Damaged Chain - Which option?

[Foxy]

I have a Dawes Hybrid/Touring Bike. The original Shimano Deore chain/cassette lasted 10 years . Last year I had them replaced with a BBB chain and cassette. A chain link has now come lose/been damaged so I need to replace it.

Do I:

1 Just replace the BB chain.
2 Replace it with a Shimano chain
3 Replace the chain and cassette with Shimano
4 Another option.

Note that the Deore doesn't appear to be available anymore - so I'd need to find the nearest substitute - any ideas?

The BBB has a quick link which would be useful, but I'm disappointed it's failed after less than year, although I suspect it was damaged when the chain came off.

Thanks for any help - I have a trip to France planned so need to get it sorted!

[Eyebrox]

Just replace the chain if the mileage you've done isn't too high. I bought a Deore chain last week for 10 speed. There are similar quality Shimano chains for 9 and 8 speed. If you have underestimated mileage, and the chain and cassette don't mesh, buy a cassette as soon as you are aware of this.

[alexnharvey]

4, check the chain wear. If not too worn, fit a second quick link to replace the damaged link or, if there is sufficient length in the chain, remove an entire inner and the damaged outer (a pair of links) shortening the chain.

[Brucey]

if the 'new' chain is worn less than 0.5% then you can replace the chain only. KMC chains are usually good value and shift well.

cheers

[pwa]

Replace the chain. If it doesn't work right (slips) then change the cassette. But try the chain first. SRAM is my chain of choice, but I have also used KMC with no problems. Shimano have a fiddly joining rivet arrangement, so I'd give that a miss.

[Samuel D]

You only need to buy a new cassette if the new chain skips over the teeth of a rear sprocket when you push hard on the pedals. If it doesn’t, a new cassette is not needed or beneficial. If the chain doesn’t skip when it’s new, it won’t skip for its whole life.

You can use a chain by any maker, ideally one intended for your number of rear sprockets. So if you have a 9-speed bicycle, get a 9-speed chain. SRAM and KMC make good, affordable options that come with quick-links. Shimano has finally started using quick-links too, although not in all products (yet?). There is no significant benefit to matching chain and cassette brand.

Chains are consumable items and will only last ten years with very light use. By replacing them early (at 0.5% elongation from wear), you extend the life of your cassette and chainrings whose problematic wear comes mainly from riding with a worn chain. Since a bicycle chain has 1/2 inch links when new, a ruler held against it and read carefully will show when 0.5% elongation has been reached. Half a per cent works out to 1/16" for 12 inches of new chain. So when 24 inner and outer links measure 12-1/16", it’s time for a new chain. In practice you don’t need to count the links when measuring like this: just measure the location of the first pin after the 12" mark on your ruler every few hundred miles. If you’re using a 12" ruler with no marks beyond 12", pretend the 11-1/2" mark is 12"; that’s near enough to make no difference.

[David9694]

Before you fit your new chain, are you sure you’ve sorted out / removed the root cause of the damage - the chain coming off that you mentioned?

[Foxy]

Thanks for all the responses!

The mileage is low c800 miles so nothing is warn, just damaged.

Summary:
1 You don't need to match chain to cassette (although that appears to go against Shimano's claims for better shifting)
2 Just change the chain or links - SRAM and KMC with quick links are best option
3 A repair option is to use two quick links (which was a question I was going to ask as that's my option for a field fix).

Let me know if you disagree with any of the above! Thanks again.

PS Does anyone know who makes BBB chains?

Al