# Thank You Alex Nutt



## PMK (Oct 12, 2004)

Thanks for many things including the upcoming event.

The AORTA event had me prepping bikes and so forth.

On account of the prep work, while cleaning / inspecting I noticed a tight link while the chain was being cleaned in the parts washer.

Guess we dodge the proverbial bullet.

PK


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## TandemNut (Mar 12, 2004)

PMK said:


> Thanks for many things including the upcoming event.
> 
> The AORTA event had me prepping bikes and so forth.
> 
> ...


I haven't ever been thanked for mangled parts before. You're welcome (I think)...


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## PMK (Oct 12, 2004)

OK, so I don't thank you for the mangled part. I thank you for having AORTA, and making me do some avoided / needed work to go throgh the bikes prior to the event.

This in turn let me find the failed link, before it left us stranded, or at least requiring a temp repair on the trail.

The photo is one of the failed main chain link. Had we not planned to attend AORTA, this baby would have been lubed and ridden.

How it lasted without coming apart was likely just luck.

Hopefully we'll be there this weekend. 

Suffice to say the proverbial wheels are in motion, bikes are prepped, toy hauler is partly loaded, I'm 4000 miles from home with crazyness to make this happen, the Doctor says any day now on the granddaughter. So it all comes down to when the kid wants to arrive, hopefully Tuesday, a week from today, I hope, I hope, I hope.

PK


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## TandemNut (Mar 12, 2004)

Fingers crossed on the grand-stoker. First ones are always late, aren't they? Of course I may have just jinxed it with that...
Anyway. looking forward to seeing you guys. 
And don't worry if it doesn't work out; the rule is that the teams that don't make it will most likely be appointed to arrange the next tandem event.


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## themanmonkey (Nov 1, 2005)

I'm not sure how you clean your chain, but that might be the cause. There was a big hoopla about a few years back about breaking SRAM chains. You may want to read this old Velonews tech article.


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## PMK (Oct 12, 2004)

themanmonkey said:


> I'm not sure how you clean your chain, but that might be the cause. There was a big hoopla about a few years back about breaking SRAM chains. You may want to read this old Velonews tech article.


Thanks for the link. Kind of amusing since I have worked with both regular and aviation simple green products for aviation stuff. Also, in regards to embrittlement, my experience with this in a non plating application most often occurred with halogenated type products on high tensile steels.

Titanium can also embrittle from exposure to these halogenated products such as brake cleaners.

While anything is possible in regards to that chain, all the chains on our squadron of bikes are cleaned in the parts washer with mineral spirits, then final rinsed in gasoline. I know not the best for many things, but it does remove everything grit and old lube wise, plus allows fresh lube to flow easily into the links. BTW, the chain is lubed with FinishLine wet. So it's run dry in any way.

If you look close at the photo, the crack is likely originating from the stamping of the letter "P". If it really mattered, I'd see if I could accomplish a Magnetic Particle inspection of the chain, and would speculate there are a lot more plates with cracks undetectable with the naked eye.

Thanks
PK


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