A few weeks ago, I was wrenching with my lil grease monkey 3-year old son. He reaches into my bag and pulls out my chain tool. I had an instinct to take it away, but on the other hand, it was keeping him busy and quiet. Seconds later it was gone.

I'm not a superstitious guy, but experience has shown that chains break when there are no chain tools around. I tore apart the basement, pulled out all the toys from the box, and nothing. As for the young monkey, he wasn't talking.

I finally gave up, and bought a new one yesterday. Guess what I found today. Oy.

If you want to loose the nuisance of a chain tool, SRAM(or sachs) chains have what is called a "power link" that you can pop apart with your hands. The optometrist where I work has one on each of his bikes and we were messing with them, they are great. I am going to get one and never get a Shimano chain again.

Yes and when they get a little wear on them you dont even have to take them apart.!!**********

Steve,
Is there a problem with the "Power Link" becoming worn and failing? I have read and heard many recommendations for SRAM chains, including my LBS who replaces the chains on all new bikes with SRAM because they think they are better. Well, I don't think they replace Shimano or Campy chains, but anything else. Since I use SRAM chains I would like to be aware of any potential issue here. I will continue to use them but will inspect the "Power Link" more often.
Think poor little Julio Perez was using one the other day?
Regards,
Raymond

Rainman, to be honest this one i have not seen, but it has been tried in the past sacs sedi tried it, worked fairly good for a while and works a little better for constant chain cleaners like myself, but after say 800 to a thousand miles they tend to self unlock on you especially under stress.
Personaly I would rather put up with the chain tool, for the security of not haveing a chain at all without notice they tend to not give any warning, you know if they were that good shimano and others would have come out with their own version long ago.

Oscar, you can never have too many chain tools. At least that's my experience. So the little guy may have done you a favor!

I don't particularly mind unlinking a chain, though I usually just clean the chain in place on the bike. The Park chain tool makes it about as painless as it's going to be, when I do have to unlink--or decide it's just past high time I did so, for cleaning.

But I wish there was a way to mark the link so I'd unhook a different one the next time. Statistically, it's unlikely I'd go for the same link again, of course.

I tried red auto paint once but it wears off.

Mr. JonR, your the man!

Oscar, Murphy was gonna get ya, one way or another.

I've never heard of a problem with the power-links. Personally, I've put lots and lots of miles on a fair number of Sachs/Sedis power-link equipped chains and never experienced a failure. A hyperglide chain that has been broken and re-joined incorrectly will fail quickly.

JonR, what solvent do you use in your park chain? Just today I tried Simple Green for the first time. I'm sold.

Roadbuzz, my post wasn't worded clearly, and it could give the impression I clean my chain using a Park chain cleaning gadget.

I was really referring to the Park chain removal tool, which is particularly cool because it cannot (ha! ha! I'll bet...) drive a rivet all the way out of the link. Well, in practice it does work very, very well.

But back to the chain cleaner--I used to have one, in fact, but I gave or sold it to my friend Greg. I decided I didn't like it.

I just clean my chains with a fingernail brush and dilute citrus solvent. I've seen Simple Green in stores but never tried it yet. The citrus solvent is much cheaper than it used to be, if you find it in the right place. I like the way it smells, the way it doesn't seem to hurt my hands (I admit I rarely have cuts or abrasions there, though--I'd probably have to use rubber gloves in that case), and the way it is so versatile.

When I am feeling foolishly energetic and the chain is disgustingly gunky, I will remove it and swirl and toss it around in a big plastic bottle with dilute citrus cleaner. That does a better job by far than on the bike.

But then I am always glad I have two bikes, for I'm no mechanic, and I always have to study the way the chain goes on the other bike in order to get the one I removed back in place. The rear derailleur confuses me every time.

I've also had much better luck with the SRAMs chains than with the Shimano's. I used to snap the Shimano chains constantly (okay, so I'm not the smoothest shifter) but in the two years I've used the SRAM I've yet to snap one. I also put on a new chain every four months.

Now that I've said that, watch me snap my chain on my next ride.

A couple of interesting things came up on this thread:

1) Chain tool: Like JonR says, especially if you have little tots, you should have more than one of any tool that is small enough to flush down a toilet. I bought the $10.00 version at the local bike shop, then found them for $2.00 at Fleet and Farm which were actually better than the $10.00 version. Now I collect 'em.

2) Chain Cleaning: Every once in a while, I use non-flammable Engine Brite cleaner ($1.29 per can) which I get at the auto parts store. I use it on my entire drive train; sprockets, chain, derailures, and even those hard to get spots where the down tube meets the bottom bracket.

Spray it on, wait a couple of minutes, and then hose it off. Then I dry it off and relube. It seems to work great. It is so convenient, that it encourages me to do cleaning more often.

Am I missing something? I read about guys using special bike shop cleaners for chains. Is there a reason to use this special cleaner as opposed to the engine cleaner I am using?

By shop cleaners, to you mean a special solvent, or one of the on-the-bike chain cleaners?

The reason I'm psyched about Simple Green is that I've been using various types of petroleum solvents (gas, kerosene, mineral spirits) for years, and always feel like I'm poisoning my well if I dump it, so I reuse it ad-infinitum from sludge-filled jars. Which is cool, I suppose. Certainly inexpensive.

With the SG, I clean my chain, hose it off. If I get any on my hands, forget dealing with special hand cleaners... it rinses off. It's just a lot easier than what I'd been using.

I guess I'll try the citrus stuff next time, but at the rate I use it, that'll probably be 3 years from now.

When I fix my bike, my son Miguel, he's my little angel, and his 4 years old, and always beside me, grabbing anything that he can lay his hand on, on my bike tools, I just let him do what he want, cause he, is really my angel not my monkey..... and beside I am spending quality time with my son and a toast to all parents in this bikeforum, who treat there kids and doesn't call the kids name...and when I hear or read parents call the kids name I squirt on my chair, cause thats my pet peeves

Ive used a Sachs power link with no problems, and even figured out how to unlink it by hand. You still need to carry a chain tool, to fix the chain if a link snaps.

About solvent cleaning, be very careful of spraying solvent around bearing seals, esp the bottom bracket (also the freehub and wheel bearings). Sealed bearings wont keep solvents out, and once it, they dissolve all the grease.
I use simple detergent and a cloth, and no power hose.

Say what? (Or do I want to know?)

Roadbuzz,
you don't wanna know.......

My little 3yr old daughter is my helper. I found my allen wrench set in her tool box the other day. Luckily I didn't need them first!

Here's a hint to all you wrenches with tikes.

1. Don't buy them toy tools. It's a waste of money. They want to use the tools you're using. Just hand them all over.

2. Don't let them ride their tricycles with a wrench in hand. They will stop continually and want to "fix" their wheel.

3. Don't swear while fixing your bike. The little ones are like tape recorders.

1:Finishline "citrus" degreaser is the bee's kneesif using Sram chains always carry spare "powerlink "connecters.if using shimano chains carry some "black" pins for 7&8 speed or "silver" for 9 speed.

re. chain tools--Is it just me, or is there a black hole they fall into. Every time I need one, it's off to the LBS after a long search. Just bought a cheapo velcro pouch at the army surplus. Chain tool just fits and pouch is flourescent orange.
re. Park chain cleaner--It's great! I use it 2-3 times a week for last 1+ year. Per instructions-30 revs w/solvent, then 30 revs w/soap and water. Takes less than 5 minutes, no mess-I do it sitting at the kitchen table. 3 brushes and a magnet-I don't think you can get the chain any cleaner.