Originally Posted by non-fixie

... is what I hope to get out of this post.

I can't remember ever having any real problems with chains. If there ever was an issue, it was because the chain was either too long, too short, too wide or too narrow. In all those cases it was pretty obvious what the cause was, and subsequently dealt with.

This week, however I've had two problems of a different kind. Equally easy to deal with, it seems, but since I'm not sure of the cause, I feel less confident about the resolutions' success.

Case # 1: The Broken Chain

Happened this evening, as I was climbing a local unevenness on a bike I'd just acquired and had given a quick once-over. I had my full weight on the pedal, when the chain broke. Interesting experience! I managed to stay upright and on the bike, but going uphill with no drive meant I had to dismount rather swiftly to prevent further problems.

The chain in question is pictured below. The obvious solution is a new chain, of course. But why did this link break?



Thanks in advance for any input.