powerlinks

Keyser Sose said:

I like the idea of using these powerlinks. However, I am unsure
whether they will work on my Campag Record chain on Centaur 10 speed
cassette and two way front mech.

Which links are suitable depend on which version of the 10-speed chain you
have. There's the standard one and the new 5.9mm Ultra Narrow.

Search the rec.bicycle.tech achives via Google Groups for more info on
10-speed links and chains.

Quoted message said:

IF they did work, I woul presumably
have to break my current chain in two places and remove an whole
outer link to make way for the powerlink?

That's right. I managed that with a portable Topeak chain tool, so you
don't need the special Campag tool to do that.

~PB, not yet tried the Connex link because the bike it's going on hasn't
been built yet. "Kitchen" pics coming up when it's all done, though I'll
find somewhere nicer than my kitchen!

in message <[email hidden]>, Keyser Sose ([email hidden]'😉

Quoted message said:

Guys,
This was mentioned on my "spokes" thread earlier and this question is
sufficiently different to warrant a new thread.

I like the idea of using these powerlinks. However, I am unsure whether
they will work on my Campag Record chain on Centaur 10 speed cassette and
two way front mech. IF they did work, I woul presumably have to break my
current chain in two places and remove an whole outer link to make way
for the powerlink?

You can use a Wipperman Connex 10 speed link in a Campagnolo 10 speed
chain - and in fact I do. No problems or issues at all, recommended. Quite
pricey, but not nearly as pricey as a proper Campagnolo chain tool!

Yes, you need to remove an outer link.

--
[email hidden] (Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/
;; Sending your money to someone just because they've erected
;; a barrier of obscurity and secrets around the tools you
;; need to use your data does not help the economy or spur
;; innovation. - Waffle Iron Slashdot, June 16th, 2002

"Simon Brooke" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

in message <[email hidden]>, Keyser Sose ([email hidden]'😉

Quoted message said:

Guys,
This was mentioned on my "spokes" thread earlier and this question is
sufficiently different to warrant a new thread.

I like the idea of using these powerlinks. However, I am unsure whether
they will work on my Campag Record chain on Centaur 10 speed cassette

and

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

two way front mech. IF they did work, I woul presumably have to break

my

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

current chain in two places and remove an whole outer link to make way
for the powerlink?

You can use a Wipperman Connex 10 speed link in a Campagnolo 10 speed
chain - and in fact I do. No problems or issues at all, recommended. Quite
pricey, but not nearly as pricey as a proper Campagnolo chain tool!

Yes, you need to remove an outer link.

What do people believe the benefit of a powerlink is? When I come to remove
a chain (rare occurance), I use a chain rivet extractor. I had a chain break
during my ride home on Tuesday, and it was swiftly repaired with same tool.
Cleaning a chain can be done in situ. Enlightenment would be welcome.

--
David Lloyd
The pub is responsible for my opinions.

david lloyd wrote on 06/10/2006 17:43 +0100:

Quoted message said:

What do people believe the benefit of a powerlink is? When I come to remove
a chain (rare occurance), I use a chain rivet extractor. I had a chain break
during my ride home on Tuesday,

I think you just answered your own question. The only chains I have had
break are those that have been joined by a chain tool. Plus with lots
of chains you need to carry a special pin to rejoin the chain.

--
Tony

"Anyone who conducts an argument by appealing to authority is not using
his intelligence; he is just using his memory."
- Leonardo da Vinci

david lloyd said:

What do people believe the benefit of a powerlink is? When I come to
remove a chain (rare occurance),

It's a frequent occurrence with those who like to clean their chains often
by removing and placing & shaking in a container or solvent or degreaser.
The chain being easier to break and rejoin encourages you to do this more
often.

Quoted message said:

I use a chain rivet extractor. I had
a chain break during my ride home on Tuesday, and it was swiftly
repaired with same tool.

