Breaking your chain

[Versabar]

I have a Dura-Ace 7800 10 sp chain. I hate dirty chains, and like to remove them from time to time.

After a trip to the LBS for the magic replacement pins, I was blown away by the advice I got.

They said do not open your chain more than once or twice or it will become weak?!

I swear, I have done this on every bike I have owned and never had a problem. I broke a chain on my mtn bike once, but never on the road, and I rode chains that were broken open repeatedly.

I am ashamed to say, but I never even used these special replacement pins - I would just shove the old pin back through?

Am I just extremely lucky? I like to pull the chain off like every 200 miles and clean the rings, cog, derailleur, etc.

Cleaning with the chain on is a joke.

Anyway, they have to use at least ONE of the insertion pins when they build your bike, so can it be that bad to do to more links?

 

[boudreaux]

I have a Dura-Ace 7800 10 sp chain. I hate dirty chains, and like to remove them from time to time.

After a trip to the LBS for the magic replacement pins, I was blown away by the advice I got.

They said do not open your chain more than once or twice or it will become weak?!

I swear, I have done this on every bike I have owned and never had a problem. I broke a chain on my mtn bike once, but never on the road, and I rode chains that were broken open repeatedly.

I am ashamed to say, but I never even used these special replacement pins - I would just shove the old pin back through?

Am I just extremely lucky? I like to pull the chain off like every 200 miles and clean the rings, cog, derailleur, etc.

Cleaning with the chain on is a joke.

Anyway, they have to use at least ONE of the insertion pins when they build your bike, so can it be that bad to do to more links?

You DON'T reuse the old pin.Use a removable link if ya just gotta take a chain apart alot.... FWIW, chains can be cleaned perfectly with out removing them. Bucket of soapy(good grease cutting detergent) water and a brush.

 

[JohnO]

Unless you're riding in very dusty conditions, cleaning every 200 miles is probably overkill. I clean my chain maybe twice a season, once when it starts and once in August. Toss it in an ultrasonic cleaner with soapy water, take it out a couple of hours later, dry it off, relube. The road chain rarely shows much dirt in the cleaner, but the mtb chain leaves piles of the stuff behind.

Another solution to removing and reinstalling the chain is to put a removable link in the chain, one that is built to be a quick release. I've been using a removable link on both road and mtb for about five years, never had a problem on either bike.

 

[Versabar]

I appreciate the input. I still guess I have an underlying question:

1.) Does opening the chain and closing the chain back up, properly, and with the correct replacement pin significantly "weaken" the chain. Again, they have to do this to at least one link when they build the bike initially, so we are all riding around with at least one replacement pin on a shimano chain.

__________________________________________________________________

Again, I have pulled the same chain off of a road bike many times and it was never an issue. However, I just bought this new bike after many years away from road bikes.

Are the new chains after weight loss at the sake of (reasonable) durability?

 

[boudreaux]

I appreciate the input. I still guess I have an underlying question:

1.) Does opening the chain and closing the chain back up, properly, and with the correct replacement pin significantly "weaken" the chain. Again, they have to do this to at least one link when they build the bike initially, so we are all riding around with at least one replacement pin on a shimano chain.

__________________________________________________________________

Again, I have pulled the same chain off of a road bike many times and it was never an issue. However, I just bought this new bike after many years away from road bikes.

Are the new chains after weight loss at the sake of (reasonable) durability?

Done right, using the proper repalcement pin does no harm. You got a bunch of BS on that 'significantly weakening'. Think shimano may have a recommendation of how many times it can be done or how far apart the replacement pins need to be. And as already mentioned, your cleaning every 200 miles is pointless, unless you are riding in horrible conditions. I think some people go on the idea of if it ain't broke, clean and fix it till it is.

 

[artmichalek]

I appreciate the input. I still guess I have an underlying question:

1.) Does opening the chain and closing the chain back up, properly, and with the correct replacement pin significantly "weaken" the chain. Again, they have to do this to at least one link when they build the bike initially, so we are all riding around with at least one replacement pin on a shimano chain.

__________________________________________________________________

Again, I have pulled the same chain off of a road bike many times and it was never an issue. However, I just bought this new bike after many years away from road bikes.

Are the new chains after weight loss at the sake of (reasonable) durability?

If you use the replacement pin, and put it in correctly, it shouldn't weaken the chain. The decreased durability of newer chains has less to do with weight than with making them narrow enough to work with these silly 10sp cassettes.

