Another here with multi-tool and chain breaker. Not had to use it yet :thumb:. The only time I've had to use a chain breaker was on a ride with school pupils and one had is chain jam up. I had to remove several links. We checked every-ones bikes before we set off but he joined us down the road and we never spotted the state of his ride.

I carry one and also a small drill that is slip fit for the pin and a small sleeve I made along with a couple repair links. Most of the usage is of the Good Samaritan variety. The drill and sleeve can be used to align the link to replace a pin. Or the sleeve alone works for tightening the side plate on something like the one shown above or one coming loose.

http://inlinethumb14.webshots.com/47...600x600Q85.jpg



Last summer I came upon a club with one guy down with chain problems and out of about 6 guys no one had any tools or repair links. We fixed his chain but it was ready to come apart several other places so we went around and snugged up all the pins. Told him it was really time for a new chain when he finished the days ride.

Here is what I carry for a tool.

Nice, handy tool there, Bud.

Bill

Thanks for all of your thoughtful replies. After dropping the chain on Saturday, I knew I'd start riding with a tool but had not considered a multi tool as I didn't realize that they could break chains. Do they perform when needed? Ihbernhardt says I don't want to be relying on one to break a 10 speed chain, which is what I need it for. True? Or is he useing the wrong one? Seems a good multi tool that would replace all of the other things I carry seperately ( levers,allen set, small screwdrivers, maybe a chain tool) would be the ticket. But I've always shied away from them for some reason.

I have a chain tool on both my bent and my trike. I also carrry a quick link for both the chains. If a chain should break, there is no reason to have to walk home.

I have never broke a chain myself, but have stopped to help people who did and didnt have a chain tool.

I carry the multi tool but for a chain tool I prefer the one that’s not attached I posted above as the smallest one to get the job done for me. But then again I haven’t tried all that many on the multi tools.

I almost always carry one, but the only time in thousands of miles I had a sticky link was when I didn't have one.

I don't carry one. I used to when I first got my MTB, back in 1990, when I though that b/c I'd be doing some hard core off roading, putting some serious torque on my chain, that I'd break one soon. It never happened. I carried a chain break tool in my saddle bag for about 10 yrs before I stopped.
Short Story:I've only had 1 chain break since started seriously riding in 1983; that was a brand new chain installed earlier in the day at a shop in Georgetown (Wash. DC). I snapped it on a short steep hill later that afternoon. Took it back to the same LBS next day. The owner told me that snapping a chain pretty much should never happen. It was about a 5 mile walk back to the dorm when it snapped:mad: Since then, I learned to install all chains myself and haven't had one snap since 1983, after many yrs of road racing, training, hill intervals, centuries, off-roading, etc.

Actually, I think that my multi-tool in my bag on my hybrid does have a chain break on it. None in the bag on my MTB

Never had a chain break in my life and I've been cycling for forty years.

I broke a chain once on my commute in to work, temp was just below 0F, and it was a royal pain getting the bike repaired enough to get the rest of the way in to work. I now carry a wipperman chain tool, which included one of their quick links....

Mark

Yup. It came with my Topek seat bag. Along with tire levers, a mutlitool(slotted and philips screwdriver,allen wrenches), spoke wrench, and hex wrenches. Iv'e used the chain tool after my chain came apart after I rushed to put it back on and did a bad job of it. And to repair a chain of a scout on a Boy Scout ride. His chain broke in the parking lot before we started. Do you have to carry one? Nope. Does it come in handy? You betcha.

Sometimes I carry one, sometimes I don't. I've never had a chain break on the roadie or the MTBs during a ride. When I carry the chain breaker it's because it comes attached to the multi-tool and I want to carry hex wrenches. I have had the need to use a hex wrench many times.
For those who are interested, I use a Topeak Hexus II. I use it when I work on bikes and have broken many chains with it of all speeds, 7, 8, 9 and 10, Shimano, SRAM, Campy and KMC. I don't know what problem the previous poster had with a ten speed chain, but I used the Topeak many times to break a ten speed Shimano chain and reassemble it. The first Topeak I bought I wore out the chain breaker (flattend the tip). I now have a second, newer Hexus II. If anyone is looking for recommendation, which unit to buy, I would rate the Topeak Hexus II as a unit you should consider as it's performed very well for me.

