SRAM powerlink question

Bob said:

How do I undo the SRAM powerlink ? (Oh, sure it seems obvious
to you but I haven't got a clue :-)

You're gonna get your thumbs dirty! Press on opposite ends of the link
while at the same time "pulling" the plates together. It usually takes me a
little time to sort of grind out the grunge in there, and then it's obvious
how it works.

Play around with it a little; you'll get it.

BS (no, really)

Bill Sornson said:

Bob said:

How do I undo the SRAM powerlink ? (Oh, sure it seems obvious
to you but I haven't got a clue :-)

You're gonna get your thumbs dirty! Press on opposite ends of the link
while at the same time "pulling" the plates together. It usually takes me a
little time to sort of grind out the grunge in there, and then it's obvious
how it works.

Play around with it a little; you'll get it.

BS (no, really)

Do you mean "pull" like when you free up a sticky link after
re-riviting a chain?

Bill Sornson said:

Bob said:

How do I undo the SRAM powerlink ? (Oh, sure it seems obvious
to you but I haven't got a clue :-)

You're gonna get your thumbs dirty! Press on opposite ends of the link
while at the same time "pulling" the plates together. It usually takes me a
little time to sort of grind out the grunge in there, and then it's obvious
how it works.

Play around with it a little; you'll get it.

BS (no, really)

I agree with Bill, but I think that everyone visualizes this in a
slightly different fashion. Here's my "vision":

1. Get the chain on the small chainring and the small sprocket - so
you have the easiest slack situation to deal with.
2. Fold the chain so it makes a "U" - with only the powerlink at the
apex.
Yup, your hands get grungy at this point.
3. I do this with my left hand, as I am right handed (you'll see why
in a second).
4. With your left hand(still isolating the powerlink in a "U" shape),
take your thumb and index finger and squeeze the two side plates of the
powerlink together (i.e. push the two large flat surfaces towards the
center of the chainline) and hold.
5. Now, while looking top-down on the rectangle that the powerlink
makes, take your right thumb and index finger and push two diagonally
opposite corners towards each other.
6. And, voila!, the links should magically slide towards each other.

7. Now, pull the two slide plates apart.

I hope that's not too overstated and confusing. Once you do it a
couple of times you'll wonder why you ever asked. But, then you'll
wonder why anyone would ever not use this type of system. And, then
you will have your own version of how to perform this motion.
Wonderful ;-)

-- spin

Bob said:

Bill Sornson said:

Bob said:

How do I undo the SRAM powerlink ? (Oh, sure it seems obvious
to you but I haven't got a clue :-)

You're gonna get your thumbs dirty! Press on opposite ends of the
link while at the same time "pulling" the plates together. It
usually takes me a little time to sort of grind out the grunge in
there, and then it's obvious how it works.

Play around with it a little; you'll get it.

BS (no, really)

Do you mean "pull" like when you free up a sticky link after
re-riviting a chain?

Well, in that sense it's more "push" I guess. Press your thumbs /inwards/
while at the same time squeezing the QL.

Hell, wait a second...

"The powerlink is very easy to use; just squeeze the sideplates toward each
other, then push the ends of the chain toward each other. This removes the
opposing tension which holds the link in place and the link pops right out
with the flick of a finger." -- some MTBR person

A trick I use is to ziptie the derailleur cage to the chain stay, taking out
all tension so it's easier to manipulate the chain.

Keep trying!

Bob said:

How do I undo the SRAM powerlink ? (Oh, sure it seems obvious
to you but I haven't got a clue :-)

Thanks

The others are good suggestions, the only thing I'd add is that it is easier if you remove the rear wheel so there's no tension on the chain.

Steve S.

simply derail chain carefully off the small ring onto the bottom
bracket shell. Then push both sides together at the link. It will
almost fall apart by itself with no tension on it.

Per Bill Sornson:

Quoted message said:

Play around with it a little; you'll get it.

I agree. Thought it was a real PITA until I got a feel for it. Now they just
come right apart.
--
PeteCresswell

In article <[email hidden]>, [email hidden]
says...

Quoted message said:

How do I undo the SRAM powerlink ? (Oh, sure it seems obvious
to you but I haven't got a clue :-)

First, clean the link. Dirty links are difficult to remove. Then squeeze the
side plates together. While holding them together, slide the sideplates. and
pull them apart.
---------------
Alex

Alex Rodriguez said:

In article <[email hidden]>, [email hidden]
says...

Quoted message said:

How do I undo the SRAM powerlink ? (Oh, sure it seems obvious
to you but I haven't got a clue :-)

First, clean the link. Dirty links are difficult to remove.

Yup, that's the ticket, if the chain is gritty. Flush with (gasp!)
WD-40 or another solvent of your choice, and things work much better.

If the chain is not ridden in muck, probably this step is not needed.

Mark

Steve Shapiro said:

Bob said:

How do I undo the SRAM powerlink ? (Oh, sure it seems obvious
to you but I haven't got a clue :-)

Thanks

The others are good suggestions, the only thing I'd add is that it is
easier if you remove the rear wheel so there's no tension on the chain.

