jgwilliams

Hi. Having had 9-speed for years I've been used to re-using the chain quick-links. I see that for 11-speed they aren't supposed to be re-usable. I'm sure there must be plenty of people out there who have done just that though, so I'm looking to find out if it's advisable or not. I'd also be curious to know the reason as I can't see that careful removal and replacement can cause them significant wear. It might be different if I was racing but I don't tend to be heavy on my gears as I prefer to spin rather than power up hills.

Thanks

John

TimothyH

Common practice is to replace the quick-link when the chain is replaced and reuse the link if the chain is taken off for cleaning or other repairs.

Lots of people ride very hard on reused links. It isn't a problem.

If reusing links is a concern then KMC makes a reusable version.

M/L-11 non-reusable: M/L-11 - KMC Chain
M/L-11R reusable: M/L-11R - KMC Chain


-Tim-

jgwilliams

Those reusable links are sufficiently expensive in the UK that they really aren't worth it - nearly half the price of a replacement chain. I've bought a couple of sets of missing links so I can always have a spare but I'm not keen to replace the original if I don't need to.

Maelochs

I have reused quick links but I have also had to toss some---they can torque a bit after multiple breaks and reuses, and then cause a slight hang-up in the chain. I test after each time I remove mychain, and reuse ro replace depending on actual performance.

TimothyH

Do you find that one brand is more prone than another?


-Tim-

Maelochs

I really cannot say. I have tried KMC and generic and cannot see that either are better than the other.

seamuis

rm -rf

I reuse 11 speed Sram Powerlinks, on the same chain. (well, maybe the same link on two chains, then replace it.) They still make a solid "click" when reinstalled. I probably only remove the chain once or twice during it's lifetime, though.

Years ago, with Connex links, that are designed to be reusable, I would disconnect, shake the chain in a plastic bottle with some mineral spirits, then shake again in a bottle of water and detergent, rinse carefully, dry overnight, then relube. The chain lasted a long time, over 4000 miles.

Now, I just wipe the chain with some paper towels dampened with rubbing alcohol (or perhaps mineral spirits to clean them off a little more). And relube, then wipe off the chain with a dry paper towel. The chains still last just as long for me.

jgwilliams

That was the sort of thing I had in mind. Now that we're coming out of winter and I can expect less grime to be thrown all over the oily bits I reckon it's worth treating it all with a little TLC. Like you, I get a good mileage from my chain. My last one had nearer 10.000 miles and was still just about within tolerance.

Homebrew01

I've reused links without problem. But chains I buy come with a new link, so i generally don't have a need to reuse an old link with a new chain.

bakerjw

I reuse the heck out of them. I also make sure that I have an extra couple along in the seat bag.

I have a few plastic jars with kerosene in them. I put a dirty chain in the first and shake it good before wiping the chain down. It then goes into the next one, same process. And finally the third one. After blowing out with compressed air, an acetone bath before being reinstalled and relubricated.
It is amazing how much grime a chain can collect.

Maelochs

A practice which has saved me a few times. Trying to repop pins on a damaged chain on the side o the road (and it often seems to happen in the dark) is a reall nutbuster. With a few quicklinks I can cut up a damaged chain into some working length and limp home---or just replace damaged links.

obuckler

Maelochs

I have had the same issue. Now I no longer feel special.

2_i 

A quick link deteriorates as quickly as a chain. If you put a used up link onto a new chain it acts as a wear seed for the new chain in a cascading action. First the links that immediately precede the quick link go and then the rest. Reuse if you have too much time and money on your hand.

TimothyH

The question was asked because I've had at least two sticky SRAM powerlinks.

I still wonder if this was inherent to SRAM's design, compatibility or if I just got a bad batch.


-Tim-

Litespud

I used KMC 10 sp single-use links for a while - they're ~$1 each on Amazon, but I rotate my chains quite frequently, and while I supposed that I could just reuse the links, I figured that chain reliability was one place where I didn't want to cheap out. I ended up buying a couple of Wippermann Connex links - not cheap at ~$10 each, but designed to be reusable.

MikeyMK

If a new chain comes with a new link, i'll use the new link. If not, i'll inspect and use the old one, given that the link has no bearing, and will be carrying the new chain's new pair of bearings. I've re-used the link on the same chain a handful of times for cleaning, but i don't see the clipping aspect of it as causing wear of concern, only the 'stretch' aspect and resulting damage to the pins from chain wear.

HerrKaLeun

New chain comes with new link, so that question is kind of moot. I'd say the link stretches and wears at the same rate as the rest of the chain, so reusing wouldn't be the best.

I save the old link and a few inches of the old chain for on-road repairs if needed (never did need it though). But that would just to get me home in case of chain breakage.

Once a chain is on, i never take it off. Only real world reason to take on and off a chain if I'm unsure about maximum cassette and chainring size and size the chain a bit too long and shorten it later.

aclinjury

i reuse the 10spd kmc links constantly, and I know plenty of guys who do too.
Not so sure about the 11spd ones and how they fare compared to 10spd one.
I've only heard of 1 incident from a guy where a quick link fell out of a chain while he was not pedalling hard and just coasting slowly (luckily we were able to find his links and reattach them).
But i can see that when a quick link is loose, i.e, they don't have any resistance when you snap the 2 side together, then they could conceivably fall out under zero tension (it's hard for them to fall out under tension)

2_i 

Chain is meant to work in such a manner that several links simultaneously pull on several teeth. When you put in a loose worn out link into the chain, the links following that loose link cease to engage. The force that was supposed to spread over links ahead and behind the loose link is applied by the links ahead and, at moments, just by one link. That link is not designed to withstand such a force and the particular tooth, onto which that link happens to act, either. With this, both the link and individual teeth get worn out in an accelerated manner, with the process of worn out links propagating up the chain. It makes no sense whatsoever to reuse worn out links.

dedhed

I've always reused them (SRAM) for the life of the chain. New chain comes with new link and the old one gets tossed in underseat bag of a bike for emergency use.