My old bike's chain snapped on a trail near Squamish last weekend

I was about 10 kilometers into the ride when it just gave out with a loud crack. I had to walk the bike back to the trailhead, which took over an hour. In my experience, I should have replaced that chain way sooner, it was pretty worn. Has anyone else had a chain snap on a remote trail, and what's your go-to tool kit for quick fixes?

3 comments

3 Comments

oliver_ross82mo ago

Bad luck? Come on, that's just asking for it. A worn chain puts extra stress on the whole drivetrain, and it's gonna fail when you put power down. I carry a quick link and a small multi-tool with a chain breaker, because walking out is the worst. Isn't it better to spend five minutes fixing it than an hour pushing your bike?

brookep272mo ago

Ever think a chain break is just bad luck? I've run mine way past the wear marks without issues.

brookefox27d ago

Ran mine until it snapped clean going up a steep hill. Pushed the bike 4 miles home and learned my lesson hard. Now I swap chains when the stretch checker hits 0.5% and I've never had a break since. A few bucks for a new chain is way cheaper than a new derailleur or a hike out.