ExPatTyke

The pictures below tell the story - I was out yesterday on the Peugeot Festina, super weather, light traffic, fantastic bike, great ride all round. Until I hit a pothole while shifting down a gear. I'm not sure at all what happened, I assume the chain bounced into the wheel and pulled the rear mech in with it. There was a clatter and a bang, the bike stopped very suddenly, and, unable to unclip in time, I went down in a heap. Fortunately the only audience I had was a few goats. I managed to extract myself, lifted the bike off the road, and looked at the damage. The wheel looked ok, but the rear derailleur had snapped off and wrapped itself, a fair bit of cable, and the chain into the spokes.

After nearly an hour of wrangling I managed to extricate everything from the back wheel, shorten the chain and make the bike into a (slow) going concern again. Vertical dropouts though on this bike - there's no way of keeping the chain tight, and it seemed to drop off every single time I breathed. 10 miles home took me well over an hour and a half.

Looking the bike over when I got home I was firstly amazed that the back wheel was completely intact - a couple of surface scratches on the spokes but no major damage and still true. The largest sprocket on the cassette has been bent in towards the other sprockets, the derailleur (a nine speed Tiagra for reference) had been literally snapped off by the adjustment screws (no way of carrying it home so I'd dropped it in a bin in a car park), and the hanger was bent as well. More worryingly there's what appears to be a crack on the dropout itself; I've sent Argos Racing (who did a superb repair job on another frame a few years previously for me) a message about it and will be dropping the bike into them when the Covid restrictions are lifted.

So today's lesson is - put a chain tool in your bag. This is only the second time I've had to use mine in quite a few years, but both times it's saved from either a long walk or an expensive taxi ride, and given the current situation we should be more self-reliant than usual.

Olefeller77 

Some bicycles come with a plastic spoke protector to prevent the chain from damaging the spokes . You may want to consider adding one.

SJX426 

I would be interested to see under the replaceable hanger. that crack might be paint or more serious.

ExPatTyke

I got a photo this morning with the hanger removed - not a great photo and it's hard to see, but it doesn't appear to be cracked under the hanger. For peace of mind I will get it checked before I ride it on the road again though.

Moe Zhoost

I, too, always carry a small chain tool. You just never know.

That looks like just a scratch on the DO. It's not the typical way a crack would propagate and, although faint, the hangar in your first pic seems to have a corresponding scratch.

madpogue 

The chain, at least the part going around the cassette, didn't go into the OP's spokes. The RD cage did. There's no disc that prevents that.

Velo Mule

I'm glad that you were not seriously hurt. Long ago, I used to carry a chain tool. I don't anymore. Maybe I need to. I have one available. It won't do me any good if I am out and it is at home in my tool box.

SJX426 

Carrying any tool is a risk decision. I don't carry anything but flat related tools, well a 15mm wrench on the FG/SS. My problem is that my tool box is too heavy to tow! I try to maintain a good drive train, recognizing that not all failures can be avoided. Avoiding pot holes while shifting is an issue of awareness with focus and there is a lot of that required while riding a bike on the street! How much detail of your surroundings can you process and still be safe and have fun?! I have learned over several decades to make sure my path is clear when shifting with DT shifters. My, new to me, Ergos have presented another set of challenges of being aware and focusing at the same time. like the desire to down shift while braking. I suppose you can do both at the same time but I don't have the dexterity or metal coordination!
I am convinced cognitive mult-processing is not part of the human experience. How well we switch from one to the next and back is the skill/capability we exhibit. Its a good thing we don't have to think about keeping our heart beating while we ride!

nlerner

I have a Park multitool, which includes a nifty little chain breaker. What I didn’t realize is that it only fits 3/32” chains. I learned that after snapping a 1/8” chain on a bike with an internal gear hub. Wasn’t too bad of a 3-mile walk home.

abshipp 

I've had three times when I have needed a chain tool.

