Brokren Wipperman Chain - common?

I have a nearly new (500 miles) stainless steel wippermann 9s chain.
Today while standing up a hill the chain broke. Not at the connex
link, but at one of the regular links. It looks like one of the pins
must have snapped or fallen out of a side plate...couldn't find the
broken pin or side plate to examine it. No unusual trauma to the
chain before it failed. Luckily, I didn't fall. I'm 170 lbs, not
that light but not heavy enough that I've ever had anything just plain
break like this on me before.

So several questions:
--Does this mean that stainless steel shains are substantially
weaker than the steel chains I used to use, and I should give up on
them?
--Should I just figure this was an isolated issue, rejoin the chain
with a quick link, and keep using it?
--Should I ask the retailler who sold me the chain to exchange it
for a new one given its' premature failure?

I'm tempted to just toss it and go back to SRAM chains, which although
noisier have never broken on me.

Thanks for any suggestions.

--Tiger

ageraci wrote:
I have a nearly new (500 miles) stainless steel wippermann 9s chain.
Today while standing up a hill the chain broke. Not at the connex
link, but at one of the regular links. It looks like one of the pins
must have snapped or fallen out of a side plate...couldn't find the
broken pin or side plate to examine it. No unusual trauma to the
chain before it failed. Luckily, I didn't fall. I'm 170 lbs, not
that light but not heavy enough that I've ever had anything just plain
break like this on me before.

So several questions:
--Does this mean that stainless steel shains are substantially
weaker than the steel chains I used to use, and I should give up on
them?
--Should I just figure this was an isolated issue, rejoin the chain
with a quick link, and keep using it?
--Should I ask the retailler who sold me the chain to exchange it
for a new one given its' premature failure?

I'm tempted to just toss it and go back to SRAM chains, which although
noisier have never broken on me.

Thanks for any suggestions.

--Tiger

When something like this happens you tend to lose confidence in the
product. I've had a side plate blow out on a SRAM PC 59 chain and this
happened while starting off from a stop light on level ground. I broke a
campy 10sp chain twice in one week while climbing. This was when they
were still using the permalink. Interesting enough the chain never broke
at the permalink. Now I'm using KMC chains. FWIW, I think your mishap is
an isolated incident.

Kenny Lee

On 25 Aug 2004 19:23:59 -0700, ageraci wrote:

I have a nearly new (500 miles) stainless steel wippermann 9s chain.
Today while standing up a hill the chain broke. Not at the connex
link, but at one of the regular links. It looks like one of the pins
must have snapped or fallen out of a side plate...couldn't find the
broken pin or side plate to examine it. No unusual trauma to the
chain before it failed. Luckily, I didn't fall. I'm 170 lbs, not
that light but not heavy enough that I've ever had anything just plain
break like this on me before.

So several questions:
--Does this mean that stainless steel shains are substantially
weaker than the steel chains I used to use, and I should give up on
them?
--Should I just figure this was an isolated issue, rejoin the chain
with a quick link, and keep using it?
--Should I ask the retailler who sold me the chain to exchange it
for a new one given its' premature failure?

I'm tempted to just toss it and go back to SRAM chains, which although
noisier have never broken on me.

Thanks for any suggestions.

--Tiger

I did use SRAM PC-99 - too noisy;
I did use Wippermann conneX 909 Gold – too noisy, jumps forward;
Now I am using KMC X9-93 with reusable MissingLink – everything just fine;
--
Regards

"ageraci" wrote in message
om...
I have a nearly new (500 miles) stainless steel wippermann 9s chain.
Today while standing up a hill the chain broke. Not at the connex
link, but at one of the regular links. It looks like one of the pins
must have snapped or fallen out of a side plate...couldn't find the
broken pin or side plate to examine it. No unusual trauma to the
chain before it failed. Luckily, I didn't fall. I'm 170 lbs, not
that light but not heavy enough that I've ever had anything just plain
break like this on me before.

