Why chains break and what to do about it when they do

Some people never break chains, while others seem to break them every time they ride. Chains break for different reasons though, including bad luck, but sometimes it can be avoided. Sometimes small rocks or pebbles are kicked up by the tyres where they get trapped between chain and cassette. As you pedal, the chain breaks across the pebble. This is just bad luck and can happen to anyone.

Changing gears while stamping hard on the pedals puts a heavy strain on a few links. The links have to move sideways across your cassette to change gear, so they’re at their most vulnerable because the pressure is applied at an angle. You do have to be turning the pedals to change gear, as this is what makes the chain derail, but your chain will shift across much quicker if you can slacken off the pressure as you change. Even when going uphill, try to anticipate gear changes so that you can build up enough momentum to lift off the pressure momentarily. A well-adjusted derailleur will change from one sprocket to the next in a quarter of a revolution of the pedals, as long as it’s not under too much…

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Bike Maintenance Tips, Tricks & Techniques (Digital) - 1 Issue, Bike Maintenance Tips, Tricks & Techniques 3rd Edition

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