The first was 15 miles from home, a link came apart and hooked on to the FD cage, bending it to where I would have needed to take off the FD and repair the chain. I had taken my multi-tool out of my saddlebag and failed to replace it Made the call of shame.

The second was riding my CX bike in a forest preserve when my RD went in to the spokes. Same story as above, no multi-tool, and that time I had to walk out with a jammed rear wheel.

The third was a couple of weeks ago riding my fixed gear when the chain came apart, one of the outer plates walked itself off of a pin. That one was perplexing. Of course, it was at night, inside of a gated community which I'm probably not technically allowed in. This time I had a chain tool! Unfortunately I didn't have a spare master link to fix it, and I couldn't just shorten the chain as my dropouts aren't long enough. Another call of shame, plus a fairly long walk in socks since road cycling shoes with 3 bolt cleats aren't nice to walk in.

So yeah, always carry a chain tool, but I would add that you should also carry an appropriately sized master link.

jrm7997

A friend had a real nice Cramerotti I liked. I told him if he bought a new bike I'd like the old one. One day he comes walking into my class dragging his bike. Same story, he dodged a car hit a bump and drove the rear derailer into the wheel. Broken drop, bent wheel, twisted chain etc. Once i found a new drop I got a great deal on a new Camy chain and cassette. Then I found a used camy derailer in england and so on.

Now i got a nice ride. Hope you get yours back on the road. I love riding this old bike

Piff 

I've never thought to put that in my bag! Thank you.

abshipp 

They're great, they weigh nothing and don't take up any meaningful space, either!

noglider 

I've been thinking about carrying a chain tool, especially since modern chains break more than the old kind (6-speed). I guess I'll see what tools I have and see if any of them is small and light enough for my tool bag, and if not, buy a couple.
@nlerner, it's pretty unusual to break a 1/8" chain. How did it happen?

nlerner

S**t happens.

rumrunn6

yikes! glad about no injuries. must be your catlike reflexes I once had a rear wheel lock up making a similar disaster. was able to come to a skidding stop, cuz I was riding on hard, wet dirt

ascherer 

I never carried a chain tool until one day about 10 years ago when my chain blew up and I had to be rescued. I've carried one since then. Only needed it that once in 48 seasons but I guess I sleep much better now.

gugie 

Broke a chain on a mt bike many years ago with no chain tool, on a trail with some buddies. Used 2 rocks to bang it back together.

I carried those rocks the rest of the ride.

canklecat

There are some really compact full-featured multi-tools now that include good chain tools and spoke wrenches. No reason not to carry one, other than a KOM attempt (some folks hide their saddle bags for those efforts).

I was already pretty satisfied with the Spin Doctor Rescue 16 multi-tool (better spoke wrench than my bike toolkit had). But it doesn't quite fold flat. It goes in my Serfas Speed Bag, the smallest and best designed of the many wedge bags I've tried.

Then last year I tried a Hero Kit multitool. Same tools, and it does fold flat. Fits even my minimalist Lezyne Road Caddy. Not quite as finely finished as the Spin Doctor, but works very well.

And I always carry a spare quick link, usually a KMC Missing Link. So far I haven't needed it myself but a friend did on a nighttime group ride. Saved a call of shame and we were back riding in minutes. So it's worth the tiny bit of space and weight.

harrism

Just bought a CT-5 the other day on the advice that it was both capable of everything I need to do, and small enough to throw in a bag on the bike. I think it will definitely be going in the bag.

Bladeputr13

I'm sorry that happened. How much can you bend a dropout back in to place? I understand some aren't candidates for such a procedure.

MrK.

Been there. Front tire flipped up a thumb sized stick which bounced through the chain and into the spokes. I did not have a chain tool or any tool for that matter. I was on Federal land and had to walk a half mile back to the truck holding the rear wheel in the air. Unfortunately no replaceable derailleur hanger here.

Bianchigirll