Odd Chain Failure
 

Maybe "odd" isn't really the best adjective to describe it. "Lucky" might be closer. In any case, I took my bike out for a ride yesterday morning after having just cleaned, lubed, and reinstalled the chain (a Campy Record 11 speed) the night before. I've been using KMC 11 speed "Missing Links" on this chain with no problems for quite a while, and I understand a lot of other people do as well without issue. As I pedaled away from the house, I noticed an odd "ticking" sound that had a periodicity that didn't seem to relate to wheel motion, and really didn't correspond to pedal position. But it did relate to cadence. Tick... tick... tick While I was looking down, trying to figure out what the heck, the chain just suddenly shot off the chain wheel onto the ground and the ticking stopped.

I walked the 75 - 100 yards back to where the chain had come to rest, and upon picking it up, discovered that one of the missing link pins had somehow pulled free of it's key-holed slot in the opposite plate and had opened enough to come completely apart. Now I'm pretty damned sure I installed the thing correctly. I do use the KMC unlock and lock pliers when removing and reinstalling these links, and afterward, I ran both derailleurs through all their positions without noting anything unusual. After 3+ years of use on Shimano, KMC, SRAM, and even Campy 10 speed chains, I've never had any sort of problem. Still, as with anything where humans are involved, I suppose some sort of "operator error" may have been at the root of this event. One thing is certain though, and that is I must be incredibly lucky that this link gave way at just the exact right time to avoid running afoul of either derailleur (especially the rear) so it could be ejected from the bike without any collateral damage.

I've since replaced the failed link with a brand new one, and so far (about 40 miles worth) all seems well. But now, I'm a bit spooked:twitchy:. Has anyone else experienced a similar failure associated with the use of the KMC 11 speed master link on Campy 11 speed chains?

i was under the impression those were a one time use deal. as in, once you install it, if you take your chain apart, you should use a new link upon reassembly. dunno, i just clean the chain on the bike and chuck the entire thing when it stretches out, starting from scratch with a new chain and link.

Hmm, the 10 speed links come with either a "M/L-10R" (for Shimano and SRAM) or a "M/L-10CR" (for Campy) designation, and it's been my understanding that the "R" meant re-usable, as in the same link may continue to be used for the life of whichever chain it's used on, without regard for the number of times it's disassembled/reassembled. I do chain cleaning/lubing off the bike. And that assumption seems to have been born out in my experience with 10 speed drive trains. I made the same assumption about the "M/L-11" links, but now that I see they do not have the "R" in their part number, I'm thinking maybe that's where I went astray.

Removing chains to clean them is just asking for trouble. It isn't necessary and courts trouble. If you can't live with a dirty chain, better to clean it in place. Personally as long as it is lubed, I prefer mine dirty.

well in ****ty, rainy oregon its customary for me to chuck the whole drivetrain after the winter, well just the cassette/chain and start from scratch. so it probably depends on how abused you chain gets too.

Well, Duuhh... I just went back to the KMC on line store, and sure enough, it clearly states that the 11 speed links are NOT re-usable. Man, I really am lucky!! Maybe not too bright, but definitely lucky :o

Thank you, your pompousness... :)

ive only seen one chain failure in person and it was quite dramatic. dude was track standing at a 4 way stop on some newer road bike, when it was his turn, he jammed on the gas, chain snapped and he went flying over the handle bars superman style. i was like, damn, dont see that very often! this was all from a mostly dead stop.

It happened to me too while I had my bike on the repair stand. I had just finished installing the EPS components and was about to begin dialing the system in when I heard a ticking noise every time I turned the crank. I thought I had a kink in the chain (KMC X11SL) and then saw that I didn't lock the missing link correctly. After removing and re-lubing the links, I reinstalled them and the noise was gone. I've got about 500+ miles so far since the EPS install and no issues with the chain and missing links.

Perhaps so, but you had the problem, and you asked for help. I, oth use chains for a lot of miles before they need replacement and have never had a failure. Take it or leave it, but my advice was well intentioned and technically proper. A little machine oil every few hundred miles and a wipe down is all you need. The rest is just fluff. Not criticizing you if the clean drive train is tbat important to you. Just saying you are opening yourself up to problems unnecessarily. Is it not wierd that you seem to prefer learning you need to buy a $10 (?) link every couple of weeks than that the procedure isn't required at all?