Most modern chains with peened pins can easily be damaged or inadequately
joined with a tool. The damage may be microscopic, meaning you won't notice
anything wrong until some weeks or months later when the chain snaps. How
much chance of this happening is hard to say, but there's less with a
powerlink, and you get the convenience bonus as well.

The job is swifter than swift with a powerlink! Once you've got the knack,
it's a two-second job with fingers and thumbs only.

Quoted message said:

Cleaning a chain can be done in situ.

I don't find that works so well or is so convenient. But I agree there's
less need for a powerlink if you're happy to clean the chain in situ,
perhaps with a clamp-on bath device. Still some advantage though of a safer
join in the first place.

~PB

in message <[email hidden]>, david lloyd

(') said:

"Simon Brooke" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

in message <[email hidden]>, Keyser Sose

(') said:

Guys,
This was mentioned on my "spokes" thread earlier and this question is
sufficiently different to warrant a new thread.

I like the idea of using these powerlinks. However, I am unsure
whether they will work on my Campag Record chain on Centaur 10 speed
cassette

and

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

two way front mech. IF they did work, I woul presumably have to break

my

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

current chain in two places and remove an whole outer link to make way
for the powerlink?

You can use a Wipperman Connex 10 speed link in a Campagnolo 10 speed
chain - and in fact I do. No problems or issues at all, recommended.
Quite pricey, but not nearly as pricey as a proper Campagnolo chain
tool!

Yes, you need to remove an outer link.

What do people believe the benefit of a powerlink is? When I come to
remove a chain (rare occurance), I use a chain rivet extractor. I had a
chain break during my ride home on Tuesday, and it was swiftly repaired
with same tool. Cleaning a chain can be done in situ. Enlightenment would
be welcome.

A tool to reliably break and join a 10 speed chain is an expensive bit of
kit, and rejoining a chain with a chain tool risks weakening it -
especially if the chain tool isn't up to the job. Furthermore, I entirely
disagree that you can make an thorough job of cleaning a chain in situ.
Off the bike is so much easier and so much more effective.

--
[email hidden] (Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/

Do not sail on uphill water.
- Bill Lee

"Tony Raven" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

david lloyd wrote on 06/10/2006 17:43 +0100:

Quoted message said:

What do people believe the benefit of a powerlink is? When I come to

remove

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

a chain (rare occurance), I use a chain rivet extractor. I had a chain

break

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

during my ride home on Tuesday,

I think you just answered your own question. The only chains I have had
break are those that have been joined by a chain tool. Plus with lots
of chains you need to carry a special pin to rejoin the chain.

I can't say that the broken link was the one at which I joint the chain in
the forst place. They all look the same to me. 😉 The chain in question was
a Sedis silver and had done at least 3 years light service, so was due for
replacement. In fact I've got the machine stripped right now, with a Campag
9 chain going on to compliment the 9 speed Chorus cassette.

Is the powerlink is an emergency link replacement? I did fine by sacrificing
what remained of the link and replacing it when I got home, with a link left
spare from when I first fitted it. One less link is not a ride-stopping
emergency. When you get home, do you repair the chain and liberate the
powerlink, or do you go out and buy a new powerlink?

Carrying the chain rivet extractor is not a problem, as it is about palm
sized and fits easily in my jacket pocket, along with a multitool, tyre
levers, spare inner tube, self-adhesive patches, race cape, wallet, keys and
'U' lock.

I suppose if you use powerlinks, you've found a use for them. Me? I'm happy
with doing what I do, so vive la difference.

David Lloyd
The pub is responsible for my opinions.

in message <[email hidden]>, david lloyd

(') said:

"Tony Raven" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

david lloyd wrote on 06/10/2006 17:43 +0100:

Quoted message said:

What do people believe the benefit of a powerlink is? When I come to

remove

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

a chain (rare occurance), I use a chain rivet extractor. I had a chain

break

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

during my ride home on Tuesday,

I think you just answered your own question. The only chains I have had
break are those that have been joined by a chain tool. Plus with lots
of chains you need to carry a special pin to rejoin the chain.