Or make a hook out of an old spoke like this

http://home.planet.nl/~holtm072/plaatjes/snelschakel.jpg

Lou
--
Posted by news://news.nb.nu

You'll see a lot of advice telling you to push the ends toward each
other and it will just pop open. My experience is that the chain
never wants to cooperate. I have found that the surest way to release
the thing EVERY time is use a pair of long nosed pliers opened so one
jaw is on the edge of the link and the other is on the pin. A little
squeeze will release the link very quickly. Try it, you'll see.

Quoted message said:

You'll see a lot of advice telling you to push the ends toward each
other and it will just pop open. My experience is that the chain
never wants to cooperate.

You can push the two ends in two different ways. One way will work, the
other will not.

Using your fingers, you *mush* push on the side plates. If you look at the
link from above, with your left hand you can either push against the outside
plate or against the inside plate (same and inverted for your right hand).
If you imagine the effect of the applied force in the two cases, you will
see that one of the two is completetly useless while the other way will
indeed open the link. You must push on the side plate without the enlarged
hole. If instead you push on the plate with the enlarged hole, you can apply
as much strenght as you want and the pins won't move (they will try to
move on the wrong side). Take a clean, standalone quicklink and try the two
ways, you'll see what I mean.

Using the pliers, you have only one (correct) way to apply the force needed
to open the link.

Ciao,
--
Roberto Divia` Love at first sight is one of the greatest
Dep:PH Bat:53 Mailbox:C02110 labour-saving devices the world has ever seen
Route de Meyrin 385 ---------------------------------------------
Case Postale Phone: +41-22-767-4994
CH-1211 Geneve 23 CERN Fax: +41-22-767-9585
Switzerland E-Mail: [email hidden]

Quoted message said:

A trick I use is to ziptie the derailleur cage to the chain stay, taking out
all tension so it's easier to manipulate the chain.

I made a reusable tool out of a coathanger. I cut a six inch long
straight piece and bent the ends into slightly more than 90 degree
hooks. After shifting to the smallest cog and chainring, I pull a
short loop of chain centering on the PowerLink and then use the wire
hooked through the chain on either side of the loop to hold it slack.
Makes it very easy to concentrate on opening the link without worrying
about where the chain is going to slip once the link is open.
Likewise, when reassembling it holds things together while you focus on
closing the link. There's no tension on the link until you remove the
wire.

Pat Clancy

....Just another old-school option: Take a short piece of stiff wire,
bend larger than link-sized hooks on each end & hook the chain either
side of the powerlink. This is an old method for pinning yer' chain
iffin' ya' don't have th' cool power-link setup. I believe Topeak makes
a portable chaintool w/a hook attached? (like you need that info. for
your powerlink!)

j-alien

Steve Shapiro said:

Bob said:

How do I undo the SRAM powerlink ? (Oh, sure it seems obvious
to you but I haven't got a clue :-)

Thanks

The others are good suggestions, the only thing I'd add is that it is
easier if you remove the rear wheel so there's no tension on the chain.

Steve S.

Huh?

Just shift the chain to big front and small rear. Rotate the
chainwheel crank so the pedal is nearest the derailleur. Now ust lift
the chain off the big ring. You'll have lots of loose chain hanging
there to work with.

Geezer Boy

Quoted message said:

You'll see a lot of advice telling you to push the ends toward each
other and it will just pop open. My experience is that the chain
never wants to cooperate.

For me it often doesn't. Often, yes, using the "U" squeeze method.

Quoted message said:

I have found that the surest way to release
the thing EVERY time is use a pair of long nosed pliers opened so one
jaw is on the edge of the link and the other is on the pin. A little
squeeze will release the link very quickly. Try it, you'll see.

This method works every time without fail. I keep a small pair of
these pliers in my tool bag.

G.B.

Quoted message said:

You'll see a lot of advice telling you to push the ends toward each
other and it will just pop open. My experience is that the chain
never wants to cooperate.

I agree. If the chain is dirty -- as it usually is when you want to take
it off -- the power link will be very hard to open. I can't imagine ever
doing it on the roadside, where patience would be very limited and the
connector would be very hard to clean off.

-Mike

Quoted message said:

I made a reusable tool out of a coathanger. I cut a six inch long
straight piece and bent the ends into slightly more than 90 degree
hooks. After shifting to the smallest cog and chainring, I pull a
short loop of chain centering on the PowerLink and then use the wire
hooked through the chain on either side of the loop to hold it slack.
Makes it very easy to concentrate on opening the link without worrying
about where the chain is going to slip once the link is open.
Likewise, when reassembling it holds things together while you focus on
closing the link. There's no tension on the link until you remove the
wire.

Many topeak and other brand multitools come with a commercial version of
that tool attached somewhere hidden.

Jasper

Bob said:

How do I undo the SRAM powerlink ? (Oh, sure it seems obvious
to you but I haven't got a clue :-)

Use needlenose pliers to shove the two rollers toward each other.
There are other methods as well.
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