Well I guess I'm stronger than I thought. I was going up "East" the Burnside Bridge in Portland Or. I was out of my saddle and cranking hard 24 m.p.h. I then heard a loud crack. I though my chain just slipped a tooth "it needed to be tightened up a bit" or a spoke had broken. The chain was still intact so I rode the 4 miles home, after looking for the cause of the noise I heard, I noticed that one link had snapped right in half. I took out the broken section and replaced it with the extra links taken off originally. Should I just replace the whole chain or upgrade on later on to SRAM PC-1 Nickel? Costs a bit more, how much stronger does the price increase get you? Torque like this and I still can get the skid stop down..46x16
Thanks for the feedback! ........Fixedgear80

FWIW, I've snapped a SRAM PC-1's plate before but it was my fault for putting the chain on in a rush.

I've used both chains and I like the PC-1 a lot more.

What is the % of wear on the chain? The nickel just looks pretty... same rivets i'd bet

My guess is your chain was overly tight, and stressed which lead to the broken chain. You dont want to pull the wheel back as tight as you can, there needs to be some slack in it, or chains will break, cogs will wear down, and chainrings will shark tooth.

A chain is only as strong as...the link that crushed under your massive staunches.

But really, it's a wear item. If one link has popped, the rest of the chain might be in similar condition. Cough up a couple of bones for a new chain, upgrade to the nickel if you wants.

Thanks folks!! The chain has about 1500 miles on it in the past two years I'm guessing it was a wear problem!

I'd just replace it with same product. But if you put a new link/section and it works properly, keep on riding the repaired chain ? Might as well get the rest of the mileage out of the chain you have. Even broken you were able to ride it and limp home. Maybe take it a bit easier pedaling up the bridge a few seconds more won't mean anything and you won't break it again ?

errr, maybe if you never lubed it cuz that's not a lot of riding

count 12 links, pin to pin, and measure how much over 12 inches that is.

Those 410s are kinda crappy and dont't last long at all.I had them wear out(stretch past max) in 1000 mls or less and thats with normal tension.These days i run 710s,Izumis and Wipperman.A few more $ but way better.

I agree.

was the break through the plate not touching any pin holes? lets see it.

The one I broke was at the pin hole, I rushed through everything so I could head out and ride. Rookie mistake.

how about the original poster?

The break was on the plate! It snapped right in half.
The lube wasn't the problem. I just think a cheap ($10) chain is....... well cheap!
Thanks for your help, I trashed the broken link the same day :-( so no pics.
Fixedgear80

im sure the break was on the plate, and im also sure it was touching a pin hole and due to user error, not 24mph riding.

You probably had your chain on way too tight.

I've snapped chains on BMX but never on my fixed gear...that one time was user error.

EDIT:

Basically what Adriano said.

cranking hard @ 24 mph?

100 gear inches, yo

Def sounds like a combination of age/wear on the chain, as well as possibly some installation issues. Either way, nobody can really complain about an $8 chain that held up for two yrs and that many mi. I'm running an $11 SRAM PC-1, which has been working great btw, but I've never heard anyone talk about upgrading to this chain lol.

A K710 has a tensile strength of 1,300 kg (2,866 lbs) I'm guessing the 410 is in a similar range. I'm guessing improper installation and wear were main factors. A high gear ratio at speed is putting very, very, very little torque on a chain when compared to say climbing a hill in low gear on a geared bike.