Reliability of Quick Link on 10-speed Chain
07-27-18, 09:04 PM
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Houston, TX
Posts: 890
Bikes: 2017 Co-op ADV 1.1; ~1991 Novara Arriba; 1990 Fuji Palisade; mid-90's Moots Tandem; 1985 Performance Superbe
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 388 Post(s)
Liked 567 Times
in
330 Posts
Reliability of Quick Link on 10-speed Chain
Has anyone sworn off of quick links on 10-speed chain due to reliability? I had a failure and am trying to decide if it was a one-time anomaly or if the 10-speed quick-link is significantly less reliable.
I have been commuting with 8-speed for over 10 years and I’ve never had a quick link fail on me.
I recently changed to a new 10-speed and I’ve got less than 1000 miles on it so far. I was starting off at a green light today and the chain broke. The quick link stayed in but it had pulled out of one side. I was able to reconnect it but it didn’t hold. I pressed out a pin and now have a solid chain. The chain came new with the bike and is marked KMC.
When I replace this chain I’ll have to decide whether to use the new quick link or go with a solid chain. I’m a commuter and reliability is important; chain failure can put me in harm’s way.
I’m interested in others’ experiences with 10-speed chains.
I have been commuting with 8-speed for over 10 years and I’ve never had a quick link fail on me.
I recently changed to a new 10-speed and I’ve got less than 1000 miles on it so far. I was starting off at a green light today and the chain broke. The quick link stayed in but it had pulled out of one side. I was able to reconnect it but it didn’t hold. I pressed out a pin and now have a solid chain. The chain came new with the bike and is marked KMC.
When I replace this chain I’ll have to decide whether to use the new quick link or go with a solid chain. I’m a commuter and reliability is important; chain failure can put me in harm’s way.
I’m interested in others’ experiences with 10-speed chains.
07-27-18, 09:35 PM
#2
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: San Jose, CA
Posts: 3,676
Bikes: Too many bikes, too little time to ride
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 425 Post(s)
Liked 454 Times
in
313 Posts
Quick links on 10 speed chains work fine for me. On Shimano chains if you pop out a pin you need a special pin to replace it, otherwise be prepared to constantly snap that chain. Not sure if kmc 10 speed chains have the same issue.
07-27-18, 09:39 PM
#3
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Zang's Spur, CO
Posts: 9,080
Mentioned: 11 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3370 Post(s)
Liked 5,491 Times
in
2,844 Posts
I've been using Superlink/SRAM/KMC links on 8/9/10 speed drives since the '90's and never had one fail.
I have a lot more confidence in a quick link than a manually-installed pin.
I have a lot more confidence in a quick link than a manually-installed pin.
07-27-18, 10:38 PM
#4
Senior Member
30,000 miles on my 10 speed using KMC chains and quick links, no failures.
07-27-18, 11:16 PM
#5
Senior Member
I've had one fail but whoopty do poop happens. I popped another one because I carry a spare and kept going no big deal. I've also broke an 8 and 9 before but again poop happens when you are mountain biking. Haven't broken an 11 yet but I'm sure I will at some point.
07-28-18, 04:40 PM
#6
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Oahu, HI
Posts: 1,396
Bikes: 89 Paramount OS 84 Fuji Touring Series III New! 2013 Focus Izalco Ergoride
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 285 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 74 Times
in
54 Posts
I was riding conventional 7 speed chains until I got a new bike a few years ago. Have 20k miles on 10 speed KMC quicklink. Most miles using wax so chains come off more than typical rider. I've replaced only 1 quicklink when it seemed to close too easily. Never had a failure. I do replace chains at about 1/16th in 12 stretch.
scott s.
.
scott s.
.
07-29-18, 11:13 AM
#7
Banned
Now a days , thin 10 speed cassette chains cannot just have the the pin pressed in
like you used to do with wide 6 speed freewheel chains, of decades past..
Perhaps OP did not get their QL solidly engaged ... hard to guess..
like you used to do with wide 6 speed freewheel chains, of decades past..
Perhaps OP did not get their QL solidly engaged ... hard to guess..
07-29-18, 01:29 PM
#8
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Zang's Spur, CO
Posts: 9,080
Mentioned: 11 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3370 Post(s)
Liked 5,491 Times
in
2,844 Posts
You are replacing a perfectly good link.
The original Superlink (and 8s/9s SRAM links) were designed to open/close easily.
The SRAM "innovation" of making 10s links latch closed was for legal reasons, with no functional purpose.
They didn't want to pay any more royalties on the Superlink patent for a "reusable link".
