Originally Posted by
Greatestalltime
Yeah. I had no idea. I thought it only mattered that the quick link was going the right direction. I’ll check me other bikes when I get home. I guess I got a 50/50 chance they are correct.
Supposedly the chamfers on the surfaces of the outer link plates are slightly different, such that the interior facing outer link plates are optimized for downshifts on a Shimano cassette (i.e., moving from a physically smaller to a bigger cog), whereas the exterior facing outer link plates are optimized for upshifts on a Shimano chain ring (i.e., from the smaller to the bigger). I only learned this a few months ago when I installed my Ultegra chain (CN-HG701) because it did not matter with my prior generation 105 chain (CN-HG600). Some do not believe this and claim that it is an elaborate hoax by Shimano to have its logo facing the right. If that is the case the hoax must be targeted at those with much better eyesight than me.