Why does my MTB not like / eat chains...

[Tom B]

I have a Boardman Team FS MTB (2016 model)

The bike hates chains!!!

The bike has around 1500miles on it and this is about the 4th time this has happened and there have probably been another case of me spotting lesser damage and sticking in a quick link.
It seems that somehow it strips one of the side plates off the chain, on the inside of the chain.
Having tried to break the other side off to effect an emergency repair, its not an easy feat.

I had just completed a downhill ride and had started a climb, I had not noticed any resistance through the pedals.

I cant figure out what it is catching on to strip off the side plate.

On most occasions it has happened in dirty conditions, on this occasions i was on Scout Moor, which is wet, peaty mud and quite sandy. So not idea chain conditions. I've considered that it might be grot sticking to the lube so tried less lube, and relubing frequently - every 5 miles or so, but it makes little difference and surely folks cant be doing that all the time.

Any ideas? Its getting old and expensive and puts me off the MTB at the moment.

While the chain is not new, it hasnt got to 0.75% yet, I dont think the stock FSA chainring is the best even when new and its got some wear now, I've acquired a shimano crankset and RD, but need to find some reasonable 2x and 10x shifters. But in all honesty i'm loathed to throw too much money at it. I'm considering cutting my losses selling it and buying a half decent hardtail.

On this occasion, I found my tool pack unexpectedly missing my chain tool, so with 1 rubber glove, a co2 bottle, an allen key and rock I managed to take out a section of the chain between the damaged link and the quick link and shorten it to get me home.

Ill call that a draw. - It was cleaned after the last ride, dried and lightly lubed, then relubed before riding.

 

[a.twiddler]

No idea what might be causing it but it is a pretty inspiring example to be able to get your chain running again with " a rubber glove, a CO2 bottle, an allen key and a rock"! I had an occasion a year or two ago when my rear derailleur spat out a jockey wheel and I shortened the chain to get me home but at least I had a chain tool with me. In future, perhaps all I will need to carry is a rock. Maybe two, to be on the safe side. Do Park tools do rocks?

 

[Jody]

Shifting up the cassette in too bigger steps under high load does that. The damage is not necessarily from that shift and could have started earlier.

It's got nothing to do with being a full suss.

 

[Tom B]

Shifting up the cassette in too bigger steps under high load does that. The damage is not necessarily from that shift and could have started earlier.

[/QUOTE]

Ahhh, that could be it! I've always considered myself pretty mechanically sympathetic (hitting parts with rocks on fire roads aside) The rest of my fleet are 7-8 Speed, thinking about it , full presses of the upshift lever probably wouldn't shift as many sprokets on them as it would on the MTB. (Do SRAM shift more than Shimano per press?). Coupled to that the Cassette on the MTB has the biggest range of anything i have by a long way. I'm probably being a bit too eager and smashing it through a massive change in sprocket size.

I've ordered a couple of new chains so we'll see what happens.

It's got nothing to do with being a full suss.

Sorry, I wasn't suggesting it was, more I was thinking a Hardtail is probably more what I want, the FS was a bit of a mid-life crisis purchase wanting to scratch my FS itch. In an ideal world where N+1 is achievable, or at least storable, a FS would be part of the fleet.

Ive got the bits, I need to decide if I want to go the whole hog, get the shifters, get a dropper and stick with it, maybe trying a 1x set up if that's possible, then in a few years sell and buy a hardtail for going forwards.

 

[Tom B]

No idea what might be causing it but it is a pretty inspiring example to be able to get your chain running again with " a rubber glove, a CO2 bottle, an allen key and a rock"! I had an occasion a year or two ago when my rear derailleur spat out a jockey wheel and I shortened the chain to get me home but at least I had a chain tool with me. In future, perhaps all I will need to carry is a rock.

Ive always prided myself on my ability to improvise, though when I opened my tool kit confident in the knowledge the chain tool was in there along with other things and two innertubes, Co2, and a quick link fell out there was a bit of an "uhhhh i dont think i'm going to be back for school finish time" moment

Maybe two, to be on the safe side. Do Park tools do rocks?

I'm sure they'll send you one if you ask..... for a price.

 

[Jody]

Doesn't help with chain being thinner as the rear sprockets increase. My mate snaps chains with his 11 speed but he has a fair amount of power and weight. Makes me cringe when hearing it crunch up the cassette under load.

I see what tour saying on the susser now. They aren't for everyone and nit depends on where you ride. Added complexity/cost but better comfort/handling. Horses for courses.

1x is good but I hate spinning out.

Dropper is a game changer