Snuffleupagus

I'm having a motherfudger of a frustrating time here with my LX derailleur/deore shifter/sram pg950 cassette/shimano HG53 chain.

I first got the bike (Giant NRS) 2 weeks ago, and it rode pretty much fine for the first week. Then, a few days ago I noticed some skipping, so I made some adjustments - okay, for the time being. Next ride, it needed more adjustments, today, I go out for an XC race. I was whipping some butt (within 1.5 miles I'd caught up to people released 2 heats ahead of me) that is until I went into the small chainring up front to make my way up a monster hill - and then the chain started to skip, not horribly, but within 15 seconds the chain had broken, leaving me with a DNF in the race.

This is really pissing me off, a brand new 1400 dollar bike, and I can't get it to stay in adjustment long enough to finish an 8 mile XC race (barely made it to mile 2).

Is this anything like normal? I didn't need to make any adjustments on my old bike for months at a time. I'm going to play with the rear d. some more today, and then take it to the LBS I bought it from on Monday to ask them WTF.

phantomcow2

Have you broken the chain before (using a chain breaking tool, not in the race) to clean it?

Snuffleupagus

Yeah, I just saw the post about the Shimano chains being weak after removal. I'm going to replace the chain with a SRAM PC69 and hopefully that'll work a little better.

What concerns me more though, is the fact that it was skipping so soon after being adjusted.

phantomcow2

Well, did you re use the old pin? I highly recommend a SRAM PC69, not only because they are a super good price, resist corrosion and overall a great chain buut they include the ingenius SRAM powerlink. That means there are no tools necessary to remove this chain, i can have it off in 5 seconds or less. Do a search for SRAM powerlink and you will see my opinions are shared. If when you pushed the pin back in, it was in too far to one side that little knob may have been hitting the derailleur cage on the pulley, this breaks the chain, ive had it happen to me. There isnt a huge deal of clearance there

phantomcow2

And that would explain the clicking, the chain hitting the cage everytime it comes around

Snuffleupagus

Well now that brings up another question.

I've got a power link on a PC48 on my old bike, and for the life of me I cannot get the bugger loose. I've had other people try to get it off to no avail.

Is there any easy way to get them undone? I've used them before and cannot get them to budge, by hand or with a pliers. I'm pretty sure with the weight lifting and bouldering it's not because I'm a nancy boy with velvet fingers either

phantomcow2

DONT USE TOOLS to undo that thing!! Your just gonna make it wurse. It helps if its clean, and well lubricated. SO get some oil on there. In one fluid motion just press and slide the plates apart. It takes a while to get the hang of it, so i suggest if you order a new SRAM chain to get that cosmoline crap off, and just practice with it OFF the bike. ITs a hell of a lot easier to practice with the chain off than on the bike

khuon

With the PowerLink, you may need to press the sideplates inwards while at the same time sliding them past each other. As was previously mentioned, cleaning the link before attempting the operation is often advised. I'll also reiterate what phantomcow2 said, DO NOT USE TOOLS. You will most likely damage the PowerLink. Every PowerLink user I know who has had one fail has admitted to having used pliers on them.

khuon

New bikes need to be broken in and then tuned-up. This is why most bike shops ask that you bring the bike back after the first few weeks of riding. It could be that the adjustments you made were done improperly and didn't hold.

Snuffleupagus

As I'm calming down from my rage of defeat I'm thinking that was probably the case.

phantomcow2

So how old is this bike?

Snuffleupagus

I'm assuming you mean my new bike, the one the chain failed on today. In that case it's an 05, I've only had it for about 2 weeks.

If you mean the bike I have the PC48 on (yeah, I just pulled the link off - all my dumb ass needed to do was press the plates before pulling. Duh. Thanks for that tidbit though) it's a 97 GT Karakoram.