Originally Posted by
asgelle
Any competent official pumps up flats to check they're legitimate. I've taken laps away when tires held air.
Also, the area isn't very grey at all. If something breaks, free lap. If nothing is broken, no free lap.
A dropped chain is a failure of an essential component. In some cases it is not user error and should be recognized based on my opinion of the rules (but is admittedly hard to verify). A broken cable doesn't warrant a free lap just cuz something broke. A broken cable means the race was started with a worn out cable.