Unless I have a new bike that I'm getting dialed in my philosophy is to keep a light heart and to carry just enough stuff to fix one flat tire. I've done tech support on some big rides so I've seen the kinds of mechanical failures that happen in real lift. To equip yourself to cover all of them would require a saddle bag that's only slightly heavier than the burden of worry on your shoulders.

I do. it's one of the few heavy things in my rear rack trunk. been trimming down what I carry and I stood there recently pondering the chain tool for about 60 secs and eventually decided to keep it in the bag ...

One out of my three bikes has a multitool in its saddlebag with a built-in chain tool. I've never had to use it, but I suppose it's nice knowing that should the opportunity arise, I'll be able to completely screw up a roadside chain repair!

I have on at least two occasions seen someone rescue a ride with a chain tool, so it seems prudent. But I can't quite bring myself to add a chain tool to my other two saddlebags.

Meh... what was the question?

I don't carry one...never needed one.

Perhaps I'm pushing my luck.:twitchy:

My experience is as a sailor where one may be thousands of miles from help. In truth, in our modern age we are not likely, especially with radios or cell phones available, to be that far from fairly quick aid. Nevertheless, my mentality is to be independent with the capacity to deal with serious emergencies on my own. My outlook is to consider consequences. It may well be that the consequence of a gear failure would be more than a PITA. The failure may sometimes be deadly. In my opinion, how much stuff you carry is dependent on those consequences and that will vary with the region, time of year, distance from timely aid and any number of considerations. For example, will there be children in your group, will you be far from a trailhead, is weather predicted to be fairly steady or is it likely to get worst throughout the day. There can be many considerations depending on the makeup of the group, time of day, terrain, weather and on and on. It is not so much the gear carried that is key, but judgment on the situation.

I've been riding bikes since I was around 5, I have never had a chain break yet. If I ever experienc my first chain break and don't have a tool I'll have to deal with it. I don't normally ride very far from an easy call or ride to get home. If I decide to ride somewhere there is not an easy call or ride home I may decide to carry a chain tool and some links. I carry what I need to fix a flat if I have one.

Most of the multitool kits I carry with my bikes have a chain tool. My only advice to add is to make sure the one you carry is of good quality. I've found it's easy to misalign the pin driver when you use cheap ones, and you end up driving the pin in or out of the chain at an angle. Not good! That flaw once caused me a chain failure after only 20 miles. The misaligned pin had ovalized the holes in the side plates which caused the pin to pull out. Chain puked out onto the road and I became an expert spinner, real fast :)

It seems that the mountain cyclist seem to have more of a problem with chains than roadies do. If I was strong enough to do the mountain bike thing I think I would carry one.
That was the long answer to the question. The short answer is no.

My chain tool is my cell phone. OTOH, I change chains frequently, and have them measured for wear regularly.

Nopers. I carry a cell phone.

So to all those people who advocate using a cellphone instead of a chaintool;
How do I use that in these mtn canyons where there is no cell coverage?

I always carry one. The only time I had to use it was three years ago on a club ride for a very new rider on a very old beater bike. It saved him a 10 mile walk back to the start point.

Chaintool is a must! I also carry several spare master links for 8, 9 and 10 speed chains. I primarily mountain bike. The stuff doesn't weigh much and getting to use them saves somebodies day. Remember the Boy Scout Motto: BE PREPARED!

All of you who replied "no" and offered some sort of justification, you realize what's going to happen soon, don't you. ;)

:eek:

...Time to sacrifice another virgin to the Chain Gods.:p

You need a chaintool, sorry.

I always ride in good cell zones.

I tried using my phone...but it just got dirty. Is there a chain tool app?

Typically, what happens is that the back plate bends as pressure is exerted on the pins, now unattached at the front plate. This usually pops off the entire front plate. If it doesn't, it is not difficult to pry off the front plate (it should just pop off with a bit of finger pressure, if not, you can use a tire lever), and the back plate with rivets is easily pushed out. No chain tool required. And the missing/quick links don't need a tool to install. Of course, some guys just HAVE to have the right tool

Luis