So several questions:
--Does this mean that stainless steel shains are substantially
weaker than the steel chains I used to use, and I should give up on
them?
--Should I just figure this was an isolated issue, rejoin the chain
with a quick link, and keep using it?
--Should I ask the retailler who sold me the chain to exchange it
for a new one given its' premature failure?

I'm tempted to just toss it and go back to SRAM chains, which although
noisier have never broken on me.

Thanks for any suggestions.

--Tiger

I had an almost new Wipperman SS chain break. A side plate cracked from a
pin hole. I rode it about 60 miles like that before I figured out where the
"tick" was coming from! They are good chains, though, and I still use them.

In article ,
(ageraci) writes:

I'm tempted to just toss it and go back to SRAM chains, which although
noisier have never broken on me.

The cheapest SRAM chains have served me and my family well.

Of course you would certainly not have any trouble if you got the $400.00 Ti
Wipperman chain . . . g

Tom Gibb

In article ,
(ageraci) writes:

I'm tempted to just toss it and go back to SRAM chains, which although
noisier have never broken on me.

The cheapest SRAM chains have served me and my family well.

Of course you would certainly not have any trouble if you got the $400.00 Ti
Wipperman chain . . . g

Tom Gibb

RE/
No unusual trauma to the
chain before it failed.

Probably not true in your case, but my most injurious chain failure was related
to Yours Truly using a chain tool on a chain that was not intended for such.
--
PeteCresswell

RE/
No unusual trauma to the
chain before it failed.

Probably not true in your case, but my most injurious chain failure was related
to Yours Truly using a chain tool on a chain that was not intended for such.
--
PeteCresswell

On 25 Aug 2004 19:23:59 -0700, (ageraci) wrote:

I have a nearly new (500 miles) stainless steel wippermann 9s chain.
Today while standing up a hill the chain broke. Not at the connex
link, but at one of the regular links. It looks like one of the pins
must have snapped or fallen out of a side plate...couldn't find the
broken pin or side plate to examine it. No unusual trauma to the
chain before it failed. Luckily, I didn't fall. I'm 170 lbs, not
that light but not heavy enough that I've ever had anything just plain
break like this on me before.

So several questions:
--Does this mean that stainless steel shains are substantially
weaker than the steel chains I used to use, and I should give up on
them?
--Should I just figure this was an isolated issue, rejoin the chain
with a quick link, and keep using it?
--Should I ask the retailler who sold me the chain to exchange it
for a new one given its' premature failure?

I'm tempted to just toss it and go back to SRAM chains, which although
noisier have never broken on me.

Thanks for any suggestions.

--Tiger

A friend of mine broke a SS wipperman chain last week. He almost
swerved under a car's bumper before recovering control. The side plate
had cracked at a rivet hole.

On 25 Aug 2004 19:23:59 -0700, (ageraci) wrote:

I have a nearly new (500 miles) stainless steel wippermann 9s chain.
Today while standing up a hill the chain broke. Not at the connex
link, but at one of the regular links. It looks like one of the pins
must have snapped or fallen out of a side plate...couldn't find the
broken pin or side plate to examine it. No unusual trauma to the
chain before it failed. Luckily, I didn't fall. I'm 170 lbs, not
that light but not heavy enough that I've ever had anything just plain
break like this on me before.

So several questions:
--Does this mean that stainless steel shains are substantially
weaker than the steel chains I used to use, and I should give up on
them?
--Should I just figure this was an isolated issue, rejoin the chain
with a quick link, and keep using it?
--Should I ask the retailler who sold me the chain to exchange it
for a new one given its' premature failure?

I'm tempted to just toss it and go back to SRAM chains, which although
noisier have never broken on me.

Thanks for any suggestions.

--Tiger

A friend of mine broke a SS wipperman chain last week. He almost
swerved under a car's bumper before recovering control. The side plate
had cracked at a rivet hole.