generic quick links

[pliptrot]

Saw in my local Decathlon store some quick links indicated simply for 10 speed chains. Any one think these will-or won't- work with Shimano 10 speed chains? I cannot find joining pins anywhere at the price of these links, so I'd like to try them. I value my teeth, however, so would appreciate some feedback on others' experience, rather than finding out the hard way.

[Paulatic]

I imagine they'll be similar to ones I got from China. Look like an SRAM copy with an R stamped on A packet of three for, I think it was a fiver.
I and my neighbour are using them without any problems.

[Brucey]

Sun Race do generic quicklinks (to fit shimano/sram chains as well as their own, I think)



They are all the same price, so £1.99 seems pricey for 8s but pretty good for 10s.

cheers

[gregoryoftours]

I reckon they'd work ok. At least some of the Decathlon packaged chains are actually KMC, so the quick links could well be too.

[Mattyfez]

Any reason not to just get a KMC link?

[tim-b]

Hi

Have a look on their website The links are photographed out of the packaging, click on the thumbnail images and all is revealed

I'd check before leaving the car park that I was satisfied that I'd bagged a bargain; the part numbers from the 2014 US catalogue (p29) are CL559R (Shimano/SRAM) and CL559CR (Campag) I think that 10S is Shimano/SRAM and 10C is Campag, however don't rely on that information. The re-usable links have a 5.88mm pin for Shimano/SRAM and 5.90mm for Campag

Regards
tim-b

[Brucey]

from the decathlon link


so they look like 10S to me, like Tim says.

cheers

[73Chaz]

I see that chain manufacturers state that chains cannot be joined by just pushing the pin used to break the chain back into its original position. Is this the case for all chains now? The one I have is a kmc 9 speed. I did not realise I needed a special link to join it and wonder if this is really the case?

[Mick F]

My experience ..............

I bought a chain link extractor in the 1960s and then another in the late 1970s. This latter one was still in use as late as 2010 until it broke. I replaced it with a Park tool.

Meanwhile, I was breaking and re-joining all my chains, from a 3sp SA right through to Campag 9sp without any issue whatsoever.
However, it wasn't long after joining this forum in 2005(?) that I found out about these mysterious modern "quick links".

CTC's technical man - CJ - explained about you should NEVER rejoin 9sp chains. I argued with him that it has never been a problem and I would carry on splitting and rejoining. Eventually, I succumbed and bought a KMC Missing Link, and I've never looked back.

They are easy and convenient and simple and it's a breeze to remove the chain to clean it.
Now I'm on Campag 10sp and use the 10sp versions by KMC.

[73Chaz]

Thanks Mick, that's most helpful. I think I will invest in one of these mysterious links.

[[XAP]Bob]

The pins don't get fully swaged over the top by a chain tool - so in theory the special pins should be used (or, better still, a quick link). Only really applies to 9+ speed chains I think.

What I can't understand is the 'single use' restriction on quick links, they are under tension, so even if the fit gets sloppy they are self tightening...

[Brucey]

many quicklinks come in two sorts these days;

- reusable ones, that go together without appreciable force (eg SRAM Powerlink) and

- non -reusable ones, that don't (eg SRAM Powerlock).

The idea is that the latter sort have lips on that either wear so they don't work any more, or stress the link so much that repeated use may break it.

A confusing feature is that a reusable link (which requires no force to assemble off the chain) may well be a struggle on some sorts of chain, eg because the chain links are slightly too wide for it.

cheers

[francovendee]

Last ones I bought from Decathalon were stamped KMC but in Decathalon packaging.