AtomicCactus

I was biking the other day when I encountered a 15% grade. So, I dialed it up and when I did I heard a snap, and then a sickening crunch. Luckily, I was able to clip out before hitting the ground. Not-so-luckily, I inspected my frame and saw that the chain, after being snapped seemed to have bunched up between the chainrings and downtube and cause some damage (pics at the end).

I took it to the LBS, and they said my frame was toast. They would look into the Specialized crash replacement program and notify me of the cost. I was wondering, what are my best options to take?

1. Check my insurance policy, see if bike damage is covered ($500 deductible).
2. Go with crash-replacement frame (est. $1000).
3. Get repaired by Calfee ($~300, + the rest of the riding season).
4. Buy cheap frame off eBay.
5. Talk to the chain manufacturer and take it up with them?
6. Anything else?

Any help in this matter would be very much appreciated! On the bright side, I'm cross-training more than I normally would .

jayvo86

Wow! Completely toast? Just looks like a chip to me, but I don't know much about CF fames. Kind of makes me leery about going CF for myself.

Bah Humbug

See those frayed fibers? That means it's compromised, and toast.

Erzulis Boat 

5 will get you 10 the "taking it up with the chain mfg." is a fruitless endeavor. I would Calfee the thing.


Edit- My reasoning is simply the cost issue. $300 bucks is a lot easier to take than a grand, and 700 bones can go to your next frame in a year or so. Granted, the frame is tied up at Calfee, but I would rather just have the frame mended and move on.

jayvo86

So does this mean I should really think about the possibility replacing the frame after something like that or a crash on the CF bike I'm planning on buying?

datlas 

Wow that sucks. Did you have like a ton of miles on the chain??

pinoy92231

I would try the all options starting from the cheapest option. I would contact the chain manufacturer and see what they say. Good luck.

AngryScientist 

i doubt any insurance policy you have would cover a bike damaged riding.

i know calfee does some good work, but if it were me, i'd toss the frame and hunt for something new. that will get you back on the road the fastest.

BikingGrad80

How common are 10 speed chains breaking? I keep hearing stories. I've never broken a chain before and don't carry a chain tool when I ride. However I ride mainly 9 speed. BTW do report this to Shimano. Could be a QC issue.

SkinnyLegs

4 because it's a reasonably cheap option and would get you back on the road fastest.

thirdgenbird

what size frame do you need?

ptle

That sucks. I had something similar happen. I had some chain suck and it got lodged in my BB area. It only scratched the coating of the frame though, so it's nothing I'm worried about.

AtomicCactus

Haha, yeah that's what the LBS said. They said the damaged section is all squishy and the damage goes down fairly deep. When I recommend road bikes to my friends (poor college student demographic), I usually say go with an Al frame.


I'm leaning towards the Calfee thing. Yeah, I don't think taking it up with Shimano would yield great, expedient results.


Not at all! In fact I'm kind of ashamed to say I had less than 3500 km on that chain...


I guess an e-mail wouldn't hurt, good thinking!


Yeah, I think it is only for theft or damage while parked at residence. I've heard good things about Calfee. I can't bear thinking about tossing my frame! It's just a little gouge! Haha... oh dear.


I'm not too sure. The LBS said they're more common with SRAM chains than Shimano. Nonetheless, that's a good idea. When my laptop went kaput I took it up with the manufacturer and it did turn out to be a QC thing, so might be the same here.


I also have a MTB, but yeah as far as road riding is concerned... I was also considering sending this to Calfee and buying a TT bike to hold me over until it's back lol.

AtomicCactus

I ride a 56 cm.


Dang, that's a close one! I wonder if a chain keeper would prevent all this headache...

iam7head

snapped mine not too long ago, powering out a corner standing and the chain snapped on me, scratched the chain stay/seat stay drop out and the carbon around it. not where near as bad as your but it's still sucks balls.

Dustintendo

send it to calfee and get a cheap ss/fg to ride till it gets back?

CyciumX

I sh-- you not, but I have a deeper gouge out of the chain stay on my y-foil and I still trust that damn machine under my 215 pound body.

citizenerased

no idea, but I bought a used bike off eBay last year and the chain (campy 10spd, low end I'm guessing) broke on a flat section after less than 500 miles by me. I assume that there weren't that many total miles on it since my cranks and cassette are still smooth after replacing with a KMC chain that's held up for over 1000 miles. I always carry a chain breaker now and a couple missing links since my 6 mile walk home was no fun after that.

thirdgenbird

i wonder how many 10spd chain failures were caused by improper use. both shimano and campagnolo chains require special pins to connect them.

edit:

if you shove one of the peened pins back through the chain i could see it compromising the link in the above manner.

Velo Dog

When that happened on my steel frame, i made repairs with a little bottle of nail polish. Dab-dab-dab, scratch filled, ride on.
Seriously, I'm sorry about the damage, but that's one of the main reasons I like steel.
Specialized may give you some help, but I'll be surprised of the chain people do anything. They'd be admitting liabiity, which isn't about to happen.

banerjek

This is one of the reasons I like to use the Wippy master links.

However, you can also break a chain using poor technique . I've broken two chains, both on intense grades, and both because I didn't shift properly when going up. Unless the chain is defective, you won't be strong enough to break it -- otherwise it wouldn't survive a hard sprint.

Neither of my broken chains was 10 speed -- those were broken in the early 80's. I always carried a chain tool after that, and only recently stopped carrying one. The only two times I've not been able to finish my ride were due to destroyed wheels, and there's nothing you can do about that anyway.

Loose Chain

If and when I were to get a cf frame I think I would fabricate some stainless steel or aluminum guards and install them using 3M double side tape at critical locations that I have found in the past to be damage prone--like the one in your pic. I would fab the guards to follow the contours and to appear as if factory installed. I might also wrap the right chain stay in an old tube. CF is strong but not tolerant of damage, particularly impact damage or anything that gouges/cuts fibers. A cut fiber is a dead fiber and it cannot be repaired and it DOES affect strength.

Yeah, a steel frame, clean up the scratch, some touch up paint, get back on the road good as new.

BikingGrad80

I am considering getting a CF bike and was wondering if there is something you can put over the Chainstay to help protect it from the chain should it drop off.

Triguy

Someone mentioned it but I would get a cheap aluminum frame and transfer components and send the frame to Calfee, then sell cheap AL frame when your frame is returned. Cheapest option while still riding over the next couple of months.

coasting 

same here. took off a patch of paint. i looked really carefully at the underlying carbon and it wasn't even scratched. i said 20 hail marys