Agreed, 11 speed chains last what 2500-3000 miles? I'm just a guessing that number based on 10sp chain life. I would just squirt some lubricant on it every few hundred miles, wipe it down and chuck it in the trash when it wears out.

Robert,

First, I didn't ask for help. I asked if anyone had a similar experience. Secondly, I have learned a lesson in the course of this little discussion, albeit not the one I think you'd have liked. There is no "correct" or "incorrect" in this. It was the implication that there was that I found mildly abrasive when nothing more than a difference in preferences is all that is involved. I'm sure your methods have worked well for you, and you'll just have to take my word that up to this point, mine have also given me the results I want. Now that I know that I was using the product improperly, I know how to prevent re-occurrences.

FWIW, in my experience, I've been able to get nearly twice the mileage out of a chain for a given amount of properly measured "stretch" by dissembling and cleaning in an US cleaner every few hundred miles. Were I using cheaper chains or if KMC links were more expensive (they can be had for much less than $10 each) or non-reusable then the calculus of this practice would be different. However, in my case, this has proven an effective strategy to contain the cost of consumables that does not carry a significant risk when using proper tools and techniques. It will be interesting to see if that remains true in view of the non-reusable nature of the 11 speed links. If not, I may very well incorporate some of your methods to supplement my own.

Thanks for both your contribution and understanding.

When you're right, you're right! I have run afoul of this distinction numerous times. I need to read more closely. When someone asks, "Anyone else ever encounter this?" I have to not see it as a request for help, or advice, or even alternative wisdom, but just for a show of hands. You bring home the point to me once again, and I will endeavor to profit from the lesson this time.

And I agree with your conclusion about no right or wrong. Just different approaches. I like to express my beliefs assertively, but I do not mean to suggest they are any more than my opinions subject to acceptance or rejection by the reader.

Finally, you will notice that I did put a ? after my $10 estimate, meaning that I really didn't know the cost of the 11s KMC link and was just guessing. Actually I just checked and Universal Cycles (a fairly low cost supplier) has them for $6 each (my bad) before shipping charges are added.

The funny part about all this is I really do admire the look of a clean drivetrain and sometimes wish I weren't too lazy to have one (or two or three) whether obtained by removing the chain for cleaning or not. Then I just sigh and oil and wipe. DSFDF

Ride safely.

This just happened to me a few days ago on a SRAM PC-951 9-speed chain. The chain is about 1000 miles old and hadn't been disassembled for cleanings.

I was out on an easy ride and stopped at a traffic light about an hour into the ride. As I went to continue on when the light turned green, I stepped down and the chain quite literally squirted out the back end of my bike. The quick link had broken (unknown how since I couldn't find it afterwards). I reassembled my chain by breaking it and pushing a pin through (like you would without a quick link) and continued riding. It's been fine so far, but I'll keep an eye on it just in case.

The KMC M/L-11 6-pack can be had from a reputable Ebay seller for ~$29.00, which translates to < $4.85 a piece. This does soften the blow of them not being re-usable, but it may still tip the economic scales in favor of a less rigorous cleaning/lubing regimen. We'll see.

Trust me on this, I do respect "lazy". I keep the dis-assemble/ultrasonic clean/lube cycle as painless as possible by running 2 chains in rotation.

Ed,

Keep a close eye on the pin you pushed through. Even on a 9 speed chain, if you've pushed a re-used pin back through it's old side plate hole, it will not hold for very long. When it lets go, and it's "when", not "if", it could be very unpleasant for you and your bike. Like Penman said, "Ride safe".

Me too, but I don't remember it. I was jamming up a hill and woke up in the middle of the road wondering how I got there. Some woman stopped and asked if I was OK, I said yes, but as she drove away I was thinking "other than I don't remember my name". In a few minutes my senses returned and I noticed the busted chain. I was quite lucky.

Be careful of a newly replaced chain. I never take mine off for cleaning. And never ignore an odd rhythmic tic.

I had failure like that (KMC link) that on Shimano chan. I know of few more cases (all Shimano).
Never again.

I get 6-6500 km out of Campagnolo 10spd chains, tried them all no real difference in life. I never take them off the bike to clean, never had a problem. I do carry a KMC link with me in case of emergency, but so far only gave it one to a guy stranded because he did what the OP did.