So they added a tiny raised area adjacent to the slot to create an interference fit, and filed a patent on it, and declared it "non-reusable".
Attached is an image from the SRAM patent.
The raised area that creates the interference fit is labeled #11 .
Note that once the link is installed, the pin head has passed the area of interference fit.
SRAM calls the 8s/9s link PowerLink, and calls the 10s PowerLock.
The Superlink patent expired several years ago.
For some odd reason KMC makes links in both non-latching, and latching type, and for several years, they were randomly putting either one in the box with 10s chains, but nothing on the box gave a clue which it contained.
07-31-18, 04:23 PM
#9
Senior Member
I have experienced exactly one chain failure in my cycling “career” (which admittedly only extends back to 2005), and it wasn’t the quick link. The side plate on one of the other links on a KMC 10s chain started to separate from the pin for unknown reasons (possibly a very hard shift a few days before but I don’t know if that would damage the chain). Fortunately the chain held together until I was able to limp to an LBS, where they fixed the chain with a second quick link. I finished my ride then replaced the chain to be safe.
That said, I had a friend who was an early adopter of the first SRAM 10 speed road group, and the quick link on his SRAM chain kept flying apart during rides. Amazingly he was always able to find the link(s) on the ground and put the chain back together until he finally got a new chain. I vaguely remember SRAM having some production problems with their early 10s chains so that was probably a fluke though.
That said, I had a friend who was an early adopter of the first SRAM 10 speed road group, and the quick link on his SRAM chain kept flying apart during rides. Amazingly he was always able to find the link(s) on the ground and put the chain back together until he finally got a new chain. I vaguely remember SRAM having some production problems with their early 10s chains so that was probably a fluke though.
08-01-18, 09:57 PM
#10
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Houston, TX
Posts: 890
Bikes: 2017 Co-op ADV 1.1; ~1991 Novara Arriba; 1990 Fuji Palisade; mid-90's Moots Tandem; 1985 Performance Superbe
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 388 Post(s)
Liked 567 Times
in
330 Posts
Thanks!
Thanks everyone for the insights. I didn't realize that on these chains I couldn't simply press back in the pin. (By the way, the bike was new and I have between 500-1000 miles on it.. I never examined the quick link. I have to believe it was fully engaged but I can't say for certain.)
Sure enough, my field press-fit failed after about a week. I was lucky that I was within a couple of miles of a LBS so I got a new chain with a link. Put it on at the shop and I'm chalking up my failure as a highly unusual event.
Sure enough, my field press-fit failed after about a week. I was lucky that I was within a couple of miles of a LBS so I got a new chain with a link. Put it on at the shop and I'm chalking up my failure as a highly unusual event.
08-01-18, 11:08 PM
#11
Mostly harmless ™
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Novi Sad
Posts: 4,430
Bikes: Heavy, with friction shifters
Mentioned: 22 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1107 Post(s)
Liked 216 Times
in
130 Posts
Chains for over 9 speeds have outer plates quite thinned down. This gives very little material for quick link mechanism to latch onto. For all I know, SRAM still doesn't recommend re-using their 10 (and 11, 12) speed quick links. Definitely not for regular maintenance (monthly, or so).
I've never had problems personally, after several connect-disconnect uses with those, though. But wouldn't recommend it, still.
Another thing: when closing a quick link, make sure it is latched 100%, all the way. Sometimes it takes a bit of strong push on the crank, with the rear wheel stationary (locked) and the quick link in the top part of the chain (so it gets pulled in place).
I've never had problems personally, after several connect-disconnect uses with those, though. But wouldn't recommend it, still.
Another thing: when closing a quick link, make sure it is latched 100%, all the way. Sometimes it takes a bit of strong push on the crank, with the rear wheel stationary (locked) and the quick link in the top part of the chain (so it gets pulled in place).
08-03-18, 10:49 AM
#12
I never finish anyth
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Western KY
Posts: 1,114
Bikes: 2008 Merckx LXM, 2003 Giant XTC mtb, 2001 Lemond Alpe d'Huez, 1997 Lemond Zurich, 1989 Cannondale ST, 1988 Masi Nuovo Strada, 1983 Pinarello Turismo
Mentioned: 63 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 294 Post(s)
Liked 137 Times
in
86 Posts
Reliability? 100% in my case over many thousands of miles. I use Connex quick links, which are included with Wippermann chains. Kind of pricey if you buy them separately, but still worth it in my opinion.
__________________
Dale, NL4T
Dale, NL4T
