Can you reuse a bike chain after breaking?

It is not advisable to use a bike chain for full time use after you have broken it with a standard chain breaking tool. The majority of chains are not built to be reused and will weaken over time after breaking. If you are using a single speed bicycle, then you may be able to re-use the chain because what will cause the chain to break is the shifting (the pressure on the chain from side to side) but even this is not advisable. It is good to know can you reuse a bike chain after breaking if you happen to be in the middle of a ride.

Question: Are you going on a longer ride (30+ miles)?

Consider investing in your piece of mind. Carry a quick link tool and standard chain tool on you so in case you need to do a quick repair on the fly. I use both of these and haven’t had any trouble.

• Quick Link Tool: Useful in case you need to remove the chain for a brief repair. Shimano and other brands do not recommend that you reuse the chain link after removing; however, empirically many riders still choose to do so.
• Standard Chain Tool: If your chain breaks in the middle of a ride, it is useful to have a standard tool to repress the link back into the chain. This will get you home and save you an Uber ride or a hitch hike.

If you happen to be in the middle of a ride and your chain breaks, you will be able to reuse the chain to get home. Use your chain tool to reinsert the middle divot into the chain. Make it a point to not shift very much while under load while getting home. This side by side force on the chain is what will cause the chain to come out again. 

What to do if bicycle chain is broken?

Here are some scenarios to help to know what to do if your bicycle chain is broken:

• Are you in the middle of a ride? If you carried a chain tool with you and you have found the link that broke off, re-insert the link back into the chain. From here you can ride home. Replace the chain after the ride is over.
• Did this happen at home? If the chain broke along the quick link master link, then use your quick link tool to reset it. If the link broke along the non-master quick links, replace the chain. 

Can you break and rejoin a chain?

You can break and rejoin a chain along the master link quick link. If you break a chain along the others, you need to take a look at the manufacturer’s standards for how they built the chain. In general, most bicycle chains can not be reused after the links have been broken (unless you need to use it to get home).

Can a broken bike chain be fixed?

It is not recommended to reuse a bike chain. The costs of standard bike chains are fairly reasonable<how much does as bike chain cost> and it will make more sense to replace the bike chain. Many bike chains are not made to be re-used after the chain has been broken. To move the chain up and down different gears, will make the chain weaken in integrity over time. That pressure from shifting the chain side to side will ultimately make the chain fail if you do this constantly on a chain that is already broken previously.

How many times can you remove a bike chain?

If your bicycle chain is a quick link bike chain, as are many bicycles now, then you can do this as often as you want. If you are breaking your bike chain with a standard chain breaking tool, you need to check with your manufacturer to make sure that the chain can be rejoined safely. Some can, although some can not be rejoined safely. 

Why do bike chains break?

A bike chain will break when the sideways pressure from the derailleur is too much for the chain’s integrity. This typically will happen when a cyclist shifts while the chain is under load constantly. What is shifting under load?

• Shifting while riding uphill
• Shifting while pedaling or grinding on the drivetrain
• Shifting while there is much of any pressure on the pedal to propel forward movement

If you are a rider that does this consistently, then you will consistently put pressure on the bicycle chain and risk bicycle chain failure at some point. (It also is just difficult for the bike to shift in a timely manner when shifting under load.)

Conclusion

Can you reuse a bike chain after breaking? You can reuse a bike chain after breaking to get you home in a pinch if you have a standard tool to reinsert the pin. It is not advised to reuse a pin for fulltime use after the bike chain has been broken. Many manufacturers do not make the chain to be reused after breaking the pin. However, this is a general rule and if you check with your specific manufacturer, this may be different for their specific chain.