Splitting powerlink, lubricating rear mech, dirty hands, etc

[rgc_911]

<ignore this post>

[rgc_911]

Yes, those links are difficult, to say the least! I didn't have too much trouble with 9sp, but the 10sp ones are a pain in the wotsit. Perseverance eventually works.

10 sp ones are fit once, 9 sp are re-usable. Connex ones are the best for removing by hand in my experience.

Only time I had a real problem was trying to use a 10 sp link on a 9 sp chain (doh!)

Latex/Vinyl gloves way better than Swarfega/Washing Up liquid etc (an ounce of prevention etc)

[Mick F]

10 sp ones are fit once, 9 sp are re-usable.

Nope, don't agree.

My KMC 10sp Missing Links have been used time and time again.
http://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/sp/road-t ... 0000000000

[rgc_911]

from http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Mode ... odelID=871
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Description
Every chain is only as strong as its weakest link - traditionally, the connecting link. In contrast, the PowerLink™ connection is just as strong and durable as every other link in the chain. It can be opened and closed as may times as you want without using any tools.

PowerLink means no weak links.

NB: One link comprises of the two halves and is sufficient to connect one chain.

IMPORTANT: 10SP Links are POWERLOCK, they fit together but then are not designed to come apart again.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Connex ones are fine though

[Mick F]

IMPORTANT: 10SP Links are POWERLOCK, they fit together but then are not designed to come apart again.

Well, I won't be buying any of them then!
What a waste of money!
The whole idea of this sort of link is so you can split the chain. If all you wanted to do was to join it, just use the system that is sold with the chain in the first place. Campag state that the chain should never be split, but if you buy a KMC Missing Link, splitting is easy as many times as you want.

I have found, however, that the links wear faster than the chains. They go a little slack width-wise and catch a bit on the rear mech and adjacent sprockets as they go through. I'm on my second links now on both my chains.

[spanner]

I always strip and clean rear mechs then rebuild them and they work perfect simplex mechs and huret rear mechs are a dream to strip clean and rebuild,
the ty 15 mechs have a horse shoe circlip under the plastic cap which releases the spring and inner and outer cages be careful as the spring is under tension remove the spring clean it on a wire brush on a bench grinde, seperate the inner and outer cages and clean the jockey wheels and put coppergrease on the bushes inside the jockey wheels and refit the spring remembering to pull it round to retension it and fit the horse shoe clip
job done
as for cleaning hands after a mucky job i use disposable gloves which i buy at auto jumble stalls at classic car shows where three boxes will cost £10 compared with £7.50 at a motor factors try and get the blue or purple ones that paramedics and nurses use these are thicker than the white ones and can be removed and put back on again alternatively use washing up liquid and soap powder and make a paste in your hands and rub in well rinse under the tap and rewash with washing up liquid and finish off with a bar of soap and hot water thats what i do as some jobs which are fiddly you have no option but to leave off the gloves.

[patricktaylor]

Many thanks for the replies and advice received. I sorted my powerlinks, although there does seem to be something wholesome about the Shimano system with just pins and normal sideplates.

[Ray]

if you buy a KMC Missing Link, splitting is easy as many times as you want.

For info -
Last week I bought a pack of 2 'own brand' 10-spd quick links from Decathlon for £2.95. On examination they are identical to the 'Missing Links' supplied with KMC 10-spd chains, right down to the KMC 10s imprint.

Wiggle list the KMC version at £8.99 (currently £7.67 with discount).

[fredkite]

Re Hand cleaning - be very wary of using things like washing powder, white spirit etc on the hands. They can cause very unpleasant reactions which take a long time to go. Latex gloves & - if needed - Swarfega works for me.

[gregoryoftours]

This is a very long time after the last post, but I am surprised that no one has mentioned using barrier cream before doing work on bikes. Once it's dried (a minute or two) you can't tell it's there. Dirt washes off much more easily afterwards, and your hands are much less affected by whatever you use to clean them with. I use swarfega barrier cream and then swarfega to wash after. Before I started to use barrier cream my hands would get very quickly dried and cracked from swarfega, but not since. A small dispenser refill pack of barrier cream - eg - http://www.qualitycycles4u.com/Swarfega ... n=products

is relatively cheap and lasts ages. By the way I don't sell this!

[CREPELLO]

This is a very long time after the last post, but I am surprised that no one has mentioned using barrier cream before doing work on bikes. Once it's dried (a minute or two) you can't tell it's there. Dirt washes off much more easily afterwards, and your hands are much less affected by whatever you use to clean them with. I use swarfega barrier cream and then swarfega to wash after. Before I started to use barrier cream my hands would get very quickly dried and cracked from swarfega, but not since. A small dispenser refill pack of barrier cream - eg - http://www.qualitycycles4u.com/Swarfega ... n=products

is relatively cheap and lasts ages. By the way I don't sell this!

Nice one. I've used vasaline but it's a bit slimy. Is this cream just a moisturising cream, or something different?

[byegad]

The special tool, Park which is expensive or a cheaper copy (I have both.), works every time. You need to nip the centre of the link as well as use te tool to squeeze down the length of the link.

If the link hasn't been on long it is just as easy by hand, so long as you nip across the link. Once there's a bit of grime in the link the tool is a lot easier.

I know a couple of recumbent riders who have snapped KMC chains so I stick to SRAM PC 951 with the gold link.

[philg]

but the 10sp ones are a pain in the wotsit. Perseverance eventually works.

That's because clicky

IMPORTANT: 10SP Links are POWERLOCK, they fit together but then are not designed to come apart again.

[harpo]

I seem to remember posting this on another related thread, but an alternative to the (bloody expensive) Park pliers are:
http://www.charliethebikemonger.com/qui ... -290-p.asp
...and these seem to have no problem with either SRAM or KMC links.

[gregoryoftours]

gregoryoftours wrote:
This is a very long time after the last post, but I am surprised that no one has mentioned using barrier cream before doing work on bikes. Once it's dried (a minute or two) you can't tell it's there. Dirt washes off much more easily afterwards, and your hands are much less affected by whatever you use to clean them with. I use swarfega barrier cream and then swarfega to wash after. Before I started to use barrier cream my hands would get very quickly dried and cracked from swarfega, but not since. A small dispenser refill pack of barrier cream - eg - http://www.qualitycycles4u.com/Swarfega ... n=products

is relatively cheap and lasts ages. By the way I don't sell this!

Nice one. I've used vasaline but it's a bit slimy. Is this cream just a moisturising cream, or something different?

I'm not sure really - barrier creams are marketed as different from moisturising cream but it certainly shares some properties. The stuff I use is slimy for a couple of minutes but if you carry on rubbing your hands together it dries out completely. Moisturising creams such as E45 seem to stay a bit oilier which is a bit of a pain to use with tools, and are probably more expensive by volume unless you are buying barrier cream in small tubes. Barrier cream does condition your hands as they don't get dried out half as much when washing with harsh cleaners after work.