It was a nice day for a ride here in CT today, so I decided to take the Fuji Saratoga out do run a few errands. I went into town for a haircut, then went over to the next town to look into renting a storage bay for my upcoming move. I'm downsizing and can't decide what to keep and what to unload. Well, I broke the chain on the way home with about 5 miles to go. I live in the sticks, spotty cell service, so of course I was in a dead zone. Walked the bike the 5 miles or so through the state forest, the most direct route. Could have been worse, it could have me that broke, not the bike. All in all, it was a fairly pleasant walk. Portable chain tool is now on my list of things to keep with me on the bike.

I feel your pain!

I was going hard and mashing on my Basso last week, when the stem bolt holding the handlebars in place broke and the bars rolled forward. Damn, it was scary, and it was all I could to hold on and get her stopped before I did a header over the bars. Lucky no cars were coming, because I was pretty much out-of-control. Well, after I calmed down and got my nerves back in order, I realized I was stuck and had to walk her home about 4 miles.

Saddest part was I had just put some Veloflex Masters on her and I was really enjoying the ride!

Yep. Small chainbreaker earned it's spot in the on bike tool kit the exact same way. Left me walking.

not even if i were riding cross country would i carry a chain tool. would this be a mistake? i'd rather carry a spare clincher or socket wrench for the crank.

just buy good chains, retire them on time, and spin in a low gear when climbing.

Otg, I hear you. I experienced a broken chain a year or so ago on the Masi and 30 miles from home. The quick-link came apart and one half was lost forever. I was in a region sort of suburban-ish and sort of rural. Fortunately someone mowing his lawn pointed me to the house of a neighbor's who was a cyclist! He'd just come in from a ride and was happy to lend me a chain tool. Otherwise I would have considered walking uphill and coasting down into the nearest town.

But I still don't carry a chain tool.

If I turn left, when leaving a villa I stay at in Jamaica each winter, I ride my Giant XTC through a spotted urban area, past the cliffs and then up Broken Chain hill - guess who name the hill?

I's sooner pay the meager space and weight penalty and carry the mini chain breaker. Sure beats walking, with a bike.

I got stranded on the side of a country road for a few hours in the middle of the night during a 600k brevet a while back because of a broken chain...and I had a chain tool!

Mine was part of a multi-tool and I couldn't get enough leverage to push the pin out. I sat there until a truck stopped that let me borrow a wrench. Now I carry an actual chain tool. Whichever way you go, it's a good idea to try it out before game time.

Jim,

Um...that's not the bar/stem combo that came from me, is it?

I promise I did nothing to the bolt but remove/reinstall after polishing up the stem

Glad you came out of that okay!

DD

Btw, I'd like to get a consensus: how many of you breaking chains are running a Quick-Link? I've only ever broken a chain once when climbing in Hawaii - happened with a Quick-Link. That was the last time I used one and I've not broken a chain since (knocks on head).

DD

I've broken a chain only once in 42 years of riding derailleur bikes. Yes, it was the Masi's quick-link. That's a small sample size.

I must have missed something here. If the quick link fails, how does a chain tool help? Wouldn't you just use a spare quick link?

I guess that if the chain actually breaks, you would need to remove a link so that you could use a quick link to repair it. Duh. Of course that presume that you have a spare quick link with you.

.... ahhh that walk of shame... out of the dorms at UW Madison at 6AM...

Well, I wasn't going to say anything, but since your memory is so good and you brought it up - yes - it was indeed that bar/stem combo!

I'm going to guess you weren't really trying to sabotage it and kill me, but if I were going to sabotage something on a bike, it would be that stem bolt. Great way to kill somebody! I felt very lucky to come out of that one unscathed! The whole incident left me looking like this guy~

But hey, you did a great job polishing that thing up, it still looks great!

So, another consensus question. What do you guys who carry one recommend for a "compact" chain breaker tool.?

If the Q-L fails you just remove it, then use the tool to take out one of the adjacent inner links and re-join the ends. The result is a chain two links shorter. You ride home with dirty hands.

Been there done that.
Now a spare quick link and a Nashbar 'Woody' combo tool live in my seat pack. The chain breaker on it works great.
In my case it wasn't a quick link that failed. In fact, I've never had one fail.

Top

Wouldn't it be simpler (and less messy) to carry a spare quick link? What does that add to the underseat pack, 1/2 ounce? I carry several with me, for different chain widths. If I can help someone else while I'm out riding, I"m glad to do it.

In my case, the quick link survived. One of the pins worked its way out. The bike is a 1989 model, and I looked the chain over when I got it and decided not to replace it. It looked to be in great shape, but obviously wasn't.

Oh no...that would be too easy and logical.

I actually carry a fairly extensive tool kit with me, chain tool included. Just in case I find someone else broken down and I get the chance to play hero. I find that if I bring the tool with me, I will never need it.

So - last time I broke something - an old Simplex plastic derailleur. It literally went to pieces! 3 to be specific. Try fixing that with your roadside kit!

... well - I guess I could have just shortened the chain and made the bike a single speed instead of walking it home. Didn't think of that at the time.

Oh well. ... It was only a 50' walk back to the hacienda.

When riding a Simplex Prestige, always carry a spare rear derailleur with you. And a spare front, too.

I've been carrying the Park Mini Brute in my MTB pack for years.
Park Tool Co. » CT-5 : Mini Chain Brute Chain Tool : Chain
I've only broken one chain in 50 years of road biking (back in the days when quick links were called "master links" and would not work on a derailleur bike) but have used the little Park tools on quite a few broken chains belonging to myself and others on MTB rides.
Brent

I carry a Topeak Alien II with me and used it only once so far. That was to remove a broken link on a BSO and shorten the chain to get the guy back to his car. Three minutes later he had a flat and I had one 27" presta valve tube and he had a 26" shrader valve, but with no tube. So he ended up walking anyway. A couple of months later, I heard that he'd bought a new Cannondale - a T800. So far, I've never broken a chain.

Mental note: add a master link to my tool bag. Chain breakage used to be rare. Not any more.