 

[el Ingles]

If you use the replacement pin, and put it in correctly, it shouldn't weaken the chain. The decreased durability of newer chains has less to do with weight than with making them narrow enough to work with these silly 10sp cassettes.

amen ,
but do let a chain dry completely before re-lubing as the presence of water , or any other solvent , will prevent oil from reaching those important little places : and not too much as oil and dust makes a great abrasive paste - ever wondered why tracked vehicals ( tanks etc ) squeak ? ´cause they run dry to avoid this problem - you need oil/ grease / etc on the inner bearings of the chain not really on the outside that touches the cogs . new chains are greased on the outside more to prevent corrosion while in stock than lubricate in use .

 

[philso]

anyone know about the gage of the metal used? for example, is a 10 speed chain made out of thinner stock than say one for 7 or 8 & 9 speeds?

 

[boudreaux]

anyone know about the gage of the metal used? for example, is a 10 speed chain made out of thinner stock than say one for 7 or 8 & 9 speeds?

How do you supose the make then thinner outside and keep the inside thickness constant at 3/32"?

 

[WINGNUTT]

I am ashamed to say, but I never even used these special replacement pins - I would just shove the old pin back through?

Am I just extremely lucky? I like to pull the chain off like every 200 miles and clean the rings, cog, derailleur, etc.

Yes, you are lucky - you should go and buy a lottery ticket. I reused a dura ace pin one time and the chain came flying off less than 20 miles later. It was a mistake I made one time, and one time only.

As for repeatedly taking the chain off, this shouldn't be a problem provided you always push out a different pin. If you keep pushing the pin through the same hold, it will get worn out, kind of like this chick I knew a few years back who..... well never mind that. Just always use the magic pins, and never push out an old magic pin, and life should be good.

 

[Doctor Morbius]

Versabar, perhaps it's time to modify your practices slightly just to be on the safe side and get a few SRAM powerlinks (see pic) or Wippermann ConneX connectors. I've used the SRAM 9 speed powerlinks successfully with Shimano HG 9 speed chains. They make chain cleaning a "snap" ! Just kidding.

 

[WINGNUTT]

Versabar, perhaps it's time to modify your practices slightly just to be on the safe side and get a few SRAM powerlinks (see pic) or Wippermann ConneX connectors. I've used the SRAM 9 speed powerlinks successfully with Shimano HG 9 speed chains. They make chain cleaning a "snap" ! Just kidding.

I don't think they make anything like this that works on a 10 speed chain. That's what the LBS said anyway.

 

[boudreaux]

I don't think they make anything like this that works on a 10 speed chain. That's what the LBS said anyway.

Connex makes a shimano 10 specific link and the one for a slightly wider whipperman 10 chain will work in a pinch. The standard connex 10 link works great on campy 10 chains.

 

[nitrous]

I don't think they make anything like this that works on a 10 speed chain. That's what the LBS said anyway.

Just got a removable snap link added to my campy 10 speed chain today. I managed to break my chain yesterday and it snapped on the link that I had broken for cleaning last week.

Removing should now be a breeze.

 

[MichaelB]

Some people just like to tell you not to do things. It must give them a sense of superiority or something. You have obviously proved that it makes no difference. Think about it, what are your feeble little fingers going to do to a chain which has a tension of a few kiloNewtons applied to it in a cyclic fashion ( the worst type of loading conditions)?

It may say dont do it in the instructions but it would do wouldn't it?

 

[boudreaux]

Some people just like to tell you not to do things. It must give them a sense of superiority or something. You have obviously proved that it makes no difference. Think about it, what are your feeble little fingers going to do to a chain which has a tension of a few kiloNewtons applied to it in a cyclic fashion ( the worst type of loading conditions)?

It may say dont do it in the instructions but it would do wouldn't it?

What a moron. Too many endos without a helmet? ........ Check below.Get one!!................vvvvv

 

[el Ingles]

Connex makes a shimano 10 specific link and the one for a slightly wider whipperman 10 chain will work in a pinch. The standard connex 10 link works great on campy 10 chains.

lot of letters about connex chains for campy 10 speed : some hated it some loved , some had problems , some didn´t see www.cyclingnews.com ( letters )

do note that the connex link needs to be fitted the correct way up or there will be trouble - it´s slightly curved .

 

[boudreaux]

lot of letters about connex chains for campy 10 speed : some hated it some loved , some had problems , some didn´t see www.cyclingnews.com ( letters )

do note that the connex link needs to be fitted the correct way up or there will be trouble - it´s slightly curved .

The Connex link I am using works perfectly with a campy 10 chain.Duno why people think they need to pay more for less. Much better and cheaper than the 'super link' that went TU in about 500 miles.