i've got an almost-new kmc i've got to lengthen. can i add sram chain to it without any problems? also, could i use the sram powerlinks to connect the sram chain to the kmc chain? thanks a lot, much appreciate the help, jeff

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When it comes to the powerlink or another connector link, it's "should" not "could." Don't try to connect the chain with a pin (whether to connect the same or a different brand).

If you use a connector link that's compatible with both brands, I guess you should be able to use one to connect both.

What "speed" chain is it?

You might be in a situation where the cost of the power links might be a good portion of a new chain with a power link???

Yeah, it'll probably work fine, and probably shift fine. You might get a little noisiness, but as long as the 'speeds' of all the parts are the same, it'll likely be good enough. Not perfect, but good enough. I'm sure someone will get on here and whine that it'll asplode.

I've been working on bikes over 40 years! I think it's OK if you use new pins appropriate to the outer plates being joined or use quick links.

I've been working on bikes for 44 years. I have no idea.

Decades of experience would hold (more) weight if it included doing this with nothing bad happening. Who cares how long someone's NOT been doing it?

Not me.

I worked on my first bike about 55 years ago.
Does that mean I've been working on bikes for 55 years?

Only here on BF.

I've been working on my bike a handful of months. So I may not be the guru of advice but common sense tells me not to mix and match, especially something like your chain. Besides, if it doesn't fit just go get a new one for christ sakes.

I've mixed 1/8" chains when I had a fixed conversion and the new chain I bought wasn't long enough. I've only done it a couple times and it worked great both times. That doesn't mean it'll work for you, but that's my experience. I just assumed that if they had the same inside width, they would be fine together.
I could only see it being a problem if the outside widths were different and the chain got hung up on the derailleur during shifting. I only see that possibly happening if you're mixing a 9 speed with another 3/32" though.

Can anyone offer a reason it wouldn't work?

I've mixed chain brands before. Nothing bad happened.

I have done it many times, and I haven't ever had a problem. Though this could also be because most of the bikes I did it to probably bit the dust long before the chain did (Based on how I see people ride bikes these days)

So why would a masterlink NOT work? I could imagine it being a bit too loose, which'll eventually destroy the link, but I seem to see chains go long before that.

On that same note, re-using masterlinks between old and new chains.... Yeah.

People, you can't mix 'rejoin' chains in this fashion. Any 6/7/8/9/10 speed chain that is sold today, the rivets are peened. If it's not a shimano chain, 10/11 speed campy you CANNOT add links to it. Connecting pins for sram chains do not exist. They use powerlocks.

Doing so risks chain failure. Same reason you can't push a pin most of the way out to reuse it. The chain fails under shifting or drive load!

It CAN be done, I did it to bodge together a chain for my commuter. Most of it is KMC, bits of it are SRAM, and to make things even weirder, it has three 3/32" half-links in it. It shifts between my two rear sprockets just fine, although I'm not sure the half-links would play terribly nicely with a full cassette/freewheel.

It's been on the bike about 4 months, and hasn't shown any signs of trouble yet.