Cycling UK Forum

I fitted a new chain today - KMC B1 (says on the pack it's silver, but it looks like gold to me ). It came with a fixing link, unlike the previous Izumi chain this one didn't have a spring clip over the outside plate! The plate just looks like a regular one with 2 perfect (not shaped) round holes - the instructions are to put the plate in place and bend the chain until there is a 'snap'. This worked, and the plate 'snapped' into the grooves on the pins. Has anyone else used one like this..... what's the long-term experience, and can the joining link be reused?

they work reasonably well. They won't take countless reuses but I have reused them two or three times without any problems.

cheers

I reckon I've opened and closed some of mine a dozen times before the whole chain is retired (due to regular rotation of chains) and they still seem to close quite securely and have good spring to them.

I suppose if they saw more side loads like derailleur chains you might need to be more cautious?

I've used similar in the past, but I couldn't identify it again so wasn't able to reopen it.
Should have gone to Specsavers I here you say, but it looked like all the other normal links. Best to mark it in some way so you know where it is.

These B1 / S1 links are robust enough to survive the forces and strains of a fixed drive train A good design and reliable enough to withstand the reuse experience. Having said that I do retire them as 'spares' when the chain is worn out. I do find them easy to spot on the chain as the outer plate is on the large side, quite unlike a KMC X10 link which is harder to spot!

IIRC the removable side plate on the joining link has no 'waist' and is easy enough to spot for that reason.



cheers

Brucey wrote:IIRC the removable side plate on the joining link has no 'waist' and is easy enough to spot for that reason.



cheers

Yes, that's the one (it is on mine anyway). Also the pins are a little longer than the others

FWIW I have experimented with using the B1 style joining links to attach the chain to a chain whip. To my surprise these links don't withstand the higher loads encountered in chain whip use (when dismantling fixed gear sprockets and screw-on freewheels etc) without damage. At first it seemed just fine but after a few tough jobs I found that the joining link was likely to come undone by itself; the link appeared to lose its spring somehow. Several times I have had to retrieve the QL in pieces, off the floor.

Since on a chain whip, the joining link doesn't have to see a sprocket tooth, I might add something to that link (a rubber wedge with a zip tie or something...?) to help stop it from popping open.

cheers

I've been using these chains/links for ages and I've not had a single problem using them or reusing them.

When I first saw them I just didn't like them. I 'got' the idea and theory behind them but I couldn't see them working, or lasting well, in real world use. I was wrong, they work just fine.