masi61

I like the idea of the Wippermann Connex tool-less installation and removal and the fact that these can be re-used multiple times.

But I have experienced my fair share of embarrassing chain crunchies - usually occurring when I down shift into low and then stand to climb on the steeper sections of hills. I do not have the Connex link the wrong way AFAIK (the deeper groove in the link faces away from the cog teeth). My LBS mechanic acknowledged that this occasional loud crunch is a thing with these Connex links. He said that there is slight misalignment of the link that will hang up occasionally (always at inopportune times while under load it seems for me).

I’m not ready to give up on these Connex quick links on my Shimano 9 and 10 cog road bikes but thought I would ask here if others have experienced this and what they have done about it.

For me, it did not ruin my group ride, but when it happens my confidence is shaken and where I was one of the stronger climbers in my group I am now more tentative and cautiously doing seated climbing only in the back of my group more often than not.

Iride01 

Are you certain it's the quick link? Sometimes if I make shifts with too much power for the RPM I'm doing at the moment I'll get a crunching sound during a shift.

I've never worried about it though. I just imagine that it's the chain not quite on the next cog or ring correctly and a side plate sliding down off the top of a tooth.

masi61

yeah - I’m not for sure that is the quick link. I have heard my fellow club members crunching when getting into climbing gears. I really try to time my shifts & keep the effort light…

Iride01 

Well since you say climbing gears, I'm thinking this must be shifting that is going on when your cadence is very low. If you shift to those lower ratio gears before you get to a low cadence, you'll probably hear that sound less often.

When shifting at 80 RPM or faster I seldom if ever have heard that no matter what my power is to the pedals. However when trying to shift at less than 60 RPM and not letting up on the power to the pedals I'll hear that crunch often. So just don't let your cadence get so slow before getting into that lowest ratio gear you need.

masi61

Iride01 - if I do (accidentally) do a crunch do you think this shortens cassette life by damaging cog teeth?

smd4

I don't hear anything with my 9 sp. But I probably haven't been using the Connex long enough to know.

Iride01 

If the crunch you hear is the same crunch I hear, then no. I don't think it shortens the life of the cassette or rings or chain. At least not significantly enough to worry about. Though the conditions that make this happen for me are probably getting near the point of putting a lot of stress on the chain. Perhaps a person with way more power than I might more easily snap a chain that's on it's last legs or about to come apart for other reasons like a quicklink not properly installed.

Besides, this is something that just learning better shifting technique or to be pro-active in shifting to lower gears before needed will eliminate. Don't get caught shifting because you have too late realized you are in the wrong gear. Are you and your friends doing this among the last ones up the hill?

masi61

Occasionally I will be in the wrong gear, yes. But not usually. I have been learning chain waxing the past 2 years and sometimes a waxed chain needs an extra crisp shift. I have also had some ongoing issues with shifter cables beginning to shred inside the shifter and I fail to recognize the cause soon enough and thus play around with my adjuster barrels more than I should.

As far as my observations of others is concerned, I do see the climbers who are struggling and migrating toward the back of the group making a variety of not so great gearing choice than can lead to problems of running out of steam and being in the big chainring far too long.

masi61

Update : I don't believe the Connex link was responsible for the crunch. Turns out the upper pivot on my aging Ultegra 6500 GS rear derailleur had partly seized and was binding as a result. The cage was unable to track the cassette correctly when I was in the granny 30 tooth chainring causing the mis-shift. Problem solved !