Chain snap

[jonny jeez]

5k into my ride home last night and my chain gave out. Hard to think of what best to do when you're stranded with a bike that is next to useless without a chain tool.

Ended up cabbing to back to the office and grabbing the motorbike (which was fortunatley left in the works garage) home.

So now what? Do i need to replace the chain or just fix it, do i need a new block or should my current one suffice?

As a secondary point, on two occasions i've noticed the cassette make a wobbly move when free wheeled, for like 5 seconds along with a cranky noise.

Perhaps its time for a whole new drive system, mines clocked a few miles since new.

Either way, i doubt i'll ride a lot more this week.

Bummer

 

[BrumJim]

New chain = new block, I'm afraid.

 

[HLaB]

If you need a new chain you'll almost certainly need a new block. As a very short term measure you can fix the chain if you can't afford a new block but if you do that you'll need to carry a chain tool and quick link until you can afford a new chain and block.

 

[TonyEnjoyD]

Touch wood not appended to me but I routinely carry a snap-link and splitter.

As well as he chain and cassette check the main rings for shark-toothing too.

I remember back in '80 a week before a cycling hol to Norfolk with a mate he swore it wasn't worth carrying soare chain... Until his snapped 2-days before we left.
Thankfully never needed it though.

 

[jonny jeez]

Block and chain replaced, back in the saddle tonight.

Who said cycling to work saves you money?

 

[fossyant]

Block and chain replaced, back in the saddle tonight.

Who said cycling to work saves you money?

Nobody Running 4 bikes sees to that !

 

[Stevie Mcluskey]

Mate in the work has snapped two in the last few months one where the joining link thing gave out after only 200 mile in on a new Trek.
I bought a cheapo chain tool with a couple of spare quick links included from Asda of all places the other week. Probably not best quality but cheap and hopefully do in an emergency.

 

[Maz]

Block and chain replaced, back in the saddle tonight.

Who said cycling to work saves you money?

What is a block? Is it the cassette?

 

[Rohloff_Brompton_Rider]

Yep

 

[GlenBen]

It saves money if you ride a bso and dont replace any parts until they fall off.

 

[DWiggy]

I've spent a small fortune keeping my steely on the road, chains, bearings, breaks, cassettes, could have myself a nice bike by now.
I'm amazed at how quickly parts ware out especially commuting in all weathers?.....love it though

 

[Rob3rt]

Now buy a KMC quick link and a small chain tool (or carry around with you a bit of extra chain), next time, pop the snapped link off and put the quick link in to get you home

 

[Maz]

As a secondary point, on two occasions i've noticed the cassette make a wobbly move when free wheeled, for like 5 seconds along with a cranky noise.

Could be freehub is knackered. Does the cassette wobble from side to side more than a couple of mm?

 

[Crankarm]

New chain = new block, I'm afraid.

Why?

Not in my experience.

 

[adds21]

Why?

Not in my experience.

Because the cassette and chain get worn at the same rate. In my experience if you change the chain before it gets 100% worn, you can usually get away without replacing the cassette, but if you leave it too long (as I did last weekend), you'll get so much slippage with a new chain than you'll have to change the cassette too.