Re usable quick links for 10/11 speed

[John U]

Back in the good old days of 9 speed I managed to use the same quick link across multiple chains. Never caused an issue.

Took me a while to get to 10 and 11 speed bikes. I find with these rigs all the quick links request that you bin them after every single use.
Do you follow this rule?
Has anyone found a reusable alternative?
If so does the reusable alternative run trouble free?
If trouble free please supply the dirt.

 

[rangersac]

I reuse SRAM links all the time without major drama even thought they say otherwise. Wipperman are probably the best and easiest to open but are the hardest to get your mits on and the most pricey.

 

[ctguru]

ditto no uses reusing, I have had one where the pin fell out and just binned it

 

[moorey]

I reuse the quick links many times. Never had an issue. Haven’t used a pin in a looooooong time, and never will.

 

[creaky]

I remove and reuse them on the same chain but always use a new quick link with a new chain.

I assume that the quick link pins wear at a similar rate to the chain so when the chain is stuffed, so is the quick link.

 

[Oddjob]

I've reused wipperman ones many many times with no problem.

Sent from my SM-G900I using Tapatalk

 

[Flow-Rider]

I use the Sram ones but replace them with every new chain and never had an issue. I roughly take the chain off about 4 times in its life span and reuse the quick link.

 

[teK--]

I've reused the KMC ones 3-4 times no problem. But I do replace it after 4 times just to be safe. As long as the link engages with a positive click I'm not concerned.

 

[Flow-Rider]

I've reused the KMC ones 3-4 times no problem. But I do replace it after 4 times just to be safe. As long as the link engages with a positive click I'm not concerned.

I have re used a few of those too.

 

[Halo1]

I Re use them on the same chain but I replace them on a new chain for my bike and keep them as spares or use them on the kids bikes. The kids tend to cry when they see a big hill rather than climb it so I guess it is safe for now.

 

[link1896]

All of my chains get removed after roughly two rides.

Mixture of SRAM and kmc chains and SRAM and kmc quick links. All 11 speed.

I do recall someone once saying the single use only statement were a means to avoid violating someone's patent.

I've hundreds of open and close cycles on my link. Most no longer click or pop. Never a drama

 

[Flow-Rider]

Carry a spare link and a chain breaker makes worrying about it null and void.

 

[creaky]

Carry a spare link and a chain breaker makes worrying about it null and void.

Unless you smash your face into the ground if the link snaps while you are standing up climbing ...

 

[Freediver]

I've reused Sram, KMC and Sunrace ones many times. My LBS has the Sunrace ones for a couple of dollars so there is no need to reuse them a lot of times. When I ride in heavy mud the chain comes of for a proper clean. I'd probably use them about 1/2 dozen times before they don't feel as tight.

 

[moorey]

Unless you smash your face into the ground if the link snaps while you are standing up climbing ...

Yep. Seen many many chain fails over the years.....never one at the quicklink.
You couldn’t pay me enough to ride a bike that had had a pin put in the chain.

 

[tasty.dirt74]

I have used KMC, wipperman, SRAM and have reused them all. I have not had a issue with them. Generally throw them out once they are easy to undo. Always put a fresh one on a new chain. Tried to use a ten speed with a 11 speed chain and it would not click into the locked position. Its as if they are different widths ??

 

[The Duckmeister]

Yep. Seen many many chain fails over the years.....never one at the quicklink.
You couldn’t pay me enough to ride a bike that had had a pin put in the chain.

I on the other hand have seen several popped quick links over the years. and while I've also seen the odd popped pin, it's been because the knucklehead belonging to the bike has tried to reuse a pin that's not supposed to be reused.

The other thing against quick links is that they wear faster than the rest of the chain. Many, many times I've had customers complaining of noisy & rough gears, and after much investigation, a close look has revealed that the joining link has become sufficiently longer than the other links to not mesh properly on the sprockets. Not only do the pins wear from the adjoining links & rollers, as does every other link in the chain, the less secure fit of the pins in the slots also increases wear. Opening the links further wears the slots, reducing the security of the join as well as exacerbating normal wear through that reduced pin security.

Because of this wear, links should absolutely never be used beyond the life of the chain they're originally fitted to, and there's decent grounds for replacing the link before the chain is done.

I may not be much of a pinner on the bike, but I'm absolutely a pinner when it comes to chains, and I've never had a pin let me down.

 

[Flow-Rider]

Unless you smash your face into the ground if the link snaps while you are standing up climbing ...

Yep. Seen many many chain fails over the years.....never one at the quicklink.
You couldn’t pay me enough to ride a bike that had had a pin put in the chain.

In the last 8 years I can remember 5 chains breaking.

One of mine that the Shimano joiner pin half fell out, another of a friend's brand new Shimano chain at a race start, the joiner pin fell out again, another one from a bloke that had a really worn chain and it snapped a pin, another from a mate that split a link after he hit one of those grass trees and a bloke that I rode with had a brand new KMC chain split a side link away from the pin for an unknown reason.

I've used a lot of Shimano joiner pins since my first breakage and slightly peen the ends over with 2 ball peen hammers. No more issues other than it can take a bit to loosen the pin join so that it turns freely.

 

[creaky]

as long as I can remember I’ve used Shimano joining pins on road bikes and quick links (connex, sram, kmc) on mtbs. Never had a drama with them. The joining pins are clearly more susceptible to poor installation than a quick link it.

 

[Flow-Rider]

as long as I can remember I’ve used Shimano joining pins on road bikes and quick links (connex, sram, kmc) on mtbs. Never had a drama with them. The joining pins are clearly more susceptible to poor installation than a quick link it.

There's a reason why chain pins a riveted and not a press fit. Those joiner pins aren't a positive secure way to join a chain, it's just an economical way of joining a chain.