Chain Links

Also known as a Master Link, chain Link, snap link, but not a split link, that's for grandad's old single speed.   Carrying a quick link with you is very advisable as although chains are much stronger than they have been in the past they can and do still snap, normally just when you are about as far away from home as possible🤦🏻‍♂️. So what do you do if your chain goes ping?

First thing first, although these are tool-free to install you do still need a chain tool to get you to that point, confused yet?  you probably will be with me explaining buts lets have a go, so looking at the picture of the link you will see 2 pins on 2 outer plates, chains have inside and outside plates and if your chain has broken its most of the time caused by a pin breaking out of a plate, so using your chain tool remove the other pin on that same link, you will now be left with you chain looking the same both ends, inside plates and rollers, now comes the tool free bit, you can now put the 2 links on your chain, one on one end and one on the other, the arrow points in the direction of chain travel looking at the drivetrain, this will mean that the arrow is pointed backwards if you are joining from the bottom which most of us do, think about what the link will look like once its come to the top if unsure, turn the pedals to get the link to the top heading towards the chain ring and you can now make the links click together by applying a bit of pressure on the pedals whilst holding the rear brake on, you should hear a ping and it will then be joined together, congratulate yourself on a job well done and get back on your ride, this is a permanent fix and not a temporary bodge.

If you are still not sure after reading that and I wouldn't be surprised, I found a good video by Park Tools that shows what to do, hit this link to check it out How to Fix a Broken Bicycle Chain.