link or two.

colm_gti

Is that pic the same link, just either side? If so it looks like the pin on one of the snap links broke off and stayed in the chain.

Here is a snap link, you need the 9 speed one.

This should explain how it works

Tar.Aldarion

colm_gti wrote: »

Is that pic the same link, just either side? If so it looks like the pin on one of the snap links broke off and stayed in the chain.

Here is a snap link, you need the 9 speed one.

This should explain how it works

Yeah it's the same link , just the other side. Thanks for that, will give it an order! Sweet video ha.

NeedMoreGears

I wouldn't be inclined to use oven cleaner - it's nasty old stuff. The main ingredient is often sodium hydroxide (caustic soda) which won't do much against rust if you just spray it on. Clean the chain with a brush or chain cleaner, lubricate, cycle for a few hours and re-clean/lubricate. Hopefully the chain will then run smoothly for you. If not replacing a chain is fairly straightforward.

Tar.Aldarion

NeedMoreGears wrote: »

I wouldn't be inclined to use oven cleaner - it's nasty old stuff. The main ingredient is often sodium hydroxide (caustic soda) which won't do much against rust if you just spray it on. Clean the chain with a brush or chain cleaner, lubricate, cycle for a few hours and re-clean/lubricate. Hopefully the chain will then run smoothly for you. If not replacing a chain is fairly straightforward.

Thanks will have a look for some. Also would any luck chain do or do you specify length?

HivemindXX

I don't know whether you need to replace that chain but it really should not look like that after only 500k!

I have a few thousand km on my current chain, I cycle in all weather and I lock it up outside during the day while I'm at work. Once every couple of months I clean it off with a cloth soaked in de-greaser (Pedros Pro-J Degreaser) and re-lube it with a wet lube (Finish Line Wet Lubricant). It looks like a black mess most of the time but when I wipe it off with the degreaser it is not rusty.

I'm way too lazy to engage in the sort of chain care regimen some people use but even the small amount of effort I put in helps.

Tar.Aldarion

Yeah I've not done anything with it once, and it's been rained on a lot. I have that finish line lube at home and a degreaser is on it's way to me http://www.wiggle.co.uk/park-tools-cb2-citrus-chainbrite-chain-cleaner-16oz-bottle/ Just gonna do it up every few weeks at the most. No way will i keep it up more often than that! Better than my current way anyway.

RobFowl

Repair it to get home but replace it after that would be my take.
That chain does look in awful condition tbf...

Tar.Aldarion

I'll see how it cleans up, already walked it home painfully! Must go see how much chains are anyway. I'm looking for a kmc 9 speed chain? With a certain length? to wiggle!

C3PO

RobFowl wrote: »

Repair it to get home but replace it after that would be my take.
That chain does look in awful condition tbf...

I agree, if you can afford it, just replace the chain and look after the new one properly - that one is in a terrible state! Also a real chance that you will end up having to replace chainrings and cassette if you persevere with that one!

NeedMoreGears

Re: chain length - I think they usually come a bit longer than you may need. have a look at chainreaction or similar for chains - they generally specify the number of links. You may need to take out a few links to make it the same length as the old one in which case you'll need a chainbreaker which is a small tool that is used to push out the rivets that hold the chain together.

Seaneh

Tar.Aldarion wrote: »

Yeah it's a crazy amount of rust, I just never really looked at the chain (first bike ), I have lube but never used it. Might try and clean it with oven cleaner and lube it up. Then have a look for a snap link or two.

Buy a chain brush and some degreaser.