datlas 

Strike that. You can say it. They must have fixed the censor.

Carry on.

btw I use shimano chains with minimal issues. I did have an early cn 6700 that broke but that was a well known design defect and fixed with cn 6701.

gregjones

With a turnover in mechanics and the resultant skill level fluctuation, I wonder if the mechanic reused the pin that he had pushed out to break the chain? I've always heard not to reuse modern chain pins.

I know we used to say that it cost $5,000 in warranties due to low quality work performed by so called "mechanics" every time we attempted to hire someone new as our repair shop grew.

rpenmanparker 

They say don't reuse the pin, but it is hard to find someone who hasn't successfully done it once or twice. Hard to believe a reused pin would fail that quickly.

bt

also the pin is to be installed in the leading end of the outer link.

RollCNY

The pin is riveted, which increases its diameter. In pushing it out, you often shear some metal, or cause permanent deformation. The replacement pin is two step, and most likely oversized to make up for the deformation.

If you do the old "push through one PLP, slide in roller unit, and push same rivet back through PLP" method, failure at that joint is likely.

These aren't the same chains that we pushed pins in and out of 30 years ago.

datlas 

I miss those good old days. You could get over 10,000 miles from a chain. Do they still make the cyclo rivoli? That was the "it" chain tool to have back then.

bruce19

The shop that installed the chain said they always use a connecting link because of bad experiences with the Shimano pin. So, I'm not sure what this mechanic did. BTW I just have to say that if more/new information comes my way I may have to reconsider my opinion about this specific incident. But, given their reputation, I'm betting on a screw up at the LBS. On Weds. I'm going to the shop that installed the chain and we will examine that chain to see if there is anything we can see that will help explain what happened. They will also put on a new KMC chain.

canam73

This will vary widely with brand, rider size, shifting habits, etc. But for 10 speed 3000 miles seems to be a typical expectation.

Personally, I buy cheaper chains, usually kmc on ebay, don't clean them past the occasional splash and wipe, and replace after 2500 miles.

milkbaby

It sucks to have your chain blow up, lucky no injury tho! I wouldn't necessarily jump to the conclusion that the LBS didn't connect the chain with a quicklink. If the quicklink itself failed, then chances are the two pieces flew off down the road and that's why you don't see it on the broken chain at the moment.

Edited to add: I always use a quicklink like the KMC Missing Link to connect my chains. It's just a lot easier and you don't have to worry messing up with the connecting pin. Plus you can easily disassemble it for whatever reason you want later on, whereas if you use the pin you will end up putting a second pin in somewhere on the chain adding yet another potential point for chain failure.

MikeyBoyAz

I use currently Whipperman links, which are the bomb diggity for re-use. I don't particularly love that, when installed in reverse, it will hop on the 11t cog of my cassette.

Hypno Toad

For my daily commuter, chain life has ranged from over 5,500 miles (I cleaned it often and was riding mostly dry days when it was new) to 1,500 miles (replaced it after a gravel century - I didn't even bother trying to clean it after 100 miles of wet gravel). I feel 3,000 to 3,500 is typical for summer conditions with a cleaning every 6 to 8 weeks (based on conditions).

topflightpro

I've never had, nor have I heard of, a Shimano pin sliding out. I go through probably 5-6 chains in my house each year - some Shimano, some Sram, some KMC , whatever is cheapest at the time. I even reinstalled a pin once because I did not have any connecting pins around. I raced on that chain for several months with zero problems.

Dudelsack 

I've had one fail. I don't recommend you do it.

bruin11

This is why it's a good idea to carry a quick link in your bag. That way you can make an instant repair and get home without a push.

banerjek

The mechanic turnover is a bad sign, but there are other things that could have caused the problem you experienced. The thing I don't like about the incompetent install theory is that installing chains is pretty hard to screw up. Even I have never succeeded in doing this in my entire life.

A few things jumped out at me when I read your original post. If they didn't install a connecting link (I wouldn't expect them to on a Shimano chain unless you specifically asked and paid for one), it suggests you didn't already have one. Another is that it's a good idea to carry a spare connecting link. Also, swapping out an RD takes only a few minutes -- less time than it takes to get a bike to the shop.

FIVE ONE SIX

really?! i wasn't aware of that...

njkayaker

How the heck are people so sure the chain broke were it was joined?

bruce19

Well, as Paul Harvey might say, "And now, the rest of the story"......So before I took the bike and chain to the LBS who (I thought) installed the new chain (for simplicity this is Steve's shop) I cleaned it in gasoline. Loaded my bike into my car and looked at the chain. Turns out it's a SRAM not a Shimano. What? So, I checked my paperwork and discovered that when Steve put a SRAM Red front derailleur on he did not replace the chain. So this is the original chain with about 1500 mi. on it. Apparently, when his shop did the work they decided that the chain did not need to be replaced. Somehow this information did not get to me. And, they cleaned up the chain so it looked nice and sparkly. I never bothered to examine it thoroughly. I just thought they had put on a new Shimano. While at the shop Steve and I looked at the chain and saw that there was no more connecting link. Steve then told me that he thought that my LBS (Scott's shop) had either installed it improperly or had re-used the original link which, he told me, SRAM says not to do with their 10 speed chains. I then asked him about the whole Shimano pin thing. He told me that several years ago he sold a new CF Trek to a guy who shortly thereafter had his Shimano chain come apart and trash his frame. He called Trek to see if they would warranty the frame. They did. They also said that they had encountered this problem with Shimano chains enough times that they had started using connecting links rather than the pins. He started doing that as well. Tomorrow I get my bike back with the new KMC chain.

woodcraft

I think I saw them perform at the irish pub once....

dicktill

Gasoline is a very dangerous solvent to use. It is very volatile, and the fumes can and do often explode! There are a lot of safer solvents to use.

bruce19

This is, of course, absolutely true. It ws one of those spur of the moment things and I didn't have the safer stuff. FWIW, I filled a glass jar with gas out in the middle of our yard (we have 2 acres) away from everything and dropped the chain in it.

RPK79

Sounds like you came inches from death.

GP

I think a pin came out or sheared on a new chain a couple weeks ago. The chain broke, wrapped itself between the cassette and spokes, broke off the rear derailleur and bent the rear rim. Aside from that it was fine.

banerjek

I wouldn't recommend cleaning a chain with gasoline, more because there's no advantage to stripping it clean rather than the fumes/fire thing. If the shop reused the SRAM link, they did screw it up because those are designed to be single use. For an easy to remove reusable 10 speed link, Wipperman can't be beat.

roadwarrior

Me either...I use Dura Ace chains with DA Casette and Red everything else (I just did not like the Red cassette) same as you no issues.