On 2017-05-13 13:05, wrote:
On Friday, May 12, 2017 at 9:57:35 PM UTC-7, John B. Slocomb wrote:
On Fri, 12 May 2017 08:23:02 -0700 (PDT), Sir Ridesalot
wrote:

On Thursday, May 11, 2017 at 10:06:04 AM UTC-4, Joerg wrote:
Snipped
But then, to one who habitually uses a nail and a rock as a
chain tool the use of proper tools is probably a mystery.


Try to differentiate between an outdoors emergency situation
and the workshop in the garage. It's not that difficult.

- Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com/

Which is hy mose of us carry a small tool repair kit that
includes a chain-breaker. That way a broken chain isn't an
ememrgency and a repair only takes a few seconds. After all
seconds count when you're beig stalked by mountain lions or other
hungry critters doesn't it? For someone who either breaks chains
a lot or often comes across people with a broken chain (bother
very rare where I ride even on the technical trails) it ONLY
makes sense to have a chain breaker and spare link(s)and
quick-link WITH YOU.

To be honest using a rock and rusty nail to repair a chain in the
field sounds like something an armchair bicyclist would think up.
Such a repaired chain would most likely fail again after only a
short distance. Believe it or not there's good reasons why chain
breakers are used to fix a chain.

Cheers

Out of curiosity I weighed and measured the chain tool that I carry
in my bike tool kit. It is 2-1/2 inches in length and 2-1/8 inches
in height. 1/2 inch thick, at its thickest, and weighs 2.6 ounces.
It works with chains up to and including 10 speed chains (I don't
own an 11 speed). Frankly, as a broken chain immobilizes the
bicycle I can see no logic in not carrying it.

Since I have never once had a broken chain nor seen one I cannot see
any requirement to carry such a tool.


You never had a chain suck resulting in a pretzeled or corkscrewed
chain? Then you probably haven't ridden much singletrack. Sometimes the
worst part of the "pretzeling" has to be surgically removed in the
field, upon which the chain is rather short but at least one can get
home without having to hoof it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EftEeU_qGOg

Even though I ride offroad 50% of the time it happens so rarely that I
don't see an urgency in adding a chain breaker to my on-board kit.
Besides, you need to find some rocks anyhow because the rest of the
chain usually needs straightening so it passes the derailer hanger
without an awful grinding noise every time.

A chain breaker is one of the tools easily improvised. The "McGyver
Deluxe Edition" consists of a pin (used to punch out the chain pin), a
nut or sawed off little chunk of pipe slightly larger and long enough,
and some stiff wire. The end of the wire gets fashioned into a loop that
holds the pin well. That is best done before placing it in the tool kit.
Just roll it 2-3 times around a drill bit shaft slightly smaller than
the pin. The wire can also be used to tie stuff that came off. Brake
lines and such.

Now a storm of outrage will likely break loose on this NG because this
McGyver tool ... gasp ... doesn't even have a flashing LED.

In the olden days road bike chains didn't come with missing links. The
only way to take them off was to punch out a pin. I have changed lots of
chains just using pin, nut and hammer. I don't know how I made it into
my 50's without a chain breaker but somehow I did.


... Yesterday I did 55 miles and
2500 feet of climbing with some of it pretty steep ~12%. There were
fore of us there and the dirt encrusted on the bikes showed a certain
lack of careful maintenance. No one had any problems. I have been
carrying all these tools around for the last 6 years and the only
one's I've used are the tire repair tools.


It's more for mountain bikers. I have my tools in a waist pack. That
also contains cell phone, keys, wallet, pencil and, yes, no kidding, a
small leash. That leash has helped bring some dogs home over the years.
The road bike also has a towing rope in the bottom of the left pannier.

MTB and road bike have identical panniers (Nashbar Daytrekker) and I can
simply pull the waist pack out of one bike and slide it into the other
in seconds if I decide to switch. This also avoids the worst case
scenario where you find a nice brewpub and then discover that you left
the wallet in the other bike.

--
Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com/