KMC Missing Link - any good?

zoid

Hi,

I have a 2011 Campag Veloce groupset and to ease cleaning the chain was thinking about purchasing a KMC Missing Link kit http://www.wiggle.co.uk/kmc-10-speed-chain-links/

Anyone have any experience with them?

Thanks.

*AL*

I have one on each of my bikes.

Never had a problem with either and the missing mink can be parted with your bare hands for cleaning.

DHTT

Have Had Them On My Bike Had No Problems Very Easy To Remove For Cleaning And Then Put Back On, + The Half Link Is Good For When Oiling Each Separate Link Gives You A Distinct Place To Start And End.

ADIHEAD

Wouldn't use anything else

nferrar

Yeah better than the SRAM equivalent

rokkala

Yea they're good.

DHTT wrote:

Have Had Them On My Bike Had No Problems Very Easy To Remove For Cleaning And Then Put Back On, + The Half Link Is Good For When Oiling Each Separate Link Gives You A Distinct Place To Start And End.

Seriously?

Monst

On all new bikes, I've insisted on KMC chains and links - fab kit - and you can reuse the missing links many times.

zoid

Also will I need a specific link remover to undo the existing 10 speed campag chain?

giant_man

Threre's a certain knack to it

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lkqsv056mGk

jaffasnap

On all new bikes, I've insisted on KMC chains and links - fab kit - and you can reuse the missing links many times.

I was wondering about this myself, when fitting a new chain its ok to reuse my old KMC link as long as it looks in good nick?

CarlosDSanchez

It wears at the same rate as the rest of the chain so personally I wouldnt reuse one.

tri-sexual

yeah, really good, should be made an industry standard
most chain tools are ok with campag 10 speed (not 11 speed though)

bompington

DHTT wrote:

Have Had Them On My Bike Had No Problems Very Easy To Remove For Cleaning And Then Put Back On, + The Half Link Is Good For When Oiling Each Separate Link Gives You A Distinct Place To Start And End.

Is It Just Me Who Finds That It Really Starts To Hurt After A While Trying To Read This Kind Of Thing, It’s Like My Eyeballs Are Bouncing Up And Down At The Start Of Every Word, There's Definitely Something About Capital Letters That Just Breaks Up The Flow And Makes Things Incredibly Hard To Read?

TommyEss

Yes - It's Just You! :-P

Nah - very strange - but looks like a quirk of the input device - surely no-one would intentionally do that, would they?

Back on topic - I have the KMC in 10 and 9sp variants - both very good. Specifically asked for them over the SRAM Power Link as the 10sp one from SRAM cannot be re-joined - I wanted one to quickly remove the chain for travel.

First few times opening can be a faff, but you soon get used to it.

captain_tiara

Someone in the trade once told me KMC manufacture chains for other people under license. Could possibly be true. They seem to be very well made, split link works well & best of all they are cheap enough to be able to replace once or twice over the lifetime of a cassette.

I've never had a problem re-joining a SRAM split link. Might need a bit more wearing in, I've found getting the blighter apart the hardest bit when it's brand new [even resorting to long nose pliers], ok after a few times. Still on 9 sp though, so 10 could be different.

I've tried very chain on market over the years & nowadays always buy KMC. Better chain for your buck IMO.

TommyEss

Captain Tiara wrote:

I've never had a problem re-joining a SRAM split link. Might need a bit more wearing in, I've found getting the blighter apart the hardest bit when it's brand new [even resorting to long nose pliers], ok after a few times. Still on 9 sp though, so 10 could be different.

10spd SRAM is not removable - once it's on, it's on, unlike their 8 and 9spd offerings. 10spd from SRAM is a spare part to get you home only, not a quick means by which to remove the chain without tools.

garethld

i bought these which makes it even easier and less mucky to separate the master link http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/park-tool-ml ... prod15061/

DHTT

Sorry about that guys sometimes I just don't even notice I'm doing it, some how have ended up typing like that quite frequently. Back to the original subject KMC chains are great.

marcusjb

TommyEss wrote:

Captain Tiara wrote:

I've never had a problem re-joining a SRAM split link. Might need a bit more wearing in, I've found getting the blighter apart the hardest bit when it's brand new [even resorting to long nose pliers], ok after a few times. Still on 9 sp though, so 10 could be different.

10spd SRAM is not removable - once it's on, it's on, unlike their 8 and 9spd offerings. 10spd from SRAM is a spare part to get you home only, not a quick means by which to remove the chain without tools.

This is a really dumb move from SRAM in my opinion.

I've always used SRAM chains in the past because of the ability to quickly split and rejoin the chain for cleaning etc.

I ordered a SRAM PC1090 chain for the new bike (first time with 10-speed!) I am building up this winter and was very surprised to find out that the link wasn't removable etc. - I should have done my research better, but I just assumed that there would be a 10-speed powerlink as per 8 and 9.

So I ended up ordering KMC missing links to finish the chain off.

Do 10 speed KMC chains come with the Missing Link? If so, I guess my next chain for the 10-speed bike will be KMC through and through!

ChrisSA

+1 here. Came in very useful when upgrading a front mech.

jonmack

marcusjb wrote:

TommyEss wrote:

10spd SRAM is not removable - once it's on, it's on, unlike their 8 and 9spd offerings. 10spd from SRAM is a spare part to get you home only, not a quick means by which to remove the chain without tools.

This is a really dumb move from SRAM in my opinion.

I've always used SRAM chains in the past because of the ability to quickly split and rejoin the chain for cleaning etc.

I ordered a SRAM PC1090 chain for the new bike (first time with 10-speed!) I am building up this winter and was very surprised to find out that the link wasn't removable etc. - I should have done my research better, but I just assumed that there would be a 10-speed powerlink as per 8 and 9.

The reason it's not removable is because they couldn't create a removable link that they felt was strong enough, so instead they made a one use only split link.

However, I didn't know this, and spent about half an hour trying to remove it so I could replace it with a KMC link, wasn't until I googled it that I found out it couldn't be removed...

TommyEss

Re. strength - didn't Wipperman recently say they wouldn't release any 11 speed chains because they didn't feel they could meet their "high standards" regards strength?

RDB66

Heres a little tip for ya when removing a KMC M/Link.

Make yourself a Double Ended Hook about 2" long from a Metal Coathanger, easy to do with a pair of pliers.
Then hook the Chain together 2 Links either side of the Missing Link, sqeeze the link and pull apart, the chain will still hold together with the hooks. Takes all the force of the Spring on the Rear Mech.

Simples !!