2 broken 10sp chains in two weeks?

Scott Gordo

I've got an Ultegra 6600 setup with FSA Gossamer cranks, all pretty
much new (roughly 1000 miles so far.) First chain was a KMC DX10 which
snapped a couple weeks ago. I'd hung the bike up wet and left it in a
basement for a few weeks, and by the time I picked it up spots of rust
were visible on the chain. I measured it for stretch but found none,
lubed and cleaned it, but it snapped while in a lowish gear easing
away from a stop light. I figured that I'd have to chalk it up to
rust.

I picked up a new Shimano 105 chain, removed extra links, used their
rivet to connect, checked it for stiff links, but that chain also
snapped after maybe 30 miles of easy use at one of the regular rivets
(not the installation one).

Naturally, I checked the rings and cogs for anything seriously askew
but couldn't find it. The derrailleur alignment looks pretty good.
It's a 53/39 and 12-23 setup so there's no crazy gearing, and I
maintain as straightish a chainline as reasonably possible. In all,
the drivetrain runs pretty smoothly.

I reconnected the 105 chain with a KMC 10sp connector and I'm crossing
my fingers.

Bad luck? Something else to look for? It's annoying having to ride so
gingerly.

joseph.santaniello@gmail.com

On Apr 28, 6:34*pm, Scott Gordo <blubberp...@gmail.com> wrote:
> I've got an Ultegra 6600 setup with FSA Gossamer cranks, all pretty
> much new (roughly 1000 miles so far.) First chain was a KMC DX10 which
> snapped a couple weeks ago. I'd hung the bike up wet and left it in a
> basement for a few weeks, and by the time I picked it up spots of rust
> were visible on the chain. I measured it for stretch but found none,
> lubed and cleaned it, but it snapped while in a lowish gear easing
> away from a stop light. I figured that I'd have to chalk it up to
> rust.
>
> I picked up a new Shimano 105 chain, removed extra links, used their
> rivet to connect, checked it for stiff links, but that chain also
> snapped after maybe 30 miles of easy use at one of the regular rivets
> (not the installation one).
>
> Naturally, I checked the rings and cogs for anything seriously askew
> but couldn't find it. The derrailleur alignment looks pretty good.
> It's a 53/39 and 12-23 setup so there's no crazy gearing, and I
> maintain as straightish a chainline as reasonably possible. In all,
> the drivetrain runs pretty smoothly.
>
> I reconnected the 105 chain with a KMC 10sp connector and I'm crossing
> my fingers.
>
> Bad luck? Something else to look for? It's annoying having to ride so
> gingerly.

I just snapped a new-ish 6600 chain the other day. One of the side
plates snapped at a rivet. Not an installation rivet. I replaced with
a KMC SL10 chain. Nice crisp shifts.

As for rust, my previous 6600 chain routinely had rust spots after
just one day of sitting wet. Didn't seem to affect things. I replaced
it due to stretch (wear).

It's a fluke. Don't let it make you ride gingerly.

Joseph

jobst.brandt@stanfordalumni.org

Joseph Santaniello wrote:

>> I've got an Ultegra 6600 setup with FSA Gossamer cranks, all pretty
>> much new (roughly 1000 miles so far.) First chain was a KMC DX10
>> which snapped a couple weeks ago. I'd hung the bike up wet and
>> left it in a basement for a few weeks, and by the time I picked it
>> up spots of rust were visible on the chain. I measured it for
>> stretch but found none, lubed and cleaned it, but it snapped while
>> in a lowish gear easing away from a stop light. I figured that I'd
>> have to chalk it up to rust.

>> I picked up a new Shimano 105 chain, removed extra links, used
>> their rivet to connect, checked it for stiff links, but that chain
>> also snapped after maybe 30 miles of easy use at one of the regular
>> rivets (not the installation one).

