Brand new 10 speed chain broken..what do I do?

DrStupid

E*POWAH Elite World Champion
Patreon
Jul 10, 2019
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Pleasureville Ky
I've broken a brand new chain, is it now relegated to spare only use, can proper repair be made to a broken chain?

Edit, what 10 speed chain are you other 10 speeders using for the large capacity cassettes? All the 10 speed chains I see, that are long enough for my rig (118 links) are ridiculously expensive ebike specific chains.

Should I just continue using 11 speed chains on the 10 speed as I have been doing?

Obviously the 10 speed KMC is no stronger than the 11 speed KMC based on my one ride, one broken 10 speed chain test. Lol.

This is the first broken chain for me and I'm pretty sure it was my fault. I was in full boost, trying to start from a stand still on a steep hill after a mild get off. I'm pretty sure I twisted it, so I'm not gonna blame KMC, but at like $40 a pop for extra long 10 speed chains, I dont want to repeat this often.

Basically looking for advice in any flavor.
 
Last edited:

Haedesz

Member
Sep 20, 2019
51
80
Belgium
what's been broken? one link? Remove the link and get a spare put in or DIY. Could even get away with -1 link if you can't bother getting a spare, if your drivetrain likes you.

No need to toss a brand new chain (y)
 

wepn

The Barking Owl ?
Jul 18, 2019
1,006
1,145
AU
The derailleur is one of my favourite inventions. It was designed in 1905 for torque sourced from the human anatomy. Now we have motors that exceed 100 Nm added to that. Yes chains & components will sustain the twisting of the moving chainline up to a point but an IGH is the solution. Rohloff, Kindernay, Shimano, Enviolo & many more to come.
 

Flatslide

E*POWAH Master
Jul 14, 2019
265
250
Dunedin NZ
What level chain was it? A Deore, an XT siltec? Etc.
Personally I think you must be an animal ? My Altitude PowerPlay gets 700 +/- km per chain. It uses 124 links currently as an 11spd (46-11T). The KMC chain was good, the BBB e-powerline chain was rubbish, and the XT 12 spd siltec chain I'm using currently has been the best - and it's non e-bike specific. Based on this experience, I'd recommend you use an XT 10 spd HG95 chain.
Lube on the 3 chains was:
KMC-Shimano ptfe dry
BBB-Finish Line ceramic wet
XT 12-Purple Extreme.
 

Rusty

E*POWAH BOSS
Jul 17, 2019
1,513
1,673
New Zealand
Should I just continue using 11 speed chains on the 10 speed as I have been doing?

NO
You can, but why would you? Doesn't shift the same and is more susceptible to issues like chain suck.

Reference:
9 speed – 6.6 to 6.8 mm (1⁄4 to 9⁄32 in) (all brands)
10 speed – 6.2 mm (1⁄4 in) (Shimano, Campagnolo)
10 speed (Narrow) – 5.88 mm (7⁄32 in) (Campagnolo, KMC)
10 speed (Narrow, Direction) – 5.88 mm (7⁄32 in) (Shimano CN-5700, CN-6700, CN-7900)
11 speed – 5.5 mm (7⁄32 in) (Campagnolo, KMC, Shimano CN-9000)
12 speed - 5.25 mm (13⁄64 in) (SRAM
 

DrStupid

E*POWAH Elite World Champion
Patreon
Jul 10, 2019
1,464
2,128
Pleasureville Ky
The chain that broke was a KMC e10 ept and it looks like the link just popped open. Really no big deal, as I've ridden well over 1000k on nasty trails without a chain issue, so I was about due. It just seems odd that it was a new chain and the 10 speed no less.

Maybe there was a bad pin fit or something.

That HG95 chain is two links to short for my rig (need 118 links) as most of the affordable 10 speed chains seem to be.

I just ordered a Shimano CN-E6090-10 as it's a 138 links long.


I was using an 11 speed chain without issue while I waited for my 10 speed chain to arrive. When It did arrive, I broke it first ride. Lol. I put the 11 speed back on and finished up the ride. Go figure..

I will try to repair the e10-ept kmc chain with the extra links from when I shortened it, and see if the pins that were pushed out, and then- pushed back in, stay in. It just seems like the pins would need to be peened or something?
 

