CarrollB

Do you carry a chain breaking tool and/or a quick link on rides? I ride for cardio and relaxation, and most of my rides are on paved bike trails and 8-25 miles in length. I carry a tire repair kit, pump, a multi-tool, and a cell phone. Do I need to carry a chain breaker too? If I do, how do I know what size chain I have or do all break tools fit various size chains? Why would you need to break the chain on a bicycle as I rode motorcycles for 20 years and never had a chain problem?

RaleighSport

I happen to have a chain breaker built in to my multi tool.. so yes.

Biker395 

I carry a multi-tool with a chain breaker, and a spare connex link.

I've never broken a 9 speed chain, but I've broken two 10 speed chains, the last time, while honking up a 12% grade at Triunfo Pass.

leob1

Most of the time, it's part of the tool kit in one of my seat bags. Though I don't always use that bag. Some times I just carry a tube, patch lit and co2. I've broken a chain after a not putting it back together after a cleaning, oops. I could have used it when a small stick got caught in my spokes and trashed my rear derailer. In stead of walking a few miles in my bike shoes, ouch, I could have made the bike into a single speed and ridden home that way. This happened before I got that tool kit, my luck. I did use it on a kids bike when I went on a bike ride with my sons Boy Scout troup. It can come in handy.

Wanderer

The chain on your motorbike was LOTS HEAVIER, and less likely to break.

Also consider that your bike chain sometimes runs at angles, putting more stress on a thin chain.

Yes, I have broken chains, and fixed them temporarily with a chain breaker. Not often, but it does happen.

Old connecting links never get thrown away, just cleaned, lightly oiled, and thrown in my tail trunk.

10 Wheels

The Parks CT-5 is small. I have been with 3 riders that broke a chain.



I also carry a Seat Post Clamp bolt.

mkane77g

Not here. Fingers crossed

Terex

No realistic need for your situation.

I carried one for years, and saved several other riders' butts, but never needed it myself. It's usually needed when some other, unprepared rider has done their own chain "maintenance" and screwed it up. The one time my chain broke (due to an inept service tech...), the chain caught in my rear mech and destroy the frame.

DX-MAN

Multi-tool here, as well.

Funny thing about the SRAM 951 chains I've run for several years -- they would BREAK, AWAY from the master link, within a month of installation. I would remove the broken link, re-attach, and ride them for 2 years with no more problems. The last chain, I didn't even bother with the master link; it also broke early on, I fixed it, a year and a half ago.

Buying a different one next time.

BluesDawg

I carry a multi-tool that includes a chain breaker. I have used it twice. Once when I broke a chain climbing a hill on a mountain bike and once when another rider on a club road ride broke his chain. In both incidents, having the tool saved long walks.

baron von trail 

+1

chasm54

I do carry a chain-breaker. Never broke a chain in my life until ten-speed came along, but I have broken one of them. I suspect it was faulty installation by the shop, so I now install my own, but it isn't impossible it will happen again and the tool is small and light. I also carry tube, patch kit, levers, multi-tool, spoke key, and spare derailleur hanger (broke one of them, too, once). Overkill, but it's a hangover from my touring background, and none of it weighs much.

contango 

I carry two chain breakers. One because it happens to be on my multi tool and another because it's so small and light I figure I might as well have a decent one with me.

I've never broken a chain but have seen it happen. It's the kind of thing that you think can't happen until it suddenly does. I used to think that gear cables would never actually snap, since they're made of steel, until I had one snap just over half way through a 200km ride. Now I carry a spare gear cable too...

A quick link makes it easier to relink the chain. The chain tool should work with any chain, the quick link will be more chain-specific - you'll want an 8-speed link for an 8-speed chain etc.

You might also want to break the chain if you have a major derailleur problem. If your RD fails completely you can bodge a repair to get home by shortening the chain to bypass the RD completely, effectively turning your bike into a singlespeed. It's not ideal but if the alternative is walking 20 miles home it probably starts to look quite attractive as an option.

WC89

Just put one in my saddle bag last Saturday, BECAUSE, the day before I replaced my 1 yr old chain myself with my first modern chain. I say modern because since getting back on the road bike last summer after 13 yrs off, I was only used to changing the old Sedis or Sachs chains which were quite simple to do (no specific direction for those chains back then to run, bi-directional, wider/more durable, and no excess tab to clip off with pliers). So, with all that said, I just wanted to be sure that it didn't snap on me w/o having the means to do an on-the-road-repair. I guess it has to do with my confidence in changing a chain slightly different than what I was used to. Mind you, since riding road bikes seriously around 1983 (including 10 yrs of racing), I've only had 1 chain snap while riding (going up a short hill in 1983), and that was a brand new chain installed the day before by a bike shop on an old Fugi Supreme. From about 1988 - 1999, I replaced countless chains myself w/o incident.
I've done two rides with the new chain (Shimano 105) including some very tough/steep hills and all is well. I may keep it in the bag for one more weekend of doing hilly rides.
By the way, I'm reminded by some of the previous posts in this thread that my multi-tool also has a small chain break on it. Forgot all about it since I hardly ever have a need to pull out the mulit-tool.

fietsbob

On long Bike tours , but not day rides or commuting .. recently moved , 6 blocks from downtown, now.

NOS88

No, my chains have a Wipperman Connex Link and I carry an extra one.

wphamilton

Yes, easier for me to keep up with in the seat bag. Also, I've broken a couple of chains but unfortunately didn't have the tool those times.

gregf83 

I've never broken a chain, but have been with a couple people who have, so it isn't unheard of. I wouldn't worry about it but if you want to be fully prepared it wouldn't hurt.

Biker395 

Just curious ... without a chain breaker, how do you remove a pin from the broken link to get the plates free and put the new link in?

DiabloScott

I have a multi-tool with a chain tool included.

And there's a switchback on my local mountain called "chainbuster"... that was me... just about did an endo; managed to get the rear wheel back down but didn't get out of my pedals in time so I just kind of fell over.

Sometimes the plate breaks, but more often it's a pin install screw-up, so you're most likely to break a chain shortly after you put it on.

irwin7638

Almost always.

Marc

awfulwaffle 

Got one in my multi tool. Never actually popped a chain though, thankfully.

Zinger

Yes

Haven't used it on my own yet but on someone else's.

NOS88

Peel one of the plates off and the link and other plate come off easily. "How do you peel the plate off?", he asks next. With my tire levers. Of course it helps if your hands are strong enough to bend 10 penny nails.

Biker395 

Lol ... I had to ask! I have great difficulty opening a pickle jar.