>> Naturally, I checked the rings and cogs for anything seriously
>> askew but couldn't find it. The derailleur alignment looks pretty
>> good. It's a 53/39 and 12-23 setup so there's no crazy gearing,
>> and I maintain as straight a chainline as reasonably possible.
>> In all, the drivetrain runs pretty smoothly.

>> I reconnected the 105 chain with a KMC 10sp connector and I'm
>> crossing my fingers.

>> Bad luck? Something else to look for? It's annoying having to ride so
>> gingerly.

> I just snapped a new-ish 6600 chain the other day. One of the side
> plates snapped at a rivet. Not an installation rivet. I replaced
> with a KMC SL10 chain. Nice crisp shifts.

> As for rust, my previous 6600 chain routinely had rust spots after
> just one day of sitting wet. Didn't seem to affect things. I
> replaced it due to stretch (wear).

> It's a fluke. Don't let it make you ride gingerly.

My experience with chain failure was with SRAM chains that were
improperly heat treated, causing microscopic cracks in side plates
where pins were pressed in during manufacture. I scrapped the whole
lot of 10 chains after two failures after I was motivated to inspect a
representative sample of side plates.

The descriptions above didn't give me a clear idea of location and
appearance of failures, In trying to attribute cause, I fall back on
my only experience with chain failure. Others have reported side
plates separating from the ends of pins which can be attributed to
broaching by sharp edged chain pins that were re-used.

Jobst Brandt

Jay Beattie

On Apr 28, 9:34*am, Scott Gordo <blubberp...@gmail.com> wrote:
> I've got an Ultegra 6600 setup with FSA Gossamer cranks, all pretty
> much new (roughly 1000 miles so far.) First chain was a KMC DX10 which
> snapped a couple weeks ago. I'd hung the bike up wet and left it in a
> basement for a few weeks, and by the time I picked it up spots of rust
> were visible on the chain. I measured it for stretch but found none,
> lubed and cleaned it, but it snapped while in a lowish gear easing
> away from a stop light. I figured that I'd have to chalk it up to
> rust.
>
> I picked up a new Shimano 105 chain, removed extra links, used their
> rivet to connect, checked it for stiff links, but that chain also
> snapped after maybe 30 miles of easy use at one of the regular rivets
> (not the installation one).
>
> Naturally, I checked the rings and cogs for anything seriously askew
> but couldn't find it. The derrailleur alignment looks pretty good.
> It's a 53/39 and 12-23 setup so there's no crazy gearing, and I
> maintain as straightish a chainline as reasonably possible. In all,
> the drivetrain runs pretty smoothly.
>
> I reconnected the 105 chain with a KMC 10sp connector and I'm crossing
> my fingers.
>
> Bad luck? Something else to look for? It's annoying having to ride so
> gingerly.

I can't imagine anything about your set up that would account for the
failure of two different brands of chain -- unless you are dropping
them between your crank and BB or bending the hell ouf of them
shifting somehow. I could imagine a big side load popping a link
plate off a pin. Do you have bent link plates? It certainly is not
rust -- if it were, I would break a chain a week. -- Jay Beattie.

Scott Gordo

On Apr 28, 9:05*pm, Jay Beattie <jbeat...@lindsayhart.com> wrote:
> On Apr 28, 9:34*am, Scott Gordo <blubberp...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
> > I've got an Ultegra 6600 setup with FSA Gossamer cranks, all pretty
> > much new (roughly 1000 miles so far.) First chain was a KMC DX10 which
> > snapped a couple weeks ago. I'd hung the bike up wet and left it in a
> > basement for a few weeks, and by the time I picked it up spots of rust
> > were visible on the chain. I measured it for stretch but found none,
> > lubed and cleaned it, but it snapped while in a lowish gear easing
> > away from a stop light. I figured that I'd have to chalk it up to
> > rust.
>
> > I picked up a new Shimano 105 chain, removed extra links, used their
> > rivet to connect, checked it for stiff links, but that chain also
> > snapped after maybe 30 miles of easy use at one of the regular rivets
> > (not the installation one).
>
> > Naturally, I checked the rings and cogs for anything seriously askew
> > but couldn't find it. The derrailleur alignment looks pretty good.
> > It's a 53/39 and 12-23 setup so there's no crazy gearing, and I
> > maintain as straightish a chainline as reasonably possible. In all,
> > the drivetrain runs pretty smoothly.
>
> > I reconnected the 105 chain with a KMC 10sp connector and I'm crossing
> > my fingers.
>
> > Bad luck? Something else to look for? It's annoying having to ride so
> > gingerly.
>
> I can't imagine anything about your set up that would account for the
> failure of two different brands of chain -- unless you are dropping
> them between your crank and BB or bending the hell ouf of them
> shifting somehow. *I could imagine a big side *load popping a link
> plate off a pin. Do you have bent link plates? *It certainly is not
> rust -- if it were, I would break a chain a week. -- Jay Beattie.- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

