I’m after a bit of advice on how to reduce risk of my chain from snapping, twice in the last 2 months. My current drive set up is
Chain: Shimano Deore;
Freewheel: Shimano Deore (11-32, 9spd);
R/D: Shimano XT Shadow and
Crankarms – FSA Moto with 44/32/22 rings.

On a 2008 Kona Hei Hei frame.

I have been thinking possible a higher grade freewheel and chain?

Anyway, I await your helpful words of wisdom, but please note I have two children and a mortgage.

Cheers

Anopinion

Whats causing it to snap?

anopinion. Not wanting to question your riding but IME the normal reason for regular chain snappage is people chainging gears badly. If this doesn't apply to you then appologies and on to the next possible reason which could be a badly worn chain?

In my experience, chain snapping is usually related to cack handed spanner monkeyery.

I went through a phase of snapping chains when mountain bike racing and I reckon it was me being crap at connecting them.

Are you using split links of any kind?

As Goan says, what is causing it to snap?

Spending more money on 'higher' quality stuff won't help a jot generally. (i just said jot – getting old!)

What are you doing when it snaps? Is it when shifting?

What are you doing when it snaps?

Probably landing his bollocks on the stem 😀

have you been using Shimano joining pins to reconnect?

If not this will cause the majority of problems, if not use the correct SRAM powerlink….

I've had two chains snap in the last 3 months, but it was my fault for shifting while hammering down the pedals on a climb. Each time the snap happened the chain went slack, my knee thrashed into the stem and then caught a gear snapping it.

I've never like chains from the big S as they've always snapped on me and I prefer SRAM ones. Not that they've never snapped, of course but I gennerally replace them at about 60% worn which saves on cassettes and rings as well as reducing the risk of breakage. Apparently, the Shimano ones need to be joined with the split link in a certain direction. BTW, when you say your chain snapped twice, did you replace it after the first time?

Could be poor gear changing as I dont profess to be the greatest xc rider in the world but I was going up hill and had already changed gear for the ascent

fily5bellies probably hit the nail on the head, kept the same chain after previous snap and fixed with taya sigma connector SC-20, but it was not the sc-20 that broke.

Lesson learn't and cheers for the advice.