Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - Master link came loose

I was two miles from home on a beautiful autumn day and my chain comes off going over a railroad track. The master link disconnected. I searched the ground for it but could not find it.

Fortunately there was no train, it was flat and I was able to stop. I was on my fixed which is brakeless.

The chain was an is an Innox stainless steel chain 1/8". I know this is not suppose to happen but has this happened to anyone else?? Are all master links created equal??? Is this chain a crappy chain??

Had I been going downhill or approaching an intersection it could have been a very different story.

..my master link didnt come loose...but my chain broke last week..I was going across an intersection and it all of the sudden....my chain is laying in the intersection..haha..

I guess I should've seen it coming since my chain had been popping off recently.. just didnt see why... figured it was loose..but I guess it was a busted link..luckily, it didnt happen anywhere where I 'needed' to stop quickly. consequently..my shoes are all worn down now from my flintstones style stops...they click alot when I walk now :(

When you say master link is that one of the traditional type or something like a SRAM power link?

I was on my fixed which is brakeless.
Dat's why I run a front brake - in case of emergency.

I also don't use those master links. My chain tool works just fine.

No, my mistake, it ws not a master link. I believe that is the cotter pin type setup.

This one has the side plate with the slightly elongated holes. You push the pins into the side plate holes by twisting the chain laterally to install, and twist laterally to remove the connection.

I took my front brake off about three weeks ago. :(

Where do you find a stainless steel one? My LBS guys hate me!!


I broke a track chain earlier this year but that was my fault. It was three years old and should have been replaced. I still have the scars from that crash!!!

Doesn't Wipperman use some sort of quick link on their chains? I assume it would be stainless.

The SRAM Power Link works a little differently, and I cannot imagine one coming loose by accident. They are such a snug fit sometimes a chain tool would be faster. I prefer the Power Link because I am always concerned I either may not get the pin back JUST so, or that moving the pin lessens the friction holding it in place. The Power Link actually feels more secure to me. Power Links are not stainless, but I have never seen rust on one of mine.

I had to come back to edit different to make it an adverb. Rainbabe the English teacher would have me in a dunce cap for sure. :D

i agree with riderx; situations like that make my 'dorky' front brake seem rather sensible.

while we're on this topic, i'd like to hear opinions bout who makes the 'best' 1/8 chain? i'm thinking i'll need to replace mine eventually, and i wanna be prepared with a plan for when i do. by 'best', i'm talking about functionality, durability, value. i can find out who makes the most expensive just by checking prices. ;)

-rob

ps-i dont like master links

After I broke my chain this spring I bought two chains, both have a master or "fast" type of connecting link. I like to try new things so I did. On all of my geared road bikes I use the chain tool. So these are new for me.

I am thinking I my throw away the master links and go back to my chain rivet tool. I do not need the problems.

For the people that do not use them. Have you used them and had them fail or just don't like the concept???

What do people on the track use??? I guess they do not go over railroad tracks on a closed course.

Ack. That sucks.

When riding brakeless you have to make sure you're riding a high quality, sturdy chain and replace it often.

I ride an Izumi track chain with a master link. The master link rocks. If you have two different cogs (Say 18T for the road and 14T for the track) you can keep two chains sized to fit those cogs snug and swap them using the master link.

Using a chain tool to shorten/lengthen your chain severely weakens it and increases the possibility of brakeage.

while we're on this topic, i'd like to hear opinions bout who makes the 'best' 1/8 chain? i'm thinking i'll need to replace mine eventually, and i wanna be prepared with a plan for when i do. by 'best', i'm talking about functionality, durability, value. I like the KMC 410 Rustbuster chains. I run them on the road and off. Cheap and reliable.

i think i said this in another thread, but i REALLY liked the KMC 410H, but then they stopped making it (or they repackaged it as the beach cruiser chain). the only heavy duty chains they make are the 415 and 915 which are the weird looking one-sided chains.

i've never had a problem with a master link spontaneously coming loose. but i HAVE had a problem with my chain falling apart because i forgot to put that little cotterpin thingy back in place after adding/removing links. that was real fun. i decided after that, that i would just use the chain tool to put my chains back together. at least that way i know it's not going to fly apart on me. (i hope)

I wouldn't use the master links that have both pins on one side of the link that need to be bent together to fit the outer plate over. After a few uses the plate with the holes in gets worn and jus pings off under too much pressure.

The sram style ones with a pin on each plate I have never had a problem with.

The Izumi and HKK both use a little screw to hold the master link together instead of just a circlip. They are also both NJS approved which must mean they are pretty good.. I personally just replace often with a regular BMX chain. That way you don't have to get greasy messing with old dirty chains.. :)

-Jason

does my chain have a master link? how do i tell. its an izumi... :)

Thank you everyone.

I am going to get an Izumi. I see they have a $25, $35, and $45-50 options. I am going to go with the $35 one, unless someone convinces me otherwise.
I think my life is worth $35!


I thought twisting the chain on end and to try and fit it into those two elongated holes was messed up. Oh well, I luckily lived and learned


I will try to find some pictures to describe the different kind of masterlinks. I can't believe Sheldon doesn't address this!!!

This is the connector that failed me:

This is the connector that failed me:
you need the one with the clippy thingie :) i've never heard of a clippy-type chain breaking at the master link. (unless you forget to put the clip on)

This is the type of connector I used for three years without a problem:

This is the type of connector I used for three years without a problem:
Yeah, that's the one. I have that on my Izumi track chain.

crap. i just realized, i need new chains all around, except on my road bike (which doesn't get much use).

one of them hasn't been changed in over a year and a half.

sigh...well, at least while i'm at the bike shop i can drop off a resume.

Here is the one that I thought looked cool: (You can see the little screw in thing on each one if you look.)

http://www.businesscycles.com/graphics/tchain-izu.JPG

how much does a track chain need to stretch before it should be replaced? my izumi chain has stretched 1/16". should i replace it?

I would think a track chain is the same as any other chain as far as stretch.

Track chains just have a wider link. Chain stretch affects the length of the chain. So all of those chain stretch or wear tools should work for all chains.