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Dogtrousers
Kilometre nibbler
Chain failures are relatively (I'd say very) rare, so as @User notes, it depends how far you're riding.
Nothing: short rides, rides on a folding bike in public transport areas
Spare tubes, tyre levers, pump/CO2: regular rides
Chain tool, spare quick link, tyre boot, allen keys* for tightening things up: longer rides (and being helpful to others on the road)
Puncture repair kit and patches: longer rides or short and very unfortunate rides
Spare cables, spokes, brake blocks, spare folding tyres etc: touring/back of beyond
Crank extractors, BB removal tools, Cassette remover**, chain whip: In a box at home
* Yes, I realise not all bikes work with just allen keys. You may need spanners.
** There is a clever one that you can carry with you.
Nothing: short rides, rides on a folding bike in public transport areas
Spare tubes, tyre levers, pump/CO2: regular rides
Chain tool, spare quick link, tyre boot, allen keys* for tightening things up: longer rides (and being helpful to others on the road)
Puncture repair kit and patches: longer rides or short and very unfortunate rides
Spare cables, spokes, brake blocks, spare folding tyres etc: touring/back of beyond
Crank extractors, BB removal tools, Cassette remover**, chain whip: In a box at home
* Yes, I realise not all bikes work with just allen keys. You may need spanners.
** There is a clever one that you can carry with you.
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Roadrider48
Voice of the people
- Location
- Londonistan
Where is the option for carrying a spare bike?
I think you've covered everything friend.
Thanks for your help covering this issue
Mostly journeys of maybe 25 miles return
As little as possible.
Just need to assess the "What If" situation should you break down at the furthest point from home.
- Can you walk back?
- Is there somebody at the other end of a phone?
- Are you in a group.
The minimum I carry is a pump, tyre levers and spare tube and never in a rucksack. Always in a small, under the saddle bag, so there is no chance of forgetting it.
Re specifically chain links - a chain tool/breaker would enable you to shorten and rejoin a chain and get you home.
One other tip - what ever you "fixed" the day before - always take the tools needed for the fix. It often needs another tweak that you only notice when out on the road.
Good luck
Keith
Apollonius
Veteran
- Location
- South Staffordshire
One of the riders in our club broke her chain yesterday. I had 10 and 11 speed quick-links, but not a 9! Fortunately someone was able to use my excellent Park Tools compact chain tool to re-rivet the chain to a shorter length to finish the ride. Good skills. I think I would have struggled to do that by the roadside.
Pretty much this. Get yourself a decent-ish saddlebag that you can just leave on the bike, it should have the above. I'd also second the topeak nexus tool, pretty decent, although I also carry a separate pair of park tyre levers. I don't carry a spare chain link, as I'll just fix the chain, if it breaks there is a strong chance you'll have to remove a link or two anyway to use the quicklink, so save yourself the hassle and just carry the tool. Practice on a spare bit of chain first though.
Salty seadog
Space Cadet...(3rd Class...)
Yep....
Ajax Bay
Guru
- Location
- East Devon
Most people carry a spare tube, a set of levers, a tiny packet of 'glueless' patches (in case you get more than one puncture on a ride), and a pump. It's prudent to carry the allen keys you need (8 and 6? - often only two so several on a multitool are redundant) and a screwdriver (can be on the other end of an allen key). Worth carrying a 'tyre boot' to cope with a slashed side wall (though very likely you'll be able make do with road litter) and a couple of zip ties can help solve a variety of problems. Emergency food. Mobile phone. Debit card.
Need to be able to use all the above. No good just carrying it!
As others have said, a broken chain is rare but if you want to be prepared for that (because it really is a showstopper), a chain tool and a 'quick link' are needed. You can do without the quick link but given its minimal size and weight why would you and takes the risk and faff out of forcing the pin back into the sideplate (so I disagree with @si_c here).
As always, @Dogtrousers gives sound advice with his graduated set of lists.
Need to be able to use all the above. No good just carrying it!
As others have said, a broken chain is rare but if you want to be prepared for that (because it really is a showstopper), a chain tool and a 'quick link' are needed. You can do without the quick link but given its minimal size and weight why would you and takes the risk and faff out of forcing the pin back into the sideplate (so I disagree with @si_c here).
As always, @Dogtrousers gives sound advice with his graduated set of lists.
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slowmotion
Quite dreadful
- Location
- lost somewhere
Spare links weigh nothing and a compact chain tool doesn't either. I never believed that chains broke if you made sure that chain wear was within a reasonable limit ( less than 0.5%?). I was unpleasantly surprised a month or so ago. The two mile walk home shocked me out of my complacency.
I'd say chain wear and chain breakage are unrelated. Chain wear and chain skip or rubbish changing is another matter.
slowmotion
Quite dreadful
- Location
- lost somewhere
I think my breakage was due to wear on the side plates due to a badly aligned front derailler, and also a fair bit of rubbish changing/cross chaining. My guess is that triples attract more crises than compacts.
Yellow Saddle
Guru
- Location
- Loch side.
Listen to Uncle Tim. You cannot wear a chain enough to make it break.
slowmotion
Quite dreadful
- Location
- lost somewhere
Thank-you! All along, I knew it was the awesome power that I could put out through my god-like legs....
