powerlinks

davek said:

I've never had a problem with Powerlinks before - I've always found them
reasonably easy to take apart, but yesterday after struggling to remove
one I eventually had to resort to using a hacksaw on it...

Was it dirty? Did it fall apart after you'd sawn through it, or was it
still seized?

Quoted message said:

LBS was out of replacement Powerlinks, so I got a Taya Sigma connector
instead. It was a devil to fit - just flex the chain a little until it
snaps into place? Yeah, right! But it looks sturdy enough - anyone have
any experience of this make? Reliable?

Yes, they're fine but unlike the Powerlinks they should not be re-used.
The flexing to uncouple them alters the properties of the side plate.
I've re-used one once and got away with it, but it looked a little
wonky.

Quoted message said:

Anyway, had an interesting chat with LBS man - he said, contrary to what
I have been told in the past in this NG, that Powerlinks are not meant
to be re-used. This surprised me. His explanation sounded plausible -
that the constant "clicking" in and out weakens the securing part of the
link, but I wonder how much this matters if the chain is kept under
tension during use. So, does he have a point, or is he talking out of
his fundament?

The latter. The whole point of Powerlinks is the reusability.

--
Dave...

davek said:

Anyway, had an interesting chat with LBS man - he said, contrary to what
I have been told in the past in this NG, that Powerlinks are not meant
to be re-used.

Well, according to the manual my fully suspended built-like-a-tank bike
isn't "meant" to be ridden down kerbs as it is DANGEROUS. What is
"meant" and what will work perfectly acceptably in practice aren't
necessarily the same thing...

Quoted message said:

This surprised me. His explanation sounded plausible -
that the constant "clicking" in and out weakens the securing part of the
link, but I wonder how much this matters if the chain is kept under
tension during use. So, does he have a point, or is he talking out of
his fundament?

I'm pretty sure lots of people here use them (I use lots thanks to the
long chains on the 'bent and 8 freight) and I don't recall anyone
woefully reporting the horrible demise of their Powerlinks, or those of
their friends or FOAFs. Not a /huge/ sample base, but I'd take that
block of empirical data over a bit of what sounds like cautious
perfectionism.

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net [email hidden] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

davek said:

Anyway, had an interesting chat with LBS man - he said, contrary to what
I have been told in the past in this NG, that Powerlinks are not meant
to be re-used.

I'd always been under the impression that new chain = new Powerlink,
but forget where I read this. If a chain's been on the bike a good
while without cause to remove it, the pins tend to 'bed in' to the
slots in the Powerlink in any case, so removal means resorting to a
chain rivet tool after all.

David Belcher

davek said:

I've never had a problem with Powerlinks before - I've always found them
reasonably easy to take apart, but yesterday after struggling to remove
one I eventually had to resort to using a hacksaw on it...

I always find powerlinks a complete PITA to get off. Frequently I don't
remove them at all, but just bin the chain. The main reason I use them
is that I like Sachs chains and it's easier to fit them with a powerlink
than to try and join on a pin.

--
Arthur Clune

davek said:

I've never had a problem with Powerlinks before - I've always found them
reasonably easy to take apart, but yesterday after struggling to remove
one I eventually had to resort to using a hacksaw on it...

LBS was out of replacement Powerlinks, so I got a Taya Sigma connector
instead. It was a devil to fit - just flex the chain a little until it
snaps into place? Yeah, right! But it looks sturdy enough - anyone have
any experience of this make? Reliable?

Anyway, had an interesting chat with LBS man - he said, contrary to what
I have been told in the past in this NG, that Powerlinks are not meant
to be re-used. This surprised me. His explanation sounded plausible -
that the constant "clicking" in and out weakens the securing part of the
link, but I wonder how much this matters if the chain is kept under
tension during use. So, does he have a point, or is he talking out of
his fundament?