Flatslide

E*POWAH Master
Jul 14, 2019
265
250
Dunedin NZ
I'm changing my 11 speed to a 10. I'll buy 2 hg95 chains initially, one will be sacrificial to supply links for the others. Shimano sell packs of pins for their chains.
The only issue I encountered using a 12 spd chain on my 11spd, is the quick-link catches on the wide tooth of the front chain ring. At least it did, after a couple of hundred k's, it's fine ? Also dropping to a 42t low gear means I can lose 2 links, making my chain 122 link.
 

DrStupid

E*POWAH Elite World Champion
Patreon
Jul 10, 2019
1,464
2,128
Pleasureville Ky
What level chain was it? A Deore, an XT siltec? Etc.
Personally I think you must be an animal ? My Altitude PowerPlay gets 700 +/- km per chain. It uses 124 links currently as an 11spd (46-11T). The KMC chain was good, the BBB e-powerline chain was rubbish, and the XT 12 spd siltec chain I'm using currently has been the best - and it's non e-bike specific. Based on this experience, I'd recommend you use an XT 10 spd HG95 chain.
Lube on the 3 chains was:
KMC-Shimano ptfe dry
BBB-Finish Line ceramic wet
XT 12-Purple Extreme.

Kmc e11-ept.
Not a beast at all just bad luck I guess.

I'm thinking of using the shimano chains from here on out, becuase they sell these oversized pins for adding links.

Much to learn even about the humble chain.
 

DrStupid

E*POWAH Elite World Champion
Patreon
Jul 10, 2019
1,464
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Pleasureville Ky
Ok. I've been up all night reading about chains...Not.

But, I did learn that you can add links back in to a chain, but your supposed to use a special connecting pin.
1573996260799.jpg



So far I can only find these pins made by shimano, for shimano chains. I see KMC has a.so called bullet pin, but does not specify it fits with my broken e10-ept.

The consensus on PB, in a sample of threads excatly one thread long, is that the shimamo pin will work on a KMC chain. We will see soon enough, as I just picked some up.
 

Jeff McD

Well-known member
Aug 5, 2018
335
356
Kona, Hawaii
Well you probably have this sorted already by now but it has not been mentioned abov: I thought I was going to break the chain doing the same thing once and ever since then I have simply bumped the battery down to Eco before trying to restart on a steep hill. Much less torque stress on the chain, and I immediately move up to Trail and/or Boost as soon as I am going.
 

steve_sordy

Wedding Crasher
Nov 5, 2018
8,362
8,588
Lincolnshire, UK
I haven't looked at the price differences to see if it makes sense, but based upon what the OP said it should do
"All the 10 speed chains I see, that are long enough for my rig (118 links) are ridiculously expensive ebike specific chains."
So why not buy two cheap 10-speed chains and extend one chain with bits from the other? Use magic links to do the joining (or pins if you prefer). You will have enough left over from the second chain to extend many more cheap chains.
 

DrStupid

E*POWAH Elite World Champion
Patreon
Jul 10, 2019
1,464
2,128
Pleasureville Ky
I haven't looked at the price differences to see if it makes sense, but based upon what the OP said it should do
"All the 10 speed chains I see, that are long enough for my rig (118 links) are ridiculously expensive ebike specific chains."
So why not buy two cheap 10-speed chains and extend one chain with bits from the other? Use magic links to do the joining (or pins if you prefer). You will have enough left over from the second chain to extend many more cheap chains.
Yes, flatside suggested the same above.

The cost is a wash, until you get to chain 3 or 4 from a single donor chain. That should be about 40,000 miles once I get a rohloff wedged in the back of the GTE+P1.

The original OP didnt know about pins, and still doesn't know about magic. But is learning.

So far the only pins I can find are shimano pins, for shimano chains... are there others?
 

Simoto123

E*POWAH Master
Patreon
Aug 6, 2019
265
368
North west
Well you probably have this sorted already by now but it has not been mentioned abov: I thought I was going to break the chain doing the same thing once and ever since then I have simply bumped the battery down to Eco before trying to restart on a steep hill. Much less torque stress on the chain, and I immediately move up to Trail and/or Boost as soon as I am going.

To the op, another solution is to use walk mode in these situations, just as far as a slightly less steep bit. Or if there is width available, set off across the slope and turn through 90 degrees up the slope after a crank or two. Hope this makes sense.
 

DrStupid

E*POWAH Elite World Champion
Patreon
Jul 10, 2019
1,464
2,128
Pleasureville Ky
Can somebody paste a hyperlink to these magic links? I see missing links, quick links, power links... no magic. These others are all just trade names for the same thing, a master link!

Is magic link just another trade name for a master link?
 

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