Capricorn Posted March 10, 2011 Share I see the solution here to everyone's problems: get into DH racing. u'll never lose your powerlink been giving it a bit more thought, and the one big difference is the fact DHers ride with a chain device. This mean's there's always tension on the chain, especially on teh bottom loop which is always slackest when not pedalling. but still, you need to squeeze the links together before u can slide their pins out. not sure that's very likely at all with a chain slapping about without a chain device. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Showtime Posted March 10, 2011 Share It can definitely happen. I was racing in Addo two years ago with a SRAM 9 speed link and it came undone on a particularly rough downhill section. As the link was nowhere to be seen I started pushing, a few minutes later another rider stopped to ask what was wrong and gave me a spare one. I'm still forever thankful for that rider and never ride without spare links. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johan Bornman Posted March 10, 2011 Share Quick links require two actions in order to disengage. First the two plates must be squeezed together and then they have to move past each other in the line of the chain. Conceivably these two actions could happen by themselves. One can make up a host of explanations other than just tyhe chain shaking around from rough terrain. But it does happen. I've had it once in about 20 chains consumed on three bikes. Their benefits still outweigh the rarity of spontaneous disengagement. Someone hinted to a gold one (9-speed) perhaps used on a 10-speed chain. This would increase the changes of disengagement. Something else that would increase the chances is the use of one of those snap link pliers on a quick link. That would destroy the recess that prevents the sliding movemement whilst not squeezed together. If you want to use a snap link plier, squeeze the two plates together whilst squeezing the pliers. Also, these things wear just like chains. Thus, now chain, new link. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhilipV Posted March 10, 2011 Share I've had 2 sram links break on me. Both were rather old. Now I always replace it with my chains, and always ride with two spare links, 1 for me, and 1 for the unfortunate guy next to the road with a broken chain.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cassie Posted March 11, 2011 Share I'll keep my "old" links with me to hand out to unfortunate suckers who do not carry them!! Sure to get them home... Going to replace my fairly old link right away... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Drongo Posted March 11, 2011 Share Broke a quick link in a race before. Also "lost" one during a bone shaking technical downhill. Got some sound advise from another hubber to always replace the quick link when replacing the chain. They wear out like everything else. Happened to me the other day on a descent. When not under power your chain wips around like crazy on freewheel.Worn Quicklinks come apart. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Marshall Posted March 12, 2011 Share The links will also be the first part of the chain to fail if there is some other problem. I've had one break with chain suck issues on the chainring on a friends bike. Replaced it with a pin and then replaced the RD, chain and chainring the following weekend. Expensive lesson. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johan Bornman Posted March 13, 2011 Share The links will also be the first part of the chain to fail if there is some other problem. I've had one break with chain suck issues on the chainring on a friends bike. Replaced it with a pin and then replaced the RD, chain and chainring the following weekend. Expensive lesson. Not so. The link is as strong as any other link. It will only fail if it is directly in the disaster zone. For instance, if there is chainsuck and the masterlink just happens to be in the suck area, it may fail. Equally likely is that its neighbour may fail. It just depends on which one is in "the zone." Also, "fail" is ambigiuous. Did it come off or did it break? If the latter, how did it break? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Marshall Posted March 14, 2011 Share It's always difficult to reconstruct after the event, especially if you wern't on the bike at the time. This is the sequence of events. 1) I serviced the mtb and during the service inserted the speed link in the chain. After the first ride the owner complained that the link had failed (broken or come off I don't know). He said that this had happened as he put on power at the begining of a climb. Made no mention of any problem that could have caused this but did not want the speed link replaced. So I pinned the chain and sent him on his way. 2) He brought the bike back the following weekend with the chain twisted but not broken. The inner arm of the RD had cracked right through. He said that the chain had come off. I repaired the obvious damage and and only managed to pick up the chain suck after riding the bike for about 10km. Replaced the small chain ring and now it's fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Headshot Posted March 14, 2011 Share Had one come apart on me in a mtb race - slow speed bumpy corner - lost some of the bits and had to remove a few links and rejoin the chain using the old method. Always carry a chain tool - they are light and save you a walk in such situations... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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