Which Chain? (Chains / Size / Width / Wear)

i just bought a white anodised KMC z chain from the states, should be here in a couple days. as you can see they stock pink, blue, red and purple as well.
http://www.coloredtuffs.com/shop/index.php?act=viewCat&catId=13

connex wipperman, do the expensive £27 mega heavy duty bmx grind proof chain, but only in light blue and red (on every second link as well).

How do you find out whether you need a 1/18 or 3/32 chain?

Also could we create a sticky topic where people can post FAQ's like the one above?

Look on the cog - it should say something like "1/2 x 3/32". The first bit is the chain pitch (the width between the links). Don't worry about that. The 3/32 bit is the chain width. If it says 3/32 you need a 3/32 chain, 1/8 a 1/8 chain.

The chainring should say something similar.

Also, a 1/8 chain will work with 3/32 cog/chainring, or a mix of 1/8 and 3/32. A 3/32 won't work on any 1/8 chainrings or cogs, however.

Edit: I'm not sure if it's worth stickying FAQs. It'd be velocity boy's decision anyway. There are quite a lot of fixed resources online, with a bit of googling (although some are a bit obscure).

yeah, normally google will do the job, but i understand that it's sometimes much easier to just post sthg here since u'll get some good answers quite quickly.
and looking for exactly what u want on google actually does take a bit of skill...

it'll be rather hard to keep the FAQ organised too, because it's just one discussion. one way it might work is if someone would kindly put together a guide sorted by bike part, and under each bike part we have a link or two to say, sheldon or park tools, which normally would suffice.

yeah i guess problems arise when people stop looking/googling cause they know they will get a quick answer here?
then people on the forum stop answering, then the forum falls. doom dooom doom.

Lot's of doom.

Why not just use this one: http://fixiefaqs.xwiki.com/xwiki/bin/view/Main/

I am needing to get a chain for my S/S build, thinking of getting one of these... KMC INOX S10. Are these usable on a frame with vertical ends and a chain tensioner?

Vertical dropouts and a chain tensioner make no difference to the chain you have to use.

(Unless you have a really, really, reaaaaally unusual chain tensioner)

In the last month, cycling about in London, I've noticed so far 3 people's chain just suddenly snap in front of me.

It makes me think what the hell? I'm kind of worried about this happening to me, since I usually cycle at night and go long distances. If that did happen, I'd have to either be lucky enough to find a 24hr Bus or walk it back.

I'm fairly new to being a passionate cyclist. I even had a dream recently that my bike was F@£k'd and woke up feeling sad... (I'm sure a lot of people are that attached to their bikes)

So, what are the chances of your chain coming off and why does it happen, could it be due to putting the chain through strain when cycling up hill?

Does anyone carry around spare chain parts? All you need is one or two links right?

I've got this kinda of swiss-army knife tool thing, but it's just full of allen keys and other little cool tools to help repair your bike.
There is this bit where I think it's for the Chain.

http://www.martinjknight.com/chain_thing.jpg

This is what happen; the chain that snapped in front of you are from an unipack.

I have witnesses far more than a dozen of them with snapped chain in London as well, however chain snappage are pretty rare, in fact it's usually the least thing I expected to happen, unless you purchase this £200 bicycle.

carry a chain tool and learn how to use it, carry a few links like you say,
if you have some space left in the dropouts, you might even be able to lose a link altogether and manage to get home ok.

I think its pretty rare, i've never had a chain break on me, although i'm tempting fate with my chainline, which is about as straight as graham norton.

If I remember correctly, you ride a geared bike around London, isn't it? In that case you don't need spare links; just take the broken link out and the derailleur will compensate. Obviously, you only wanna do that once or twice...

If you are worried about being stranded, inner tubes, pumps and tyre lever should be your number 1 priority though.

Bumpy roads / and a slipping back wheel have caused me to break 2 chains in a month. Just ordered these http://www.hubjub.co.uk/mks/mkstugszm.htm problem solved.

I've broken a chain only once- and it was not a real break to be fair.

I was shifting across the block MTB'ing in Wales, chain gave way at the powerlink.

Then followed by fifteen or so minutes searchy through gloopy muck for all the bits to put it back together again.

If it's a decent chain put on properly, tensioned correctly and with good chainline I would, as Ehren says, expect it to give little trouble.

I've not broken a single chain in 7 years of riding on and mostly off road.

On a singlespeed or fixed wheel road bike with a straight chainline, decent chain and correct chain tension I can't see how you would ever come close to breaking one unless you leave it on there too long and allow it to get too worn.

Different with gears where dodgy shifting can cause all manner of chaos.

Bumpy roads / and a slipping back wheel have caused me to break 2 chains in a month. Just ordered these http://www.hubjub.co.uk/mks/mkstugszm.htm problem solved.

With or without chaintugs, if your wheel is slipping enough to break chains you need to sort out your axle nuts and htfu when tightening them. Basically you shouldn't be relying on tugs to hold your wheel in place.. that's what the nuts are for.

i broke one just last week my first ever
no major calamity
my massive powerful legs just tore a link out of the chain
either that or i didn't put the chain back together properly the last time i cleaned it ( I am pretty sure it was the former though )

Poor installation, chain damage, excessive wear, Unipack.

The only 4 reasons a chain should snap in normal usage.

I always carry a breaker and a short length of chain for longer rides but have never ever had to use them.

The only time I have snapped a chain was on a bike someone else put together. Trackstand for a minute at the corner of Theobalds and Grey's Inn, lights change, lean forward, snap chain, fall on floor. Glad it was the middle of the rush hour.

I've got this kinda of swiss-army knife tool thing, but it's just full of allen keys and other little cool tools to help repair your bike.
There is this bit where I think it's for the Chain.

I've got the same tool, but it's kind of pointless because you have to carry around a spare allen key to get that chain breaker to work, but it works nonetheless

I've got the same tool, but it's kind of pointless because you have to carry around a spare allen key to get that chain breaker to work, but it works nonetheless

if it's the topeak, the allen key bit is on the inside of one of the tyre levers that come off the sides.

With or without chaintugs, if your wheel is slipping enough to break chains you need to sort out your axle nuts and htfu when tightening them. Basically you shouldn't be relying on tugs to hold your wheel in place.. that's what the nuts are for.

My track bike has chrome dropouts, these are a nightmare with standard phil wood hub, the bolts on phils are not grippy or big enough to grip the dropouts not matter how hard you tighten them. I ended up getting the phil chrome domes which are basically something that should be supplied with the hubs but they sorted it fine without having to use tugs. Tugs seem a total faff and I'm not keen on the look of them.

I've snapped loads of chains on mountainbikes and road bikes. Never though on a track bike but if everything is set up right and installed correctly I think it should be ok.
Most of the time its probably from badly worn or installed chains. Last weekend though was out on a brand new mtb and the chain snapped in the first mile, fixed it by shortening the chain then 500 meters further it snapped again, I presume at the point where I fixed it. Luckily someone going past gave me a quick link, had no problems after that. Very annoying though.

One word.

Unipack.

if it's the topeak, the allen key bit is on the inside of one of the tyre levers that come off the sides.

Ah! Cheers, I knew I was missing something.