Chain / Powerlink Question

Gary Mishler

Is it OK to reuse a Powerlink when reassembling a chain, or
are you supposed to use a new one each time, like one bike
shop employee told a friend of mine?

Thanks, Mish

Arthur Harris

"Gary Mishler" wrote:

> Is it OK to reuse a Powerlink when reassembling a chain,
> or are you
supposed
> to use a new one each time, like one bike shop employee
> told a friend of mine?

The whole point of a Powerlink is to facilitate removing and
re-installing the chain for cleaning. You only need to
replace the Powerlink when you replace a worn chain.

Art Harris

S O R N I

Arthur Harris wrote:
> "Gary Mishler" wrote:
>
>> Is it OK to reuse a Powerlink when reassembling a chain,
>> or are you supposed to use a new one each time, like one
>> bike shop employee told a friend of mine?
>
> The whole point of a Powerlink is to facilitate removing
> and re-installing the chain for cleaning. You only need to
> replace the Powerlink when you replace a worn chain.

And FWIW, I've replaced a few 9-spd chains in last couple of
years, and just re-used the Quick-link (? SRAM) from the old
chain with no problems at all. I carry the new ones in case
of breakage.

Bill "will probably change this practice next time, but no
ill effects so far" S.

Gary Mishler

"Arthur Harris" <n2ah@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:XfTHc.2822$JW6.1558790@news4.srv.hcvlny.cv.net...
>

> The whole point of a Powerlink is to facilitate removing
> and re-installing the chain for cleaning. You only need to
> replace the Powerlink when you replace a worn chain.

Art,

Well that is what I thought, and what I've always done, but
this bike shop "guru" told a couple of my friends otherwise
so I thought I should check it out.

FWIW - I switched to a conex connector a couple of years ago
and have been very happy with them.

Thanks, Mish

Zog The Undenia

Gary Mishler wrote:

> Is it OK to reuse a Powerlink when reassembling a chain,
> or are you supposed to use a new one each time, like one
> bike shop employee told a friend of mine?
>
> Thanks, Mish
>
>
They are re-usable. The Taya version isn't.

John Forrest To

On Sat, 10 Jul 2004 17:44:42 GMT, "Gary Mishler"
<gmishlerSPAMNOT@mchsi.com> wrote:

>Well that is what I thought, and what I've always done, but
>this bike shop "guru" told a couple of my friends otherwise
>so I thought I should check it out.
>
>FWIW - I switched to a conex connector a couple of years
>ago and have been very happy with them.

Dont' just switch connectors -- switch shops too.

JT

Dan Daniel

On Sat, 10 Jul 2004 14:55:00 GMT, "S o r n i"
<sorni@bite-me.san.rr.com> wrote:

>
>And FWIW, I've replaced a few 9-spd chains in last couple
>of years, and just re-used the Quick-link (? SRAM) from the
>old chain with no problems at all. I carry the new ones in
>case of breakage.
>
>Bill "will probably change this practice next time, but no
>ill effects so far" S.
>

I do the opposite- install the new one with a new chain, and
carry the old one as a spare. I figure that there probably
is some wear on the pins of the powerlink, so why not just
start the whole chain off new. Then again, the wear is so
minimal it probably doesn't matter. I've put old ones on
newer chains and haven't noticed a thing.

Andrew Webster

"S o r n i" <sorni@bite-me.san.rr.com> wrote in message news:<8rTHc.26426$SO5.8889@twister.socal.rr.com>...
> Arthur Harris wrote:
> > "Gary Mishler" wrote:
> >
> >> Is it OK to reuse a Powerlink when reassembling a
> >> chain, or are you supposed to use a new one each time,
> >> like one bike shop employee told a friend of mine?
> >
> > The whole point of a Powerlink is to facilitate removing
> > and re-installing the chain for cleaning. You only need
> > to replace the Powerlink when you replace a worn chain.
>
> And FWIW, I've replaced a few 9-spd chains in last couple
> of years, and just re-used the Quick-link (? SRAM) from
> the old chain with no problems at all. I carry the new
> ones in case of breakage.
>
> Bill "will probably change this practice next time, but no
> ill effects so far" S.

I woulnd' reccomend this. I have used an old quick-link when
I lost half the new one fitting a new chain. The result was
noisy with poor shifting. Buying and fitting a new quick
link solved the problems straight away.

