cooleric1234

I'm looking for some of those 10 speed pins Shimano sells. I see a lot of them list the old model 10 speed chains (6600, 7800, etc.) but don't list the new chains that are directional. Will any Shimano 10 speed chain pin work on even the new directional chains?

FBinNY 

From what I gather (I use Connex) the pins are very specific to particular chains or groups of chains. The width and barb pattern has to be very precisely matched to the chains for them to work. I assume each chain's data sheet says exactly which pin to use, use that and no other.

cooleric1234

I'm talking about Shimano 10 speed chains here, so it's not like I'm trying to mix different widths. I'm just wondering about the pins working in the 6700 10 speed chains if they work in the 6600 chains. The documentation for the chain isn't much help, it just says reinforced connecting pin:

https://bike.shimano.com/media/techdo...9830682232.pdf

MudPie

This doesn't answer your question, but it's not a straightforward as I thought. Pins with one, two and three indicator lines?

https://bike.shimano.com/publish/cont...stallation.pdf

(Disclaimer - I'm a SRAM & KMC chain user.)

cooleric1234

And why am I the only one who doesn't seem to know what's going on? I can't find those three line reinforced pins anywhere online. People must buy Shimano chains, do they just not bother with spare pins? Nobody needs to repair Shimano chains or change their length? Or do they all go against the manufacturer recommendations and use Missing Links or other connectors or the standard non-reinforced pins?

mechBgon

That document is good info and the small table at the very bottom is what you want. It boils down to this: if you have a CN-7800, use the pin with the single groove. For any other Shimano 10sp chain, including HG-X mountain chains, the two-groove or three-grove pins both do the job.

In addition to making sure directional chains have the correct side facing out, Shimano says you'll get the best strength by putting the piloted chain pin through the rear hole in an outer plate (when joining the chain on the lower section, as opposed to the upper span between the cassette and FD).

HillRider

Shimano chains all come with two connecting pins in the package. Cut the chain to the correct length and join it with one of the pins. You then have a spare for emergency repair or length changes.

cooleric1234

Have you bought the newer chains? I bought a 6700 chain and it only came with one pin. Sucks too because I went to put it in and I must have been slightly mis-aligned because the pin broke before it went in. Went to the bike shop in hopes they'd spot me a pin but they charged me $5 for a single pin.

HillRider

That is new. Was there a partially installed initial joining pin and a spare pin or really just one? Shimano used to include two complete pins, then I was finding a partially installed pin plus a spare pin and, most recently a 6600 chain came with two complete pins.

cooleric1234

Nope, no partially installed pin. Just a single pin. I know, cheap isn't it? Who knows, maybe there was a QC problem and I got unlucky or something.

FastJake

Suggestion: switch to a re-useable master link and avoid the goofy pins.

cooleric1234

Yes, but which ones work with these new Shimano directional chains? I've done some searching and so far come up empty. The guy at the shop said officially Shimano can't endorse the Wipperman working with the new chains, but he gave me a wink and a nod and said he's seen it done before. Chain failure scares me though.

HillRider

The Conex master link will work and there is little to no chance of sudden failure. These things are tough. The problem might be a click or other incompatibility while riding.

BikeWise1

Just use a KMC chain and be done. They make Shimano's chains anyway, are top quality, and no goofy pins required.

Connex links are fine too.

I would NOT mess around with any pin not specifically designed for that particular chain, though. Chain failure sucks.

cooleric1234

I think it's just me but I've had not so great experiences with KMC chains.

FBinNY 

Connecting link failures are extremely rare. Probably rarer than failures elsewhere in the chain, or those resulting from a badly placed pin. Whatever method you use, you shouldn't need to worry about failure as long as you're diligent in using it. Also road bike chain failures are far less common than mtb chain failures because there's rarely the kind of aggressive shift under high load which is the number one killer of chains.

Either the Wipperman, KMC or Sram link will work fine as long as you use the 10s version. Look at the width spec for the chains from these brands and buy the link from the company whose chain is the closest match to your Shimano chain.

BTW- looking at the link provided by an earlier poster, it seems that the 2 ring and 3 ring pins both fit your chain. Scroll back and confirm that for yourself. If you're still unsure, call Shimano customer service and confirm with them.

Whatever you decide probably won't matter mechanically, but you don't want to be wondering about your chain, so do whatever gives you the most peace of mind.

BikeWise1

Can you describe the the problem(s)?

I have installed thousands of chains of varying brands. Shimano and KMC seem on par when it comes to function and durability, but KMC has an easier install. Sram doesn't seem to work nearly as well on any drive train....

mechBgon

I'm at the unlucky end of the bell curve, because I've had a history of master links failing, including KMC, Connex and SRAM. Granted, I'm a power-shifting monster at times, but some of them were on routine light-power shifts, and my working hypothesis is that there was a touch of chainsuck that compressed the link endwise and caused it to cleanly disconnect just like they're made to do.

This is one reason I favor the SRAM PowerLock links, or at least their design. Those babies don't come unplugged without a serious fight, and they're one of two designs I haven't broken. The other is the Shimano master link that used to come with Dura-Ace 7900 chains; Tommy, the Shimano rep, told me that Shimano finds master links wear significantly faster than pinned links, leading to clicking, and the decision was made to revert to piloted pins. I do carry some Shimano pins and master links for on-the-road repairs (of my bike or other peoples').

The report is correct about Shimano's retail-packaged 10sp chains now coming with just one pin, instead of two.