Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - This Sucks !!

Got my bike today (a Specialized Hardrock Sport converted to single gear from my LBS) and road it to work for the first time tonight. The ride to work was great, havent ridden a bike in almost 8 years. Got about 1/3 of the way home and my chain snapped going up a hill. My first commute and already a bas experience. Can anyone recommend a super strong chain to avaoid this in the future ? Thanks

Get a thick-ass KMC BMX chain. Might be a little noisy, but they're pretty reliable.

How old was your old chain? If you had been running it for years on a shifting bike, it might have just been its time to go. No chain will last forever.

Damn, that's ridiculous. Did metal actually tear, or did links just separate? Either way, I'm wary of this LBS, unless they advised you to get a new chain and you refused.

My hunch is that the chain that was on there wasn't installed correctly...if they used the old chain, then they took links out, and maybe they didn't do such a hot job. I second the KMC rec...and maybe trying a different shop.

Hey, and here's to brakes on fixed gears, eh?

Shimano chains have a reputation for pulling apart for no good reason. Since you're probably built up 3/32" (nothing wrong with it), get a KMC dropbuster in 3/32, nickel clad, strong, and corrosion free.

I had the same thing happen once when I installed a chain incorrectly. I didn't balance the pin corectly after pressing the pin in, and it came apart in less than a mile. I put it back together and did it right this time, and it hasn't been a problem since. Since I did it myself I chalked it up as a learning experience.

If your LBS did that, I'd consider that a different kind of learning experience. Take it back to your LBS. If they screwed up they shold know about it. Installing your own chain wrong on a fixed gear can be dangerous. Doing dangerous stuff to other people's bikes is inviting a lawsuit not to mention that most bike shop owners would have moral objections to that sort of thing happeneing.

Get a thick-ass KMC BMX chain. Might be a little noisy, but they're pretty reliable.

How old was your old chain? If you had been running it for years on a shifting bike, it might have just been its time to go. No chain will last forever.

The chain was new along with the bike ! Lets just say I was pretty pissed off, and almost going over the bars wasn't to much fun.

The bike shop owes you a new chain at the very least. Groveling at your feet, and begging forgiveness would also be appropriate.

The bike shop owes you a new chain at the very least. Groveling at your feet, and begging forgiveness would also be appropriate.
Word. A fresh chain installed at the shop snapping in the first 20 miles? Sounds like grounds for an assertive exchange of words.

Word. A fresh chain installed at the shop snapping in the first 20 miles? Sounds like grounds for an assertive exchange of words.

Try the first 2 miles. They replaced my chain tonight and appologized repeatedly about the situation. The link looked like it just spread apart at tthe end where the pin poped out. I also had my rear cog changed to a 14 tooth, which makes my ride a 32/14. Does that sound about right for a MTB when being used mainly on the street ? It sure felt nice geared like that, much better than the 32/16 that was on it.

Try it out. If you're still spinning out, you might want to upsize the ring to a 40t or thereabouts. Also, slick(er) tires will probably help.