I use the new ones and carry the old ones in case of
breakage. This all seems logical as the quicklink must wear
like all the other links.

Andrew Webster

Werehatrack

On Sat, 10 Jul 2004 14:55:00 GMT, "S o r n i"
<sorni@bite-me.san.rr.com> wrote:

>And FWIW, I've replaced a few 9-spd chains in last couple
>of years, and just re-used the Quick-link (? SRAM) from the
>old chain with no problems at all. I carry the new ones in
>case of breakage.

If a new one is supplied with the chain, I use the new one
and keep the old ones as spares. I've also used an old one
from the pool a couple of times when fitting a new chain
that wasn't supplied with a quick-link, and have not had a
problem. (I inspect them with a 20X magnifier before I re-
use them, though.)

--
Typoes are a feature, not a bug. Some gardening required to
reply via email. Surrealism is a pectinated ranzel.

Werehatrack

On Sat, 10 Jul 2004 17:44:42 GMT, "Gary Mishler"
<gmishlerSPAMNOT@mchsi.com> wrote:

>"Arthur Harris" <n2ah@hotmail.com> wrote in message
>news:XfTHc.2822$JW6.1558790@news4.srv.hcvlny.cv.net...
>>
>
>> The whole point of a Powerlink is to facilitate removing
>> and re-installing the chain for cleaning. You only need
>> to replace the Powerlink when you replace a worn chain.
>
>Art,
>
>Well that is what I thought, and what I've always done, but
>this bike shop "guru" told a couple of my friends otherwise
>so I thought I should check it out.
>
>FWIW - I switched to a conex connector a couple of years
>ago and have been very happy with them.

That LBS may be selling those KMC one-use links that latch
together a little differently. Although they are sold as
being non-reusable, I've heard several people say that they
can still be unsnapped and re-used. I've got one in the
spares pouch, but I haven't tried it yet. The SRAM and
Wippermann links can definitely be re-used.
--
Typoes are a feature, not a bug. Some gardening required to
reply via email. Surrealism is a pectinated ranzel.

Qui Si Parla Ca

gmicher-<< Is it OK to reuse a Powerlink when reassembling a
chain, or are you supposed to use a new one each time, like
one bike shop employee told a friend of mine? >><BR><BR>

You should replace the link with the chain, as it wears like
the old chain. Use a chain with a snap link included. Sram,
Wipperman, etc.

Peter Chisholm Vecchio's Bicicletteria 1833 Pearl St.
Boulder, CO, 80302
(303)440-3535 http://www.vecchios.com "Ruote convenzionali
costruite eccezionalmente bene"

G.Daniels

sure, the link is reusable. save it. when cleaning the chain
in thinner fasten colored paper clips to each chain end with
the long side on thast linkmside, attach link then rerun
chain the same way it came off. this way the now cone shaped
rollers, darbs and weevils all beefistle in the same
direction as when they left. cool no? the link is visually
inspectable so inspect it when cleaning the chain. there's a
wear shape in there. i have a nice furniture red oak 1x6 to
lay the chain down on with a metric/english gibberish ruler
(woolmort seells a beaut)and then strecth the chain (think
cone shapes times 113)and measure the strech/wear. the chain
may stretch most at one end of the chain where half the
power link goes on. there seems to be some variability on
metals put into the power link not to knock the link but
that's the way it is post perfect freewheel carriers. i ran
a year and a half with wearing power links replacing one
link with another at 1700 miles or so into a 3000 pluis mile
chain. butbubut i haven't seen that for two years now.
replace it if possible but save the old one for the
inevitable day when the new is lost. actually because of the
cone wear, most mechanical devices need all the replaceable
bushings replaced at once to achieve max efficiency/lomgest
wear. this idea breaks down in a factory setting where
allowing things to wear completely out to the pint of
breakdown may be cost effective.

Rick Onanian

On Sat, 10 Jul 2004 17:44:42 GMT, "Gary Mishler"
<gmishlerSPAMNOT@mchsi.com> wrote:
>Well that is what I thought, and what I've always done, but
>this bike shop "guru" told a couple of my friends otherwise
>so I thought I should check it out.

Apart from regular wear, there are certain links sold as one-time-use-
only links, not intended for re-use. Maybe the "guru" was
thinking of those links -- or maybe he was thinking of his
cash register.
--
Rick Onanian