I carry a pair of Sigma connectors in each of my bike's toolkits, just
in case a link fails out on the road, but I've never had to use one. As
to Powerlinks, I've used them for ages with no problems at all, but then
I'm not subjecting them to "constant" clicking in and out. I perhaps
take each chain off twice a year for thorough cleaning.

--
Brian G

davek said:

LBS was out of replacement Powerlinks, so I got a Taya Sigma connector
instead. It was a devil to fit - just flex the chain a little until it
snaps into place? Yeah, right! But it looks sturdy enough - anyone have
any experience of this make? Reliable?

Snaps into place, sure. Snaps in place, does that too. Probably not a
good idea to run one on the tandem. I prefer the powerlinks, and I have
a small pot of them in my barbag.

...d

dkahn400 said:

Was it dirty? Did it fall apart after you'd sawn through it, or was it
still seized?

Thanks to last Saturday's ride, it was /very/ dirty (I was trying to get
the chain off to clean it) but I had sprayed a bit of WD40 on the link
and most of the dirt had come off. Maybe there was a bit of grit stuck
in there jamming it.

I don't think it could have "bedded in" as David B. suggested, as it's
only a couple of weeks since I last took the chain off for cleaning.

Quoted message said:

The latter. The whole point of Powerlinks is the reusability.

That's what I thought. And like Pete says, the evidence from experience
suggests it's OK to re-use them.

d.

David E. Belcher said:

I'd always been under the impression that new chain = new Powerlink,
but forget where I read this.

Sounds like a sensible idea, and since SRAM chains mostly seem to come
with a Powerlink (except current chain which was bought from Parker and
came without) I'd probably as a matter of course put the new link on
with the new chain anyway, and keep the old one in reserve as an
emergency replacement.

Quoted message said:

the pins tend to 'bed in' to the
slots in the Powerlink

Maybe, but it's only a couple of weeks since I last had it off (and the
chain) so probably not that in this case.

d.

David E. Belcher said:

davek said:

Anyway, had an interesting chat with LBS man - he said, contrary to what
I have been told in the past in this NG, that Powerlinks are not meant
to be re-used.

I'd always been under the impression that new chain = new Powerlink,
but forget where I read this. If a chain's been on the bike a good
while without cause to remove it, the pins tend to 'bed in' to the
slots in the Powerlink in any case, so removal means resorting to a
chain rivet tool after all.

Oops - got my wires crossed here a bit! The link itself *ought to* be
re-usable [1] with the chain it was originally paired with (but old
chains/new links should't be mixed & vice versa, which is what I
meant); I'd interpreted the original post incorrectly.

David Belcher

[1] Provided pins haven't bedded-in, as in my first post.

David Martin said:

davek said:

LBS was out of replacement Powerlinks, so I got a Taya Sigma connector
instead. It was a devil to fit - just flex the chain a little until it
snaps into place? Yeah, right! But it looks sturdy enough - anyone have
any experience of this make? Reliable?

Snaps into place, sure. Snaps in place, does that too. Probably not a
good idea to run one on the tandem. I prefer the powerlinks, and I have
a small pot of them in my barbag.

I should clarify that. I have had a sigma connector break on teh
tandem. I have not had a powerlink break.

Powerlinks are good because they are symmetrical and don't require
bending to get in/out. Sigma connectors are good because you can hook
both ends of the chain together very easily, a godsend if your hands
are cold and numb.

...d

davek said:

I've never had a problem with Powerlinks before - I've always found them
reasonably easy to take apart, but yesterday after struggling to remove
one I eventually had to resort to using a hacksaw on it...

When I've come across a particularly awkward powerlink I've always
managed to get it apart by bracing it against the chainring (so
the powerlink itself is perpendicular to the circumference of the
chainring), squeezing the side plates together in the normal fashion,
and then tapping the unsupported half with whatever tool is closest.
Apologies if this method is self-evident. 🙂

Alternatively, Jobst Brandt describes another technique here:

http://yarchive.net/bike/power_link.html

But I've always found that more fiddly than the one described above.

