Have you broken a chain?

[steve mercier]

My sister in law broke a chain around at about 1000 km on her new bike , but my wife and I have never had a break in over 36000 km of riding. That makes me wonder if we are very lucky or is she very unlucky? Please feel free to share your chain mileage and breakage stories here.

 

[indianajo]

Never. I wore one 15 speed chain so badly it was skipping over the middle sprocket which had the tips worn off, but it didn't break.
I actually bought a park chain measurement tool for the 24 speed bike left, and when I got it wear was at 100% at ~5000 miles. changed to bright plated KMC chain. Mostly pedal powered miles; I use the hub motor for bad headwind days and hills in excess of 50.
Yuba bought real carbon steel for their chains & spokes, no lead/tin/aluminum/copper "steel". At least in 2017. No spoke tightening either on the yuba wheels. (Power wheel from ebikeling needed spoke tightening @ ~3000 miles).

 

[TheEqualiser]

Never had a bike chain go on me but I did once "lose" a motorcycle chain - I couldn't understand why when I stopped at the traffic lights that the thing wouldn't go again when I put it in gear. I took me a while to work out that there was no chain there any longer. It must have come off while I was slowing down for the red light.

A friend of mine was once riding across Canada on a motorcycle and had a chain break on him in the middle of nowhere. He was all alone (back in the 80s) nowhere near any help. He managed to link the chain back up using a wire fastener from a sandwich bag and limp to the next town where there was no motorcycle shop but an agricultural machinery repair shop had the correct sized link because it was the same size as a camchain from a tractor (or something). Now that's lucky!

 

[6zfshdb]

I haven't had any chain trouble with close to 3000 miles on my 3 rear hub motor bikes. Hub motors are a bit easier on chains though since they don't transmit motor power to the wheels like mid drives.

I did break a chain after around 5K miles on one of my conventional Trek MTB's . That was before I got serious about chain maintenance though. No issues at all since I started treating them properly.

 

[rich c]

11,500 accumulated miles on several different eBikes, no broken chains.

 

[ruffruff]

Guy riding the trail behind me last week did. On a non-e bike. He had to walk it out 5 miles!

 

[Gionnirocket]

Guy riding the trail behind me last week did. On a non-e bike. He had to walk it out 5 miles!

Haha... I saw him this afternoon

 

[Sifu Ben]

I did break a Campagnolo Chorus chain on my Litespeed (non-electric). My minitool had a chain tool so it was a relatively easy fix once I figured out how to use it. I was going uphill when the chain broke.

 

[Dallant]

Never in my many, many years of bicycling. Maybe it’s because I’ve always been more of a ‘spinner’ than a pusher. Ebikes put more stress on chains from what I’ve heard so I do have some concerns.

 

[steve mercier]

Specially designed bike repair equipment is really convenient, but there will be times when all of a sudden you need to repair or replace your bike chain without special tools. Disconnecting the main link without special tools can be very complicated. To do this, you can use any substitute to master the link pliers as long as they can reach between the chainplates and pull or tighten both links until they disconnect.

Or just carry a master link and a park tool master link tool. They are not bulky or heavy or expensive.

 

[AHicks]

No broken chains, ever....

 

[Nvreloader]

FWIW,
Breaking a chain is of a great concern with me, riding the back country miles from any help or base camp, that the reason I went with a Mid drive bike,
I don't really like/trust the derailleur/shifter setup, but have no choice.

So I started playing around and found out I can fit a chain to make a single loop from the motor to the rear axle, in whatever gear I need to get me back home or base camp, via bypassing the derailleur/shifter setup and make it a single speed drive etc.

I would think that the same bypass could be done with rear HD motor also.
That's the reason for a new chain and several quick links in my bike pack along with the required tools.

 

[m@Robertson]

Specially designed bike repair equipment is really convenient, but there will be times when all of a sudden you need to repair or replace your bike chain without special tools. Disconnecting the main link without special tools can be very complicated. To do this, you can use any substitute to master the link pliers as long as they can reach between the chainplates and pull or tighten both links until they disconnect.