Not sure what it could be. I should say that my shifting has become
increasingly sloppy as well. I can't see what's not lining up, but the
chain skips around in the 19-23 cogs. I even swallowed my pride and
brought it to my LBS to have him go through it. He added a small shim
to the back of the cassette, readjusted the limits, and ran through
the shifting. I left relieved and feeling great until the chain
started trying to pop out of gear again. I was in the saddle applying
light to normal pressure.

Like the pirate says, this is driving me nuts.

The frame feels nice and solid and the der hanger is straight. I've
checked and re-checked the stays and welds for hairline cracks. Like I
mentioned in the original post, this drivetrain is pretty much new.
I'd hate to start buying new parts for the sake of experimentation....

Grrr....

bjw@mambo.ucolick.org

On May 1, 7:28*am, Scott Gordo <blubberp...@gmail.com> wrote:

> Not sure what it could be. I should say that my shifting has become
> increasingly sloppy as well. I can't see what's not lining up, but the
> chain skips around in the 19-23 cogs. I even swallowed my pride and
> brought it to my LBS to have him go through it. He added a small shim
> to the back of the cassette, readjusted the limits, and ran through
> the shifting. I left relieved and feeling great until the chain
> started trying to pop out of gear again. I was in the saddle applying
> light to normal pressure.
>
> Like the pirate says, this is driving me nuts.
>
> The frame feels nice and solid and the der hanger is straight. I've
> checked and re-checked the stays and welds for hairline cracks. Like I
> mentioned in the original post, this drivetrain is pretty much new.
> I'd hate to start buying new parts for the sake of experimentation....
>
> Grrr....

You don't need to buy new parts, you need to find
out why the chain is skipping. Stiff or damaged link?
Derailleur too close to cogs? Something like that.

Ben

Scott Gordo

On May 1, 12:51*pm, "b...@mambo.ucolick.org" <b...@mambo.ucolick.org>
wrote:
> On May 1, 7:28*am, Scott Gordo <blubberp...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
> > Not sure what it could be. I should say that my shifting has become
> > increasingly sloppy as well. I can't see what's not lining up, but the
> > chain skips around in the 19-23 cogs. I even swallowed my pride and
> > brought it to my LBS to have him go through it. He added a small shim
> > to the back of the cassette, readjusted the limits, and ran through
> > the shifting. I left relieved and feeling great until the chain
> > started trying to pop out of gear again. I was in the saddle applying
> > light to normal pressure.
>
> > Like the pirate says, this is driving me nuts.
>
> > The frame feels nice and solid and the der hanger is straight. I've
> > checked and re-checked the stays and welds for hairline cracks. Like I
> > mentioned in the original post, this drivetrain is pretty much new.
> > I'd hate to start buying new parts for the sake of experimentation....
>
> > Grrr....
>
> You don't need to buy new parts, you need to find
> out why the chain is skipping. *Stiff or damaged link?
> Derailleur too close to cogs? *Something like that.
>
> Ben- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

You're right. Sorry about getting whinge-y. This whole thing is
driving me to drink. I need to take a step back.