CHAINS!!!! AARRRGH!!! Has this ever happened to you?

[faded1004]

arg, just wanted to post... my first chain (i have been biking for a few months only), which is a sram 991, broke for the third time now. i want to give sram another try before i move to shimano. i want to try out the hollow pin version which i think is a 1 step better?

good for me, it broke at right at the end of my summit climb, fixed the chain and single speeded it down and back to the car...

my habits:

always try to change not under load
dry lube and wax lube before rides
clean every 3 rides

[Kritter]

Im 260lbs and hammer the shit out of my bike with a sram chain...never had a problem and just ordered another. It had to be a bad lot of chains.

and like has been said...lube your chain and clean your chain every ride.

[Edog]

I have run SRAM chains for a long time without any issues, but they were 970's. I replaced the chains on both my bike in Jan with new 950's. They have repeatedly snapped on both bikes, I think one had 4 quick links in it at 1 point.
I just went back to 970's so I hope thats the end of that!

[Kritter]

Originally Posted by thephat

Should have knocked on wood.

This is funny. I have heard this one too. I have not seen this pattern myself, but I have heard it from seemingly reliable folks. I think maybe it has to do with folks neglecting the chain, then giving it some love before they test it hard on a tuff ride. Or maybe you lubed your chain becuase it was making noises, but maybe the noise was from the chain starting to fail.

Or maybe I'm nuts, and lubricant can be bad for Sram chains.

One thing I know is that I have not seen this with folks who lubricate frequently, like every ride or so.

i lube daily and im still ordering a chain, rings, and cassette because its time.

[jbiron]

In over 30 years of riding I've never broken a chain, shimano, wipperman, sram, or kmc. Just clean and relube when they're dirty and change 'em according to the chain checker.

[Kritter]

Originally Posted by Kritter

Im 260lbs and hammer the shit out of my bike with a sram chain...never had a problem and just ordered another. It had to be a bad lot of chains.

and like has been said...lube your chain and clean your chain every ride.

Must have jinxed myself...I was out on a ride today and broke the chain on a flat paved street. Chain was from the path so I doubt it was a bad lot if the initial post was from In cycle and this one from the Path at far apart times. The chain had less then 30 miles on it and is cleaned and lubed between the 3 rides. On top of that...new cassette and chain rings were installed at the same time.

Any kind of warranty on these SRAM chains? It was a 951 I think. I put an XT on so hopefully that doesnt break. My biggest fear is my SS since I get out of the saddle whereas my geared bike I never get out of the saddle.

[downhiller91]

iv had that same problem but it was with a shimano...
i later figured out there was a bent tooth on my second chain ring that kept snaping the chains

[RidetheRAAM4]

I have had problems with shimano chains

Brand new Shimano Chain and BOOM it breaks so I just shorten the chain up by taking that link and a few surrounding ones and BOOM same thing again. In the middle of one of those 12 hrs of temecula races. Atleast it was near the begining of the lap so i didnt have to walk back too far.

And the lap prior to that I had a different shimano chain and I a similar problem. I was at the end of the lap when it started acting up so I just ran up the hills and coasted down the other side.

Since then I have been a sram chain buyer and have not had a single problem yet.

Originally Posted by thephat

Should have knocked on wood.

This is funny. I have heard this one too. I have not seen this pattern myself, but I have heard it from seemingly reliable folks. I think maybe it has to do with folks neglecting the chain, then giving it some love before they test it hard on a tuff ride. Or maybe you lubed your chain becuase it was making noises, but maybe the noise was from the chain starting to fail.

Or maybe I'm nuts, and lubricant can be bad for Sram chains.

One thing I know is that I have not seen this with folks who lubricate frequently, like every ride or so.

A chain that does not need lube?

I don't think there are any chains right now for any application from any manufacturer that do not require lube. They are working on some designs to hopefully reduce or remove the need for lubrications, but I don't think a no lube chain exists.

[Pho'dUp]

Originally Posted by faded1004

i want to try out the hollow pin version which i think is a 1 step better?

If you're having problems breaking chains, going to a hollow pin is DEFINITELY not the answer. I've seen a few buds have these grenade on them.

Are crossing the chain up a lot under loads?

I've used SRAM and Shimano both and found both to work well. Only breakage issues I've had that weren't complete human error was due to poor Singlespeed chainline or old flexy steel frames causing the chains to pull apart laterally.

[Kritter]

No cross chaining in my situation...I am pretty much middle middle all day long and thats as straight as she gets.

[DHS]

you guys do know that there are 4 different ways to install a chain?

and shimano only recommends 1 of those.

i've been running sachs/sram chains for 12years now. sure i've tried shimano on and off. but that pin method sucks. and even now shimanos' new dura-ace chain for 09 has a power link.

i've snapped a couple of chains, but if you go back and look how they've snapped. you can usually see what was the issue. mostly happens when a chain is stretched. or for you single speed guys. i've seen only half the chain stretched before.

also a cassette can last through 1-5 chains, it just matters if you know when to change them.

[DISCO]

I have broken quite a few but have had great luck on this bike. I would take a closer look at components I.E. I have blown half a dozen free hub bodies and cracked two XT cassette spiders but for some reason not many chains? Might just be that Shimano is better than SRAM but I wouldn't know because I only ride the former. Is there a common parts selection to watch for here.

Maybe bad pulleys, loose Rder or hanger, cassette not tight or bent chain rings.