Chain trouble

[johnridley]

I had the master link let go on my chain today on the way home. Weird. I've been told that those 2-parters don't re-use well, but the last one I had got reused at least a dozen times without trouble. This one had been taken off exactly once last time I cleaned the chain, and it came apart. As with last time (several years ago) it happened when downshifting.

No big deal, I carry a spare, I just walked back, picked up the chain, looked around a bit and found 1/2 of the master link (surprised I found that much, it was a gravel road), got out a new master link and remounted the chain. Back on the road in about 3 minutes.

I suppose I might think about picking up a Park Cyclone cleaner so I don't have to take the chain off the bike to clean it.

Comments

[c0nsumer.livejournal.com]

I'm really, really surprised that'd happen. Thinking about the normal forces on a chain, something really odd would have to happen to relieve tension on it and push back enough to allow it to pop open.

[johnridley.livejournal.com]

It's happened to me before. It always happens on downshift, under power. Last night I was traversing a freshly-graded chunk of gravel road that was crazy rough, going very slowly to avoid pinch flats, up a hill.

When those master links are new, they snap into place. The last one I used, by the time I took it out of service, there was barely a detent. But it never let go on me. Maybe I'll put it back in service.