Sram Chain Question
 

I just ordereda new Sram PC 1071 chain for our Co-Motion Speester tandem. It is a 10 speed chain. I have a Sram on an older "vintage" Schwinn Super Le Tour with a 6 seed cassette. This chain comes apart very easily. I have heard that a 10 speed chain will need a tool to disassemble. Is this correct?
Thanks

Well SRAM 10 speed chains come with a "powerLOCK" rather then a "powerLINK" on 9 speed and lower chains. LOCKs are designed to be non-removable whereas LINKS are easily removed. I have removed a powerLOCK before using channel lock pliers before, it is not easy. What I do now is I keep a few KMC quick links (tend to run 3$ each )and use those in place of the provided quick links (powerlock links) that come with the chain.

Simpleest route: Spend 3$ at your LBS for a KMC quick link, and never look back

(Also I swear by KMC chains rather then SRAM chains despite me running 2 SRAM bikes, they wear a little too quickly for my liking, KMC tends to last a good long while, cost a little less and have fancy colors, plus each chain comes with a KMC quick link.)

This is the biggest reason I now use KMC chains. KMC master links on their 10-spd chains can be disassembled with fingers in a few seconds, much like the 9-spd (and below) SRAM PowerLINKS. So far, I have > 2000 miles on a KMC X10SL and cannot any appreciable elongation with my machinst's rule. I never got such performance from SRAM 10-spd chains.

I've used SRAM chains for ~11,000 miles on my road bike, and for ~7 years on my mountain bike.

SRAM's 10-spd chain is claimed to be one-time use (although many say they've reused them without problem).

The Power Lock is indeed intended to be removed, but it's not intended to be re-used (although a lot of people say they do re-use it). The Power Link is intended to be removed and reused, just like the KMC link.

Long ago I bought a Park link removal tool because I just found it easier to use for both the Sram Power LINK (reusable) and the KMC link. It can also make removal of the Power LOCK easy. I agree, just replace the power LOCK with a re-usable KMC link.... but get the link tool anyway, makes life easier and only costs about $10

+1. Usually I use my hands, but the tool sure is a nice luxury for those stubborn moments when you'd otherwise be wanting to rip your hair out. It's also handy if you ever find yourself working on a BMX bike.

Thanks for the feed back. I checked with my LBS and none have the KMC links on the self right now. One shop has some PowerLock links which I will bu . I just want to have something just in case. Next time I order from Universal I will add some KMC links to the order.
Thanks

SRAM 10 sp links snap together. Don't know why SRAM thinks this is necessary (sell more links?) but no matter, I reuse a link for the life a chain, which usually entails 4-6 removals. I keep an old used link on my bike as a spare. I was able to operate the links without the Park tool, but the park tool makes it a lot easier and less likely to ham-fistedly damage the link.

I'm not sure it's a mechanical issue with these 10-speed links. I've read, but can't verify, that SRAM had patent issues with the design and can't, for legal reasons, advertise them as reusable. I don't know if trhat is correct but your and many others experience successfully reusing them indicates there is no real mechanical problem.

You can remove them pretty easily with pliers, you just fold the chain over itself and put the pliers, one on each side of the link and squeeze. Not something that can be done roadside as most people don't bring pliers put something easily done at home for cleanings.

One of the big benefits of the PowerLock links is that they are highly resistant to coming apart in operation, a problem I've had repeatedly with SRAM's non-locking PowerLinks, as well as KMC's and Wipperman's. Other than PowerLock, the only other master link to survive the mechBgon torture test :D without failing was Shimano's now-discontinued Dura-Ace 7900 master link.

Hmmm, your torture test must be pretty severe! I've used several Wippermann chains with the Connex links and even a Shimano chain with the Connex link for tens of thousands of miles and NEVER had one give the slightest problem. My only SRAMchain was an 8-speed used on my rain bike which wore out pretty fast due to abuse but the PowerLink never failed.

Former state road-racing champion, I have some wattage to throw around (as does the OP, being a tandem user), and tend to accelerate aggressively when coming off the line from a stoplight, too (hence the Cheetah avatar). However, some of the failures have been seemingly random, not just shifting under high power.

I'm old and weak and have had two Sram 9 speed links come apart. Both happened quite a while after I put them on (~200 miles) do I really don't think I installed them wrong (I mean, they really are fool proof, no?) and both were at fairly low wattage. For one thing, I don't have no wattage and second, it was on the flats just pedaling.

The only thing I can figure out is that I used to not keep track of the links and probably used them on multiple chains and therefore maybe usd them past their useful life. Nobody else I ride with has ever had the problem. I now just keep track of the links, match them with a chain and just toss them when I toss the chain.

Yep, I consider the link's life is up when it's matching chain is discarded and it gets retired too. I do keep a used link matching the chain width in the tool roll on each bike for emergency road-side repairs but they are just for get-home use.