Broken chain link

[jorgemartin]

Hello, I installed a new chain (SRAM 8 speed) to my bike two weeks ago. I have one chainring (38T) and a 8 speed rear derailleur. The first day I rode my bike with the new chain on, one link came off (it was sort of mangled). I guessed that I hadn't connected the chain properly and that the chain was too short and tight. I replaced the faulty link and made the chain a bit longer. Today, barely a week after the first incident, a new link has become mangled. Is the chain too short? Have I done a bad job at reconnecting the links? Or is it that my setup (single chainring, 8 speed rear derailleur) is going to cause too much stress on the chain? Any ideas?

 

[andrew_s]

Provided the chain is long enough to change gear into the large sprocket, it is long enough.

I'd suggest using a connecting link rather than driving the pin back in with a chain tool. This will avoid the chance of a bad join.
Connecting links also come from SRAM (powerlink) and KMC (missing link) as well as the Wipperman in the hotlink above. Google before buying - I just went for easy to find rather than cheap.

I would expect it was just a bad rejoining job, but there have been cases of bad batches of chains (mostly 10 or 11 speed). If you used a joining link before, inspect the rest of the chain for cracks by the rivets.