The typical recommendation to remove a master chain link without tools is a shoelace. Works a treat. Resetting a new link can be done holding the bike in place and pressing on the crankarm with your foot as if you are pedaling.

With that said I carry the proper tools. A mini chain breaker (Park mini brute), dual action chain pliers, a couple of reusable (!) links and yes... a spare chain.

In I don't know how many thousands of miles worth of riding, over years and now seven different high powered ebikes (52v/30a/1750w-capable BBSHDs) I have never once broken a chain. And there's no reason to think I ever will. BTW my eighth bike has a 4kw Cyc X1 motor on it. Still no breaks.
If you have been riding an ebike as transportation for enough years you have seen plenty of things go wrong that have little chance of happening. I try to only carry whats likely to be used, but the chain issue is such a major one I make an exception.

How To Ride a Mid Drive Ebike Without Breaking It

If you can ride a bicycle you already know how to ride a hub drive ebike. Not so a mid drive. Particularly a powerful one that can tear your chain apart. Fear not. The rules are simple.

talesontwowheels.com

 

[6zfshdb]

FWIW,
Breaking a chain is of a great concern with me, riding the back country miles from any help or base camp, that the reason I went with a Mid drive bike,
I don't really like/trust the derailleur/shifter setup, but have no choice.

Actually, a bike with rear hub motor is a better choice if you're concerned about chain / derailleur failure. Hub motors can be activated using a throttle or PAS/cadence sensor when you have a drive train failure.

Hubs aren't great on extreme grades though so there is a tradeoff.

 

[Nvreloader]

6Z & MR Thanks
When I was researching which bike to get for the riding I want to do,
I felt the mid drives were the best for me, as I was going to use it as my pack mule to get big game quarters off the Mtn using a single wheel trailer etc.
Hub drives just don't have the power required for this type of work,
That's where I first learned of the MD breaking chains and I figured out a way around that problem.
I am still setting up this ride and learning, a steep hill to begin on. LOL
Don

 

[indianajo]

I felt the mid drives were the best for me, as I was going to use it as my pack mule to get big game quarters off the Mtn using a single wheel trailer etc.
Hub drives just don't have the power required for this type of work,

I've walked home a few times. Once when the spare tube blew up as soon as I inflated it. Another time the ball bearing in the rear axle fell out.
At my age I'm more at risk of breaking a leg or pelvis or cardio or brain event, than breaking a chain. I sprained my foot in March pedaling into a 40 mph headwind (no battery in March) and couldn't walk right for three weeks. I carry a cell phone but even east of the Mississippi I am frequently out of cell phone service. I'm thinking of carrying a Garmin Inreach with sattellite service

 

[Nvreloader]

Indi,
Yep, I know what you mean, about 80% of the time I am without cell Ph service,
but I do have my sat Ph and it works anywhere, so far.
Tia,
Don

 

[m@Robertson]

about 80% of the time I am without cell Ph service,
but I do have my sat Ph and it works anywhere, so far.

what are you using for a sat phone provider? When I'm out camping (Courtright Reservoir or Wishon Reservoir, these days) I'm just as isolated with no Plan C.

 

[Nvreloader]

Matt
I have a dedicated Sat PH, that I use when I am trapping in the dead of winter,
I'll have to dig it out if you want the name etc.
Works very well, even at -20*-30*, wife made me get it so I could call her every night
for a security check etc.
Tia,
Don

 

[m@Robertson]

Matt
I have a dedicated Sat PH, that I use when I am trapping in the dead of winter,
I'll have to dig it out if you want the name etc.
Works very well, even at -20*-30*, wife made me get it so I could call her every night
for a security check etc.
Tia,
Don

Nah thats ok. I sort of go look at this subject every few months and then waffle about what to do. Looks to me like the Iridium GO! product is the easiest for true global connectivity, but something like a Zoleo or a Spot X is where I'd end up as all I am really after is a remote-location SOS capability.