matthewk

ok i bought a hard rock sport W/ disk a few days ago. i have taken it out everyday and pretty hard on it for a $400 dollar bike. anyway Ive broke the chain twice and the rear gears don’t shift very smooth. the bike shop gave me a new chain the second time (same type). so anyone got recommendation on replacement parts or things I could do?

https://www.specialized.com/SBCBkModel.jsp?spid=9344 <the bike info>

Thx matt

PWRDbyTRD

how you broke a chain is beyond me....I have stood on my carnk without breaking it and I'm 450lbs...LoL....what are you doing to it??? as far as upgrages..maybe some better driver shaft compoentns....like yeah. dude WTF are you doing to yhour bike

stapfam

You will find that the lower price range bikes do have cheaper components fitted to them, and they will not necessarily be up to the standard necessary for full offroad abuse that you wish to give it. However, the bike will have a warranty with it, and stay friendly with your shop, and if parts fail prematurely, then they will do their best to help you out with warranty repairs. Take into consideration that abuse does not come into warranty repairs, but you have bought a mountain bike, and it should be suitable for the use that it was sold for.

The frame on this bike is pretty good, but the components are not going to last long. The cheaper parts are going to fail, and the trick is that as parts do fail, upgrade them to better spec parts. Warranty will only replace the failed parts with the same part again, so if the cheap bottom bracket fails within warranty and will be replaced FOC, get the shop to fit a better quality part, and pay the difference yourself. Also accept that the shop is going to try and help you as much as posible, but if they say that it is abuse that caused a part to fail, accept it and pay up.

mtnbiker66

Sounds like a rider problem, if your shifting on hard uphills your putting your drivetrain under a lot of stress.Try to be in the gear you need as you start uphill. If your "panic shifting" you'll want to check the rear cassette too. I had a chain break on a bike 1st time out but that was a link problem.Not trying to sound like I'm an ace mech. just saw the newbie under your name and this is a prob with new riders.

2manybikes

Do you pedal softly when you shift? If you try to pedal hard uphill and shift this could
break a chain.

Wellsack

I had the same thing happen on my hardrock earlier this summer. I had only rode it about two hours total when the chain snapped (in the middle of a busy street). I was cranking on it pretty hard when it snapped, and I almost got smoked by a car. The shop where I bought it a put a new chain on it (a significant upgrade supposedly) and it's been happy ever since. I have bent the rear derailer hangar on occassion and it caused shifting problems when it was bent. You might see if the hangar is bent, and like others have said, let off it a little when shifting.

mtbikerinpa

Breaking a chain under any condition like that is just a sad chain, sorry.

matthewk

You’re right the way I ride does not help the whole situation at all. Quite often I find myself doing things I shouldn’t. I have not been riding in over six months and I’ve never been a excellent rider. just love to ride. I think I just got away with it bit more in the past because my old bike was a little higher end. Anyway I was hoping that some one could recommend some drive train parts that shift a little smoother and or could handle a little more abuse. I am on a budget, but if need to I can always put it on my credit card for now I guess.

thanks

phantomcow2

I think sram components are a good buy for the buck. on ebay i bought my x.7 rear der for 40 and the trigger shifters for 40. I have never snapped a chain, i use PC69. It takes quite a lot of force to snap one of those things i dont know how you manage it. The chains 15-20 dollars online, your bike shop might carry it. The components i have so far have handled everything from long 25 mile rides to some jumps, i would definantly buy them again

Maelstrom 

Well under normal riding conditions (none racing or dh) it is likely rider fault. Pedalling under to much force and 'mashing' the gears, bad chain suck (which is caused by bad pedalling and or not keeping the chain lubed) or shifting under heavy forces. The rear deraileur can take shifting under force but never shift the front under load It could also be a REALLY low grade chain, but even then they don't tend to break that fast.

Especially if you (you as a general people, no specifics) have a pattern of breaking chains, you might have to look at your pedalling as a problem and not the parts. This isn't a bmx chain you really can't have it in 42/11 to start off the line and expect it to last a long time.

Oh I run a sram pc69 as well, cheap and strong

MadMan2k

I have the same one, without discs, and I've had it since early August, and put it through a lot of use, some of which it might not have been designed for. I don't shift when I'm mashing the pedals though, in fact I don't really shift very often in the first place. I've dropped my chain plenty of times, but no breaks anywhere.

matthewk

Thx for the large response

mtbikerinpa

I race constantly on trails and freeride in the off time, and I have never had any of that type of breakage happen apart from poor installation of the shimano pin. To break a chain in conventional forces (tension) is really not supposed to be possible. How else would we mountain bike racers be able to emergency shift on surprise climbs?

Maelstrom 

Talk to any dual slalom racer or even dhiller. I would bet most, if not all, have broken a chain out of the gate.

mtbikerinpa

I would like to know the details of whether they were using shimano chains.

Maelstrom 

They were, most now run sram...(I know a few thats why I am using it as anecdotal evidence) I have done it once and now use sram or wipperman. I have never broken an sram chain but 2 of the 5 have broken sram and now use wipperman...which they still break haha...

We used to have another dhiller here who broke chains out of the gate too. DBD but he isn't around much anymore.

mtbikerinpa

Some just have the luck, huh?

Maelstrom 

I guess. I have never done it under normal riding condtions, just when playing in the gate.

mtbikerinpa

Called TORQUE!

Maelstrom 

...as a side note. All of us that broke it are big guys. The biker cross guys are all 6ft + and 200pound. I am 6'5 and 270 and dbd I think is in my range too. So yeah lots of torque

mtbikerinpa

I would suppose theres some torque there. Ive bent a couple crankarms though, and I'm 130.

Maelstrom 

damn...haven't had the pleasure. I found the chain or chainring go first for me. I have jhad fantastic luck with crank arms

cryogenic

I'm 130 as well but have never broken a chain or bent a crank arm or anything of that nature... I'm pretty easy on parts and I've always soft-pedalled during shifts, which helps reduce stress immensely. I have to agree with the suggestions to work on your riding technique since you're breaking parts so much. It'll save you lots of money in the long run.

mtbikerinpa

Young and stupid was my excuse. I have broke niether since about 16 yrs old. Now I just wear them out.

matthewk

Ok after the dude at the bike shop adjusted somthing and replaced the chain (not sure with what) ive been shifting smooth and problem free. ill see how long i can keep it that way. If anyone still cares the chain was a Shimano IG-31, and yes im a bit larger than averge. 6'2" 205 pounds.

-matt