Bent chain... Call of shame
#1
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Bent chain... Call of shame
So I dropped the chain off of the crank inner ring, and it got wedged between the crank and the bottom bracket. The chain bent probably 30 degrees, making it unrideable. Fortunately, I didn't try to power through it, it was a safe spot, and my wife was home to come pick me up. Unfortunately, the chain still dug into the bottom bracket area pretty badly. I believe it's still safe to ride, but it sucks, especially as the frame is only 3 months old. I rarely (almost never) drop the chain off of the crank, but I had just made an unplanned U turn to go uphill and was still on the large ring / middle sprocket and probably shifted front and back too quickly together.
Bending a chain is a new one for me, but no doubt it has happened to others. This could have turned out worse than it did, so I'd rather not have this particular mishap happen again. Thoughts?
Bending a chain is a new one for me, but no doubt it has happened to others. This could have turned out worse than it did, so I'd rather not have this particular mishap happen again. Thoughts?
#2
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Shame on you....Carrying a chain tool and few spare chain links would of avoided a call of shame.
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Can't say I've ever done that in 40+ years of riding and I've dropped a fair few chains in that time.
#4
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Interesting idea. A few links would not be heavy like a full chain, although the tool itself weighs something. This is one of those things like carrying a spare shifter cable, that could come in really handy in the rare case when it's needed.
#5
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In 50 years of riding I've drop a few chains but none have bent. I used to carry a chain tool and 3 or 4 links in my bag for years, because, well, you just need to carry a chain tool and links, everyone said. I stopped doing that 20+ years ago.
However, I change my chain out probably more often than necessary because, well, it's relatively cheap insurance. I also keep my mechs adjusted, I'm anal about that and my brakes.
However, I change my chain out probably more often than necessary because, well, it's relatively cheap insurance. I also keep my mechs adjusted, I'm anal about that and my brakes.
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To bend a chain, you need not only to drop it, but to slam on the pedals as well.
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#7
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Chain Catcher is the answer
As a fellow chain dropper and bender that has stopped it from happening anymore. My worst one I bent the chain in two section and had to cut about 6 inches out and limp home being very careful about gear selection to keep from ripping my RD off.
Chain tool on your multi-tool and a quick link is good enough for emergencies.
As a fellow chain dropper and bender that has stopped it from happening anymore. My worst one I bent the chain in two section and had to cut about 6 inches out and limp home being very careful about gear selection to keep from ripping my RD off.
Chain tool on your multi-tool and a quick link is good enough for emergencies.
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I have broken chains up to 9-speed, but so far have never broken an 11 speed chain.
To limp home, you don't need a bunch of spare links. Shorten the chain as needed and be careful. Possibly add a quick link.
To limp home, you don't need a bunch of spare links. Shorten the chain as needed and be careful. Possibly add a quick link.
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https://www.topeak.com/global/en/pro...40-MINI-20-PRO
I've never actually had to use it out on the road/trail, but I have used the chain breaker a few times to shorten new chains at home without any issue. It's not like a workshop tool that you would be using hundreds of times.
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Impressive! I've dropped and jammed chains, but I don't ever remember bending one like that.
Fixing that would take a good bit of surgery. First, I see the bend, but I'm not sure it's localized to one or two links. Second, I normally carry one (1) master link; how many links would that take to fix? This looks more like a Monday morning quarterback call -- if this is the exact problem you expect to see, here's a workaround. Keep that up for a few years (especially with internet anomalies) and you'll be carrying around a spare bike and an extra trailer on a trailer to fix all possible events. But then, of course, you'll have to worry about the same thing happening on the spare bike, so you have to carry two bikes on the trailer, ad nauseam.
Fixing that would take a good bit of surgery. First, I see the bend, but I'm not sure it's localized to one or two links. Second, I normally carry one (1) master link; how many links would that take to fix? This looks more like a Monday morning quarterback call -- if this is the exact problem you expect to see, here's a workaround. Keep that up for a few years (especially with internet anomalies) and you'll be carrying around a spare bike and an extra trailer on a trailer to fix all possible events. But then, of course, you'll have to worry about the same thing happening on the spare bike, so you have to carry two bikes on the trailer, ad nauseam.
#11
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You should carry tools for the types of failures you can reasonably expect to see. For the most part, that's tires/tubes, loose bolts, and *maybe* a lost quick link. Chain tools are not part of my normal travel tool kit because a mishap like this is pretty rare.
#12
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Chain Catcher is the answer
As a fellow chain dropper and bender that has stopped it from happening anymore. My worst one I bent the chain in two section and had to cut about 6 inches out and limp home being very careful about gear selection to keep from ripping my RD off.
Chain tool on your multi-tool and a quick link is good enough for emergencies.
As a fellow chain dropper and bender that has stopped it from happening anymore. My worst one I bent the chain in two section and had to cut about 6 inches out and limp home being very careful about gear selection to keep from ripping my RD off.
Chain tool on your multi-tool and a quick link is good enough for emergencies.
Ordered!
