Chain snapped help.. :(

[suj999]

My bike chain snapped just I got home from a Sunday ride today! (kind of lucky I suppose, it wasn't far away from home), pictures attached



Bike is fairly new about 5 months old and I have probably only covered about 500 miles on it as I only take it out on Sundays. Should I try and contact the shop about warranty? (Rutland.com)

Looking at chains I have no idea what to look for, would really appreciate some help.

The Bike is a Giant Roam 1 (2015 model).
It is a '30 speed' model with 3 gears in the front and 10 in the back, so I'm guessing it needs a 10 speed chain?
The old chain is listed as 'KMC X10 w/ Missing Link' in the spec sheet. So if I was to get one of these

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/kmc-x10-93-10-speed-chain/
would it fit?
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/kmc-x10-sl-silver-10-speed-chain/
Why is the second chain twice as expensive? Which would ppl recommend?

What other tools do I need to fit the chain? Why has the chain broken so quickly?

How do I fit it back together? Do I need this tool?
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/park-tool-chain-brute-chain-tool/

Any thing else?

Sorry fr so many questions.. never had a chain snap on my last bike that I had for over 10 years!

 

[MichaelW2]

You probably should contact Rutland . Chains should last much longer. At the very least, they should send a replacement chain or a master link.
First, is your current chain worn. 500 miles should not cause much wear and if this is the case, then you can remove the broken link and add a 10-speed master link. There are various designs but they should all be tool-free and any 10-speed link should fit any 10-speed chain.
You may need a chain tool to remove the old link. The ParkTool one is about the right grade for occasional amateur work. Many combination biketools have a built-in chaintool and most of them work well enough.
Look on youtube for examples of using a chaintool and practice on an old chain.

 

[fossyant]

The chain is filthy for a Sunday only bike. These things can snap if you aren't mechanically sympathetic.

Just get a new chain.

 

[shouldbeinbed]

Agree with the above re fixing that one. The quicklink (master link) looks like this

You only need one pair and as long as it includes 10 speed in its rating you're ok, they only cost a couple of quid.

Its hard to tell without knowing how you ride your gears if it is a defective chain or if you need to be more careful with front and rear gear combinations but it is definitely worth contacting Rutland for a conversation.

 

[HarryTheDog]

The SL stands for superlight, its a whole 20grammes lighter.( 253 compared to 273)
Notice the small cut out bits in each side plate. Depends if 20 grammes is important to you.

 

[Yellow Saddle]

Your broken chain has absolutely nothing to do with poor assembly or materials. It is the result of al poor shift on your part. See how the 1/2 sideplate is bent outwards at the break? This means the chain was forced sideways by changing gears and forcefully pedaling at the same time. Develop better technique and also learn how to deal with these things on the road. Even experienced riders sometimes do this and then we have to deal with it then and there. Phoning home for recovery is not an option.

 

[mrandmrspoves]

I agree with @Yellow Saddle - poor gear changing is the likeliest cause. Poor maintenance is also evident - but wouldn't have caused the side plate to snap.
Others will disagree with me I'm sure, but I think that the shift from 9 speed to 10 speed has resulted in some chains being more susceptible to lateral damage. (But I am a heathen that still thinks friction shifters were in many ways better than indexed systems!)

 

[suj999]

Agree with the above re fixing that one. The quicklink (master link) looks like this View attachment 141611

You only need one pair and as long as it includes 10 speed in its rating you're ok, they only cost a couple of quid.

Thanks, will have a look at this.

 

[suj999]

Thank you for all the comments, much appreciated.

I think the chain looks dirtier than it is as the picture is taken close up. Have cleaned it about 2 weeks ago with degrease and oiled it back. But the off road tracks I used are really dusty.

About learning to deal with these things on the road, what should I carry with me?

 

[suj999]

So should I get the quicklink set or a new chain?

Is the quicklink a temporary fix or more lasting?

 

[Yellow Saddle]

To fix this on the road you need to carry a chain breaker (tool) and a quick link. Practice lots at home otherwise the two will be useless to you on the road. Plenty of YouTube instruction on how to do it.

 

[bonsaibilly]

**** that - chains cost next to nothing nowadays compared to what most people will shell out for a bike / night out / indulging their childrens' ephemeral whims etc.

Just get a new chain.

 

[shouldbeinbed]

Its up to you between a quick link and a new chain, but you'll find a quick link in pretty much any chain you buy to fix it together when you've threaded it onto the bike. They are a long term fix and a very simple fit. For on the road repairs too, they are tiny and an ideal 'just in case' addition to the toolkit where a full chain isn't really viable to tote around in the rare event of a failure. As for other kit to effect a roadside or home repair. A decent quality multitool with chain tool on would be a good investment.
Topeak Alien for example of a good all rounder tool, not made of cheese & at a reasonable price.
You can get specific chain tools too for a few quid but like a track pump vs mini one, tends to be an at home tool vs a more portable on the road option.

 

[mrandmrspoves]

**** that - chains cost next to nothing nowadays compared to what most people will shell out for a bike / night out / indulging their childrens' ephemeral whims etc.

Just get a new chain.

I would agree. I don't like waste - but a chain that has snapped is likely to have sustained damage in more than one place and you really don't want to find this out while standing on the pedals going up a hill!

 

[Yellow Saddle]

I would agree. I don't like waste - but a chain that has snapped is likely to have sustained damage in more than one place and you really don't want to find this out while standing on the pedals going up a hill!

Whilst I understand your rather-be-safe-than-sorry approach and acknowledge that it is the best advice to give to a beginner who's chain you cannot inspect, the reality is slightly different. A chain damaged like that (side-plate bent and popped off the rivet) can only be damaged across one link. Make that half a link if we want to be technically correct. Repairing or replacing that link does not leave you with half-broken links elsewhere unless you keep on doing the same mistake over and over again. The mistake has to be rectified otherwise it will happen with the new chain as well.
Links break like this at a very specific point in the link's travels around the drivetrain. The way a shifter works is to, at the bottom of the cassette where the chain I is slack, bend the chain so that one link is on one sprocket and the immediate link after that is on the next sprocket. As that crossover travels from slack (bottom) to tension (top), it is vulnerable at the 5-to-twelve position where the transition between slack and tension is immediate. At that point there mustn't be tension on the chain and most of us have learnt to instinctively ease off when shifting. But, should you not ease off, only that transitional link gets broken, nothing else. We know this because no other part of the chain is bent at that stage. Further, the quick nature of the failure prevents this for occurring half-way across many links. The reason for this is that the chain either breaks completely or the leading edge of the outer plate separates from the pin, gapes open and then gets caught in the jockey cage at the back as it travels backwards.
There is no opportunity for multiple half-broken links.