Saga of snapped chain

[northwind]

Originally Posted by chunkytfg

So how eaxactly does that work then? bearing in mind the fact that you have to put a side plate on exactly the same way on a rivitted link as you do with a split link it is only the method that holds the side plate in place that differs?

It's not... At least, not with any rivet link I've ever used, or him either.

well judging by how many peoples split link on here have failed. . .

im not going to use one.

The split link is the same as all the other links so is not likely to fail any more than the other links. If they actually did fail then they would probably be illegal.
If a chain breaks then it's usually beacause of not enough lube or it's past it's use by date. The manual shows how to check when a chain has worn past its limits and everyone should be checking this. The chain can only be adjusted a certain amount of times before the chain needs replacing.
I've probably done a million miles and never lost a clip or broken a chain and it's never happened to the many people i've met over the years.
As i've said before use the style you like but please don't spread these ridiculous rumours as they are unfounded

Anything can fail, is a clip type master link more likely to fail than a rivet type, sure, I'm sure that most failures of either type can be attributed to a bad installation, or poor chain maintenance

I prefer a clip type, why, when I swap my off road wheels, I use a larger rear sprocket that requires a longer chain.

as soon as i clicked this thread i knew what i was letting myself in for..............

how can anybody be so ridiculously stupid to say that a split link is no less secure than a RIVETTED LINK.

absolutely ridiculous.

a snapped chain could cost you your life.
I know in the majority of cases it just costs you your bowel contents..... but seriously, for the sake of £5 you pay to get it rivetted... do it

maybe it is only incorrectly fitted ones that fail..... so why leave the margin for error?

anyways, im sure people are fed up of this thread now, sorry for bumping it back up there again

p.s. rivet your chain

[Sid Squid]

Originally Posted by Graham

The split link is the same as all the other links so is not likely to fail any more than the other links. If they actually did fail then they would probably be illegal.

Wrong.

Originally Posted by Graham

As i've said before use the style you like but please don't spread these ridiculous rumours as they are unfounded

Sorry Graham but you're wrong, you've been fortunate enough not to suffer from this for a protracted period of time - about which I'm very pleased - this is however poor advice, split links have a far far greater incidence of failure than do rivetted links, this is not a coincidence, neither is it certain evidence of poor chain maintenance.

Split link side plates aren't an interference fit, rivet link side plates are, there is more flex of the split link than other links or rivet links, this leads to fretting of the clip, the major cause of failure isn't the clip coming undone directly but the closed end wearing through, you will I'm sure have noticed the polished semi circle on the clip where it surrounds the forward pin, this where the clips wear through, if there were no side thrust here then the problem would be reduced, but, due to the significant flex of a split link there is.

The drag bike example is irrelevant - the one I assist with also runs a split link - they run for such a short period, that this problem isn't likely to be found simply as the chains, and all other parts of course, recieve a level of attention greatly in excess of that that your road bike would, simply the level of wear experienced before the parts are replaced is far lower.

[21QUEST]

Originally Posted by Sid Squid

Good stuff ..............

^^Amen to that^^.



How anyone could say a correctly fitted Split link would be no more likely to fail compared to a correctly riveted link I just don't understand.

Cheers
Ben

[Biker Biggles]

Just to add some fresh fuel,
We are told by chain manufacturers about how great the O X ring technology is these days and get loads of stuff about how it works.It seems that the o rings seal in the grease that is held in the bearings,and as these o rings are held in by the (rivited) side plates,what happens to the joining link?If it requires so much technology to seal in the grease on all the other links,surely the link joined by a hamfisted home riviter or,even worse,a split link,won't be done to the same high standard.The chain,being only as strong as it's weakest link,is surely compromised?

[Sid Squid]

Originally Posted by Biker Biggles

...hamfisted home riviter...

This is a good point, many rivet links are poorly fitted, being as the side plate is an interference fit on the pins it's unlikely to fail but if the plate is not correctly fitted the 'O' rings will either be squeezed and fail quite quickly, or not in correct contact with the side plates and the lube will leak out, both will result in the premature wear of the chain.

Some chains are supplied with spacers - a metal plate with two 'U' shaped notches in one side, or sometimes a piece of wire in the appropriate shape - that you place around the seals so that the plate will stop when at the right distance along the pins, failing that I use a Vernier and measure the distance between the outer plates so I can replicate that measurement on the rivet link.

When you fit an 'O' ring split link the problem of spring clips breaking is ever so slightly worsened, the seals exert a small force on the side plate due to the compression they require in order to seal, this increases the wear on the clip.

Update on chain break, went to the bike shop and took offending chain with me, they recommended new chain and sprocket set which i was going to get anyway.

I asked for a split (clip)link to put in the chain so that i could get the bike up to the shop and they didnt have one!

They gave me a plate link? with o rings and said i could fit it on by hammering the link through using an old socket(that is slightly bigger than the link) and then hammer the end over on the link ie. rivet the link.

Sounds easy enough right...er no.... firstly no matter how hard i tried i could not get enough tension on the chain to fit the new link in, i had to undo the rear wheel and push the wheel a good way in until i could connect the chain again.

Secondly, trying to get the plate onto the link is a real pain without a rivet tool.
I had to place a lump hammer between the tyre and chain and then bash away with another hammer to try and get the plate on. Not as easy as it sounds as it is really a tight fit and i managed to smack my thumb a good number of times before i eventually managed to get the plate on.

I then used an old socket to force the link on as far as i could, i then proceeded to rivet the link by hammering (gently) on the link edges to keep it in place.

Good i thought, until i saw two little black o rings still sitting on the pavement. Bo*****s i had not put them in on the one side!!!

No matter how hard i tried the plate was now not gonna come off...... so,i am not riding the bike until friday when i am gently going to coax it to the bike shop to have the new chain correctly installed, i've gone for a gold izumi chain and sprocket set at just under £100, i am also having a set of diablos fitted at the same time an expensive game but its got to be done.