Bad Repair

eightyfish

I commute on a Lapierre hybrid. About 3 years old. My chain was slipping three months ago, so I had the chain and gear block replaced in a Dublin city centre bike shop. Within a week, the chain had snapped off. I brought it back, and they fixed it. This morning, leaving my apartment at 8.45 for a 9.00 appointment, it broke again. Spent 15 minutes trying to fix it myself and gave up.

How annoyed should I be about this? I mean, is is normal for the chain to snap every so-often once it's been replaced, or is this totally out of order? Why might this be happening?

I've had brake pads fitted in the same bike shop before, and they were not fitted properly (too loose/not aligned correctly). Twice. Really should avoid the place in future, I guess, but it's a convenient location.

SMacX

Avoid it like the plague! Trust is important when you are riding your bike in the city. If you can't trust your bike because of bad workmanship, you will not be confident on the road and that could be lethal!

in terms of longevity of components, it depends on the brand and quality.

If you are not doing big mileage, you chain, block and rongs should last 3+ years with care and attention. Big Mileage = >3000 Km a year.

I would also suggest getting in touch with your bike by doing a wee bit of maintenance of your own. Loads of guides on YouTube and Sheldon Brown is invaluable. That way, you build confidence in your bike and in yourself.

eightyfish

SMacX wrote: »

If you are not doing big mileage, you chain, block and rongs should last 3+ years with care and attention. Big Mileage = >3000 Km a year.

I only do 6-9km/day on average.

SMacX wrote: »

I would also suggest getting in touch with your bike by doing a wee bit of maintenance of your own. Loads of guides on YouTube and Sheldon Brown is invaluable. That way, you build confidence in your bike and in yourself.

Thanks, I've started doing my own repairs for small stuff like brake pads. I live in an apartment, so doing anything more extensive in an underground carpark is more hassle than it's worth.

ED E

Small toolbox and a radio....

Lumen

A properly installed chain of decent quality should not snap under normal use, ever. You are apparently using it normally, since you got three years out of the first one.

I've read claims that it is possible to snap a chain by brutal shifting technique, but it seems more likely to me that you'd break some other part of the drivetrain first.

eightyfish

Lumen wrote: »

I've read claims that it is possible to snap a chain by brutal shifting technique, but it seems more likely to me that you'd break some other part of the drivetrain first.

Hmm. Well when it actually broke off I wasn't shifting gears, in fact I'd just started to peddle. Same the first time it broke, both times within a couple of minutes of riding.

Lethal_Bullet wrote: »

Small toolbox and a radio....

Actually, that might be the way to go...

TheDocMan

Might be worth checking where chain broke- if it`s at an obvious joining pin or join link it`s most likely that they def. bodged the job in the shop. 2 breaks in 3 months is either bad workmanship or UNBELIEVABLE bad luck. Think as stated, if you`ve no confidence, you`ve no reason going there.

eightyfish

TheDocMan wrote: »

Might be worth checking where chain broke- if it`s at an obvious joining pin or join link it`s most likely that they def. bodged the job in the shop.

It broke at a join. There's no sign of force or anything - the chain metal is not bent.

short circuit

eightyfish wrote: »

Thanks, I've started doing my own repairs for small stuff like brake pads. I live in an apartment, so doing anything more extensive in an underground carpark is more hassle than it's worth.

I live in an apartment too and do most of the stuff at home. The only things I wouldn't touch would be truing wheels or installing headset etc .. but both shouldn't be required all that often. Get one of the toolsets online for around 50euro ... you don't even need a workstand for most things ... though it definitely helps. My main bathroom is pretty much converted to a bike workshop & bike store ...

Gavin

I was contemplating moving some bikes into my bathroom, but what about the steam from the shower? Don't want the bike covered in condensation

short circuit

Gavin wrote: »

I was contemplating moving some bikes into my bathroom, but what about the steam from the shower? Don't want the bike covered in condensation

I have a steel bike and the thought crossed my mind ... but a few things help ..
1. This is the 2nd bath ... so hardly used
2. If you let the exhaust run for 15mins after the shower, the dampness is all gone .. certainly nothing worse than what the Irish weather throws up anyway.
3. You could always move your bike out for an hour after you shower .... I was only recommending as a workshop.

My bike also gets washed in the bath .... .. needless to say, I have an understanding OH, who has pretty much given up on seeing the 2nd bath clean

kona

Sounds like a shimano chain, and they didnt use the correct pins when they rejoined it.

eightyfish

kona wrote: »

Sounds like a shimano chain, and they didnt use the correct pins when they rejoined it.

I went into the bike shop today. They just connected the same chain again. The guy mentioned that it could be due to changing gears at the wrong time at traffic lights. I presume he means things like changing gears just when you hit the bottom of a steep hill, causing stress on the chain. Either way, this only happened with their new chain and not the original chain.

Back on the bike today, all seems grand. I’ll be aware of changing gears earlier etc from now on. Hopefully that’s the end of it.

Regretting that my apartment only has one bath.

Cheers for the replies.

Lumen

eightyfish wrote: »

The guy mentioned that it could be due to changing gears at the wrong time at traffic lights. I presume he means things like changing gears just when you hit the bottom of a steep hill, causing stress on the chain.

No, he probably means changing gears whilst stopped, then pulling away (lots of torque) whilst the chain is still being de/rerailed.

It is normal to back off the power a bit whilst changing gear, but doing otherwise shouldn't break your chain - it's only to make the change smoother.

Basically, if you're doing it wrong it will sound horrible.

I still suspect crappy chain or bad mechanic.

eightyfish

Lumen wrote: »

No, he probably means changing gears whilst stopped, then pulling away (lots of torque) whilst the chain is still being de/rerailed.

Ah. Well I definitely don't do that. Only change gears in motion.

Lumen wrote: »

I still suspect crappy chain or bad mechanic.

I suspect I will be frequenting a different repair shop from now on!

ED E

kona wrote: »

Sounds like a shimano chain, and they didnt use the correct pins when they rejoined it.

Why would you not use a re-usable link?

DirkVoodoo

Lethal_Bullet wrote: »

Why would you not use a re-usable link?

A bike shop shouldn't have any shortage of Shimano connecting pins, no need for a reusable link there and certainly cheaper for the shop.

blorg

The Shimano connecting pin system works very well as long as the connecting pin is installed properly. If you use a normal pin to join a narrow chain it will come apart again from what I read... I've never had a problem using the special pins. I've used a normal pin on a 7-speed chain without issue but not anything narrower than that.

flickerx

What shop is it?

I cant understand why people dont name shops that they feel have given them bad service.

eightyfish

flickerx wrote: »

What shop is it?

I cant understand why people dont name shops that they feel have given them bad service.

I'm apprehensive about that as the staff are generally very friendly, and they did do re-repair the chain twice with no quibbles. My repair may have been a fluke. However, it was Penny Farthing Cycles on Camden St.