Quoted message said:

Anyway, had an interesting chat with LBS man - he said, contrary to what
I have been told in the past in this NG, that Powerlinks are not meant
to be re-used. This surprised me. His explanation sounded plausible -
that the constant "clicking" in and out weakens the securing part of the
link, but I wonder how much this matters if the chain is kept under
tension during use. So, does he have a point, or is he talking out of
his fundament?

It's been years since I've actually listened to any 'advice' given in an
LBS, now I generally just pretend to listen and nod politely.

Anthony

In article <[email hidden]>, davek

() said:

Anyway, had an interesting chat with LBS man - he said, contrary to what
I have been told in the past in this NG, that Powerlinks are not meant
to be re-used. This surprised me. His explanation sounded plausible -
that the constant "clicking" in and out weakens the securing part of the
link, but I wonder how much this matters if the chain is kept under
tension during use. So, does he have a point, or is he talking out of
his fundament?

LBS man wants to sell you lots of new ones... The manual on SRAM's web
site says to use a new one with a new chain, but makes no mention of not
re-using one on an old chain.

--
Dave Larrington - <http://www.legslarry.beerdrinkers.co.uk/>
Funsize Mars bars? What could possibly be MORE fun about eating LESS
chocolate?

David Martin wrote:
Sigma connectors are good because you can hook

Quoted message said:

both ends of the chain together very easily,

This is true. I always manage to let go of my chain several times before
getting a Powerlink together...

d.

Anthony Jones said:

Apologies if this method is self-evident. 🙂

Not to me it wasn't, but it sounds good. I shall bear it in mind for
next time, thanks.

Quoted message said:

Alternatively, Jobst Brandt describes another technique here:

http://yarchive.net/bike/power_link.html

But I've always found that more fiddly than the one described above.

Yes.... I'm not entirely sure I follow it.

Quoted message said:

It's been years since I've actually listened to any 'advice' given in an
LBS, now I generally just pretend to listen and nod politely.

:-)

d.

davek said:

David Martin wrote:
Sigma connectors are good because you can hook

Quoted message said:

both ends of the chain together very easily,

This is true. I always manage to let go of my chain several times before
getting a Powerlink together...

Slip it off the chainwheel first. It's much easier when it's not under
tension.

--
Dave...

dkahn400 said:

Slip it off the chainwheel first. It's much easier when it's not under
tension.

That's /far/ too obvious! (disappears shaking head wondering why hadn't
thought of himself...)

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net [email hidden] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

davek said:

Quoted message said:

Apologies if this method is self-evident. 🙂

Not to me it wasn't, but it sounds good. I shall bear it in mind for
next time, thanks.

I forgot to mention: with a bit of fiddling you can get the chain to
'bunch up' for a few links on the leading edge of chainring. This means
that the powerlink is held at the required angle to the chainring and
that there is no tension on that part of the chain. You need to ensure
that the cranks aren't free to rotate or the chainring will turn (just
when you're reaching for something to tap the link), freeing the chain
and pulling the link back together.

Anthony

On Wed, 22 Feb 2006 12:54:10 +0000, davek <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

David Martin wrote:
Sigma connectors are good because you can hook

Quoted message said:

both ends of the chain together very easily,

This is true. I always manage to let go of my chain several times before
getting a Powerlink together...

Cut an old spoke to get a piece about 3 inches long. Bend the ends up,
so it looks a bit like this:

_ _
|_________________________|

Hook either end into near the free ends of the chain. This takes up
the tension, leaving you two floppy bits into which you insert the
Powerlink.

Tim

Peter Clinch said:

That's /far/ too obvious! (disappears shaking head wondering why hadn't
thought of himself...)

It is, in fact, the very same technique I often use - but I don't
usually remember it until I have had several failed attempts at getting
it together with the chain on the rings...

d.