Chain snapped,6.7 mile walk home.

[vickster]

£18 or so for ETA membership. I'm generally rarely more than a mile or two from a station where I ride so not bothered this year. I always carry a bank card though. Punctures I can fix, anything else pretty much not a chance. And I couldn't physically walk 7 miles in cycling shoes anyhow

 

[boydj]

While a broken chain is a relatively rare occurence, a chain tool and spare link take up very little room in the toolkit, so well worth carrying.

 

[ColinJ]

I think chain braking and new mountain bike is more of a concern? Brand new bike or new to you?

The same thing happened to my friend Carrie's new mountain bike's chain. She had only done about 50 miles on the bike when the chain snapped. She only weighs about 7 stone and was pedalling up a very minor slope at the time so the chain wasn't exactly being given a hammering. We were halfway down one side of Loch Etive so it would have been a long walk back. Fortunately, I always carry a multitool and spare quick links so I repaired the chain and we were on our way in about 5 minutes.

I have repaired chains for several other riders over the years and finally had to repair a broken chain of my own about two years ago.

 

[lazyfatgit]

Just looked at the chain and the link has pulled apart and is bent.
Would you ask for a new chain? or be happy with this one being repaired?

Just get them to put a quicklink in. Then you’ll be able to remove chain easily for future maintenance.

Have a think about how the chain broke. What were you doing at the time? I found moving from 8 speed to 10 speed that the narrower chains break more with bad shifting habits.

 

[Donger]

Happened to me in the wilds of Arkengarthdale a few miles short of the Tan Hill Inn earlier this year. The absolute back of beyond.

Fortunately a clubmate had it happen to him a couple of weeks earlier, and we realised that we had precious little kit between us to sort him out, and that got me thinking. So I had just invested in a packet of quick links, and I made sure I'd packed my chain tool before heading off into the wilds. Result: 20 minutes of muttering profanities and a bit of oily trial and error, then back on the road. Will never leave home without the kit again.

 

[Lonestar]

I always aimed to arrive at work a quarter of an hour early, if I didn't have a mechanical/puncture then I'd have time for a brew and a fag before I started work.

Generally I get there at least 30 mins early but I have my reasons.

I'm on at 0455 today but I am to get there at 0415.Have to get prepared for shift and have some food at work before start.

 

[PaulSB]

That’s pretty much how I see it, too. I take a multi tool, spare tube and two cyclinders of co2 but the most versatile tools I carry are a £20 note and a credit card so I know I should be able to get a cab home if needed.

Me too but no CO2. I also carry a quick link, 10 and 11 speed links taped inside the cover of my multi tool. A small pen knife and tweezers to extract thorns from tyres.

In the saddlebag of my hydraulic disc brake bike I have a small piece of plastic to place between the calipers

 

[Ajax Bay]

Tyre levers
Spare tube (2 for a long ride)
Tyre boot
Safety pin
glueless patches and sandpaper square (2cm x 2cm)
Pump
Presta to Shrader adaptor
Latex gloves
2 x jelly babies
Allen keys x 3 (5, 6 and 8mm - one with cross head screwdriver head on one end)
10mm spanner (for mudguards)
Spoke key
Chain splitter
Chain 'quicklink'
Spare cleat bolt
Spare M8 bolt (w/nut)
2 x velcro straps (thin ie 9mm)
4 x zip ties (various width length)
Scalpel
Superglue

Total weight 360g, plus

Debit card
£20 note
ETA emergency rescue cover
Phone

 

[Sea of vapours]

...
Safety pin
...

What is that for beyond 'generally being able to pin things in a safe manner' then?

 

[Ajax Bay]

Safety pin

What is that for

To pick out tiny slivers or bits of wire in tyres (normally as part of a post puncture tube replacement).
Secondary potential clothing repair use.
Tertiary zip repair (bag or clothing)

 

[andrew_s]

I have a couple of quick links in a box of Park instant patches in the purse along with my money.
Proper rides have the chain tool bit of the multitool in the saddlebag, unladen town rides have to make do with hoping that the screwdriver bit of a SAK will get the bits of broken link off.

 

[Jody]

Result: 20 minutes of muttering profanities and a bit of oily trial and error, then back on the road. Will never leave home without the kit again.

If you want the easy way of doing it then insert quick link, hold the back brake and put your weight on the cranks. Wait for the reasuring tap then ride off.

 

[Andrew_P]

Tyre levers
Spare tube (2 for a long ride)
Tyre boot
Safety pin
glueless patches and sandpaper square (2cm x 2cm)
Pump
Presta to Shrader adaptor
Latex gloves
2 x jelly babies
Allen keys x 3 (5, 6 and 8mm - one with cross head screwdriver head on one end)
10mm spanner (for mudguards)
Spoke key
Chain splitter
Chain 'quicklink'
Spare cleat bolt
Spare M8 bolt (w/nut)
2 x velcro straps (thin ie 9mm)
4 x zip ties (various width length)
Scalpel
Superglue

Total weight 360g, plus

Debit card
£20 note
ETA emergency rescue cover
Phone

My only bits are two tubes, a pump, Co2 cheapo multi tool wallet phone - Only had to use the wallet\phone once to get home in 40k miles of cycling and that was because had not put the pin in properly on a new Shimano chain and ignored the tapping noise and I didn't fancy the walk as it was pishing down

 

[Lozz360]

While a broken chain is a relatively rare occurence, a chain tool and spare link take up very little room in the toolkit, so well worth carrying.

Relatively rare but probably the most likely cause of a breakdown next to a sudden deflation event.

 

[Lozz360]

Just get them to put a quicklink in. Then you’ll be able to remove chain easily for future maintenance.

Have a think about how the chain broke. What were you doing at the time? I found moving from 8 speed to 10 speed that the narrower chains break more with bad shifting habits.

The only difference between a 10-speed chain and an 8-speed is the rivets are shorter on the 10-speed. Therefore, the higher the number of speeds the stronger the chain, no?