Definitely worth carrying a couple of quick links and a lot of mini multi-tools have a chain breaker tool built-in e.g.
https://www.topeak.com/global/en/pro...40-MINI-20-PRO
I've never actually had to use it out on the road/trail, but I have used the chain breaker a few times to shorten new chains at home without any issue. It's not like a workshop tool that you would be using hundreds of times.
https://www.topeak.com/global/en/pro...40-MINI-20-PRO
I've never actually had to use it out on the road/trail, but I have used the chain breaker a few times to shorten new chains at home without any issue. It's not like a workshop tool that you would be using hundreds of times.
#13
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That’s all it takes. Good shift habits go a long way towards protecting equipment, and avoiding front downshifts under power— or applying power too early, ahead of shift completion— is a good way to prevent bending the the chain, I think. Drops happen; a road bump coinciding with the shift can send the chain bouncing off unexpectedly even on a properly adjusted derailleur system. It’s rare, but to bend a chain from a drop is simply operator error, so you can virtually eliminate it from happening again by being careful to make sure the shift is complete before dropping the proverbial hammer. I always unweight the pedals as the chain moves down to the inner ring, so I plan and execute that shift well before I need to be putting power back through the pedals.
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jayp410 Bend it back! I've had this same problem for the same reason a few times on my hodge-podged '97 Nishiki Blazer MTB/commuter. Although I carry a chain-break tool in my commute bag, one time I stuck a thin allen wrench into the link and twisted it the other way until it was straightened enough to work without issue. This has worked for me twice, but not the last time, even after also using a needle nose pliers I carry, so I had to remove the link. It's worth a try unless you feel it may damage the gears or the deraillers. While I've been through many, many chains over the decades, my bike still has the original 1997 gears and deraillers. Your mileage may vary.
24 Years...Same gears and deraillers...still in love.
24 Years...Same gears and deraillers...still in love.
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I agree with bending it back. A friend dropped his chain and it was skipping. In that case, it was a tight link. I just twisted it back and forth a couple of times and it freed it up. He's probably still riding on that chain.
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Another solution is buying a chain keeper which will prevent the chain from falling into the Valley of Death. They usually attach under the front derailleur.
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#17
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That’s all it takes. Good shift habits go a long way towards protecting equipment, and avoiding front downshifts under power— or applying power too early, ahead of shift completion— is a good way to prevent bending the the chain, I think. Drops happen; a road bump coinciding with the shift can send the chain bouncing off unexpectedly even on a properly adjusted derailleur system. It’s rare, but to bend a chain from a drop is simply operator error, so you can virtually eliminate it from happening again by being careful to make sure the shift is complete before dropping the proverbial hammer. I always unweight the pedals as the chain moves down to the inner ring, so I plan and execute that shift well before I need to be putting power back through the pedals.
I've had chains come off in the past, but they just skated across the bottom bracket and didn't dig in like this. Maybe it's the shape of the BB, closer spacing, or difference in material (carbon vs. metal), but for whatever reason, it got wedged. As much as adjusting technique might help prevent most other occurrences, I think the best answer on this thread is really the chain catcher, to keep it from falling off 100% of the time even if something unexpected happens. At 12g (0.5 oz) it seems like a no brainer to use one, especially with a carbon frame where the chain could damage the frame.
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#18
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Yikes! For a barely bent chain (where a link is tight) that doesn't sound too bad, but one like mine where a link was bent almost 30 degrees, bending it back would never get it back into its exact original shape, and riding on that would most definitely harm the entire drive train.
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My Wippermann chain broke my generic multitool.
That Topeak tool looks very nice, and hopefully has some QA. Are the spoke wrenches functional?
I like the Park CT-5 Mini chain tool. I use it for most of my work, and it isn't too bad to carry.
That Topeak tool looks very nice, and hopefully has some QA. Are the spoke wrenches functional?
I like the Park CT-5 Mini chain tool. I use it for most of my work, and it isn't too bad to carry.
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#20
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I did the "limp home" a couple months ago. Snapped a chain on a long hill - cut out a a few links and rode home. I have carried a chain tool since the 80s but this is the first time I ever needed it.
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do you know its manufacturer?
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Was ridding with a guy years ago that hit a curb on his road bike. He bent his chain and large ring on his crank. Luckily we had my little Park chain braking tool. We took out the damaged links and continued the ride without difficulty using the smaller ring and three gears due to the shortened chain. We were both surprised at how easy it was to continue with just three gears. Of course he had friction shifters on the down tube... Ha
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It's the only tool I carry with me out on the bike, but I trust it enough for any roadside repairs.
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I wonder how easy it would be to tweek on the road.
Take say 5 or 6 links on one side in a straight line. Then one link across, and 5 or 6 more links either back in the same direction, or in the opposite direction, and tweaking it. I like to carry some electrical tape, so perhaps some tape around a stick to keep the chain segments straight.
If you are in the middle of the ride, and tossing the chain when you get back home, there is very little that you can lose.
You did mention drivetrain wear, and that would certainly be an issue, but you should be able to tell how it is working by sound and feel.
Take say 5 or 6 links on one side in a straight line. Then one link across, and 5 or 6 more links either back in the same direction, or in the opposite direction, and tweaking it. I like to carry some electrical tape, so perhaps some tape around a stick to keep the chain segments straight.
If you are in the middle of the ride, and tossing the chain when you get back home, there is very little that you can lose.
You did mention drivetrain wear, and that would certainly be an issue, but you should be able to tell how it is working by sound and feel.