Re-joining the ends of a Campy chain?
 

I'm reassembling a bike that has a nearly new Campagnolo 10 speed chain, and I wonder what the best way to do the joining is. I have some extra links.

I recall it's not best to just drive the old pin back into place. Is there some kind of acceptable separable link?

Hi, Ken,
I have no idea what's different about a Campy chain. I'm overhauling my old Motobecane and just pressed a pin back in. I've done this before, but it's not Campy.
Send me a PM so I can let you know about the Massacree when I hear details!
Steve

Campagnolo chains use special pins that are designed to be used to close the chain. If you need to break the chain, the correct method of reclining it is to use another of the special pins.

Was it broken at the old joining pin or somewhere else? Campagnolo advise against using the same link when rebreaking. If that is the case, a KMC missing link works better than the Campagnolo joining pin.

Use a KMC link. Pressing old pins back in is courting disaster, 8 speed (+/-) up. Yes, someone has surely done it and not died yet....

Campy has always recommended an absurdly expensive chain tool for their chains but a KMC missing link works well at very low cost. Be aware that KMC makes a link specifically intended for Campy chains and the model is M/L-10CR. Their other 10-speed links are for Shimano, KMC and SRAM chains and are not recommend for Campy chains. Get the right one.

As stressed above, NEVER reuse a standard pin.

Edit: It might be easier to just buy a new Shimano or KMC chain and not bother with the Campy at all.

Thanks, all!

Steve, Aubergine has given a good description of what's different in Campy 10 chains. I'm PM-ing you, too. Just re-pressign the old pins has worked for me, too on 5 thru 7 speeds. Campy 10 got trickier; I'm not too sure about 8 or 9-speeds.

HillRider, thanks for the correct part number. I think I tried a Wipperman closer once, and that was too wide.

there are rivet re peening pin chain tools .. Campagnolo sells one.. Park and Rohloff do too..

Though Not as good as the original chain making machine does ..









....

I really like the KMC quick links. Used them extensively on Shimano drivetrains. The 10 speed ones are reusable as well so that's one of the primary benefits over the Shimano pins. Before I knew about them, I rejoined a 10 speed chain for my daughter using a chain break tool (which is perfectly acceptable for 1 to 7 speed drivetrains) and it broke after some time out on the road. No injuries, just an inconvenience.

Also a tip. Keep a short length of inner brake or shift cable in your tool kit. When the quick links get dirty with even just a tiny bit of grit in them, they can be hard to get apart without an appropriate tool. Just loop the cable through the links on either end of the connector and run the ends in opposite directions such that it pulls the link together and it pops right apart. There's also a way do do it by forming a "Z" with the links and squeezing but the cable trick is the most foolproof, IMO.

I've always used quick links on a new chain, never used the original special pins.

I always used a Connex link on my Campagnolo 10 speed chains. No tools required to install or remove it. The links worked great, never any problems. I used the same link on two chains, but some people don't recommend this.

I quit using Connex on 11-speed chains, because they were extremely expensive. (I think the price has come down since then.) The Sram 11-speed power links work fine, but do need a tool to remove.

Instead of link pliers, I made a removal tool from an old spoke.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Don't re-use pins!
Older chains had pins that stuck out a bit from the chain plate. These were easy to push part way out, then push back in.
Newer chains, 10 & 11 speed, (probably 9 speed too) have pins that are flush to the plate, and are held together by mushrooming the head of the pin, like a rivet. When you push it out, that head is broken off or mangled. So reusing the pin makes a very weak connection.

Use a KMC 10CR missing link made for Campagnolo chains, where the 'C' is for Campagnolo and 'R' reusable. Shimano/SRAM inner links are a different width so that version won't work.

I buy a card of 6 every time my supply is running low. Amazon has cards of 6 for $13, shipped free for Prime members.

https://www.amazon.com/KMC-Missing-L.../dp/B004DM22UW

Campagnolo sells a short section of chain with never riveted outer links on both pins, although that would be much more expensive and not better.

https://www.bikebug.com/images/campa...jpg?1471585548

That'll cost much more in the short term than $2 for a KMC 10CR missing link, and could double costs over the long run.

Campagnolo chains take longer to elongate than other brands. I replace my C10 chains around 4500 miles at less than 1/32" of stretch because front shifting is starting to degrade due to increased flexibility from side plate wear.

Chains changed as cog count increased with Campagnolo updating their construction when they reached 10 and other companies 7 or 8. Before that (noting that if you buy a quality non-Campagnolo derailleur chain made in the last decade it'll probably be flush-riveted) you could safely rejoin chains. With the change you can't.

Chains used to have pins longer than their outer link width, and side plates with single diameter holes all the way through. Springing the links past the pin ends required a lot of movement, with plenty of surface area gripping the pins increasing the force required. C9 chain at treefort bikes:
http://www.treefortbikes.com/images/...B10_CH9850.jpg

Chains got narrower as we crammed more cogs into the same space. To avoid pin rub in spite of the decreased spacing without making chains even narrower which would reduce life further, companies switched to flush riveted chains with countersinks for the pin ends. Most of the holding power comes from the peened over ends which preclude separation without shearing off their outer edge. Without that they're much weaker than older chains due to the thinner side plates and counter sink allowing less pin engagement. C10 chain at treefort bikes:
http://www.treefortbikes.com/images/...B10_CH9604.jpg

You can't reuse pins because removing them shears off the end, and shouldn't reuse outer links because their pin holes opened up a bit from the original installation.

Agree the Missing Link will be cheaper than a new chain. My experience with both Shimano and Wipperman 9 and 10-speed chains is that I get 6000 - 8000 miles on them before they elongate near 1/8" but the shifting never suffers.

I replace both the chain and cassette together at that point but, since I'm using 105 cassettes, they aren't much more expensive than a new chain.

Great!

I'm still trying to duplicate this great idea!

Understood! I only open and close the old 5-speed chains that have plenty of pin sticking out past the plate. I've used Connex and PowerLink connectors on my 8- and 9-speed bikes. Thanks for the explanation!
Steve

That chain tool made from a spoke is neat.
Would any spoke do?

Yep, as long as it's not otherwise spoke-n for. :)

:beer:

Just got a brand new Campagnolo C9 chain in the mail. It comes with a link pin that's only just seated in an outer plate, ready to be pushed through. Using a regular chain tool should be fine for this, right? Despite the mention of a special Campagnolo tool in the instructions... Thanks.

Right.

Using Campagnolo's special tool or Park equivalent only becomes an issue when you move to 11 cogs and need to peen the end of the joining pin.

Awesome, thanks.

Using it with an 8-speed synchro setup, and I'm very curious to see how it will perform.