I can't say that the broken link was the one at which I joint the chain
in the forst place. They all look the same to me. 😉 The chain in
question was
a Sedis silver and had done at least 3 years light service, so was due
for replacement. In fact I've got the machine stripped right now, with a
Campag 9 chain going on to compliment the 9 speed Chorus cassette.

Is the powerlink is an emergency link replacement? I did fine by
sacrificing what remained of the link and replacing it when I got home,
with a link left spare from when I first fitted it. One less link is not
a ride-stopping emergency. When you get home, do you repair the chain and
liberate the powerlink, or do you go out and buy a new powerlink?

A powerlink is not an emergency fix for a broken chain, it's a preventive
measure to avoid getting broken chains in the first place. With five speed
chains, a rivet driven in with a good workshop chain tool probably was
neatly as good as a factory driven rivet. With the much higher riveting
pressures and much greater precision of modern narrow chains, this just
isn't true. There is no rivet on any of the chains of any of my bikes that
wasn't driven in the factory with the factory press, with much higher
precision than can ever be done by hand.

Quoted message said:

David Lloyd
The pub is responsible for my opinions.

And your chain tool is almost certainly responsible for your broken chains.

--
[email hidden] (Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/

;; Women are from Venus. Men are from Mars. Lusers are from Uranus.

david lloyd said:

"Tony Raven" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

david lloyd wrote on 06/10/2006 17:43 +0100:

Quoted message said:

What do people believe the benefit of a powerlink is? When I come
to remove a chain (rare occurance), I use a chain rivet extractor.
I had a chain break during my ride home on Tuesday,

I think you just answered your own question. The only chains I have
had break are those that have been joined by a chain tool. Plus
with lots of chains you need to carry a special pin to rejoin the
chain.

I can't say that the broken link was the one at which I joint the
chain in the forst place. They all look the same to me. 😉 The chain
in question was a Sedis silver and had done at least 3 years light
service, so was due for replacement. In fact I've got the machine
stripped right now, with a Campag 9 chain going on to compliment the
9 speed Chorus cassette.

A chain that's due for replacement should hardly be more likely to break
than a new chain.

Quoted message said:

Is the powerlink is an emergency link replacement?

The SRAM Powerlink is intended to be used on a permanent basis as standard
with SRAM chains (and also actually works with certain other chains too).
In fact SRAM tell you not to ever join the chain by any other method. The
emergency use is just a bonus, when it's handy for very quickly and reliably
joining two inner-link ends together.

Same applies to most magic links from other manufacturers.

Quoted message said:

I did fine by
sacrificing what remained of the link and replacing it when I got
home, with a link left spare from when I first fitted it. One less
link is not a ride-stopping emergency. When you get home, do you
repair the chain and liberate the powerlink, or do you go out and buy
a new powerlink?

You leave the Powerlink in place and buy another one to carry as a spare.
It will last as long as the rest of the chain, and the chain can have as
many Powerlinks as you like.

Quoted message said:

Carrying the chain rivet extractor is not a problem, as it is about
palm sized and fits easily in my jacket pocket, along with a
multitool, tyre levers, spare inner tube, self-adhesive patches, race
cape, wallet, keys and 'U' lock.

Powerlink is not meant to be a substitute for an emergency tool. The tool
is still useful for removing broken parts of links - which is the relatively
easy part of the job anyway. The relatively difficult part - especially
when it's cold & dark & wet - is joining.

Quoted message said:

I suppose if you use powerlinks, you've found a use for them. Me? I'm
happy with doing what I do, so vive la difference.

The point of using them is to increase convenience and reliability.

Note. You're not supposed to use them with Campag C9 chain - though I
personally think it's a good idea to.

~PB

"Simon Brooke" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

And your chain tool is almost certainly responsible for your broken

chains.

Quoted message said:

Two chain brakages in twenty four years. I've split and joined chains many
more times than that. I've just bought a new rivet extractor from Park Tool,
which is a much better tool than my last one

--
Dave Lloyd
The pub is responsible for my opinions.