More than one quick link in a chain - possible?

Yossie
Yossie Posts: 2,600
edited May 2012 in Workshop
Morning All

Is there a limit to the amount of quick links that you can use in a chain - a friend has given me a chain (used for less than 30 miles) that the shop cut down far too short for his bike. Its far too short for my bike, but I was thinking about quick linking a section of spare new chain that I have kicking around to make it long enough to use - this would obviously involve 2 quick links.

Will this be ok or am I looking for trouble?

Thankyou very much

Y

Comments

  • smidsy
    smidsy Posts: 5,273
    Not in theory although the more you have the greater the chance of an issue I suppose.

    I know several people with 2 in without any trouble.
    Yellow is the new Black.
  • rolf_f
    rolf_f Posts: 16,015
    A chain is only as strong as its weakest link. On that basis, it makes no difference how many quick links you have in the chain. If you have no quick links or a chain made entirely of quick links, the strength will be either that of the quick link or the standard link.

    If I didn't trust two, I wouldn't trust one.
    Faster than a tent.......
  • sungod
    sungod Posts: 17,411
    ^^^this
    my bike - faster than god's and twice as shiny
  • slowbike
    slowbike Posts: 8,498
    But why use another quick link ? Why not just a normal link?

    Surely the benefit of the quick link is that you can undo it quickly - therefore only 1 required in the chain ...

    But unless there is a marked difference in material/design then I see no reason why you can't have a chain made up of quick links ...
  • keef66
    keef66 Posts: 13,123
    For 10 speed transmission I suspect cost may be the main barrier to making up a chain from quicklinks. IIRC the 10 speed ones are £8 a pair, so for a 116 link chain that would be £464, plus the initial cost of the chain you'd need to cannibalise to get the inner links / rollers
  • rpd_steve
    rpd_steve Posts: 361
    Dam! I thought that 2 or 3 links was enough... keef66 have you made a chain from quick links like this:

    http://sheldonbrown.com/chainclean.html
  • keef66
    keef66 Posts: 13,123
    Now that's just silly! :D
  • smidsy
    smidsy Posts: 5,273
    Slowbike wrote:
    But why use another quick link ? Why not just a normal link?

    Surely the benefit of the quick link is that you can undo it quickly - therefore only 1 required in the chain ...

    Some people want to chain cassettes for different riding and that can leave the chain too short.

    Having a small section of extra chain with a quick link either end means you can lengthen or shorten the chain to suit.
    Yellow is the new Black.
  • Yossie
    Yossie Posts: 2,600
    Cool - thankyou very much.

    I was only going to use 2 quick links so that I could incorporate the new length of chain to the "old" chain easily - one on each end.

    Will have a play and see whats what - thankyou again for the answers though.
  • John.T
    John.T Posts: 3,698
    But why use another quick link ? Why not just a normal link?
    It is not safe to join a 9 or 10sp chain with anything other than a quick link or a joining pin. The original pins are riveted over and this breaks off on removal. Nothing wrong with using 2 quick links.
    My Fleet.
  • andy_wrx
    andy_wrx Posts: 3,396
    I had a chain with two quick links.
    Coming back home from a trip to the Alps, I was breaking the bike down to put in the bike bag for the flight. I wanted to take the rear mech off so the baggage manglers wouldn't break it off and I was going to remove the chain and put it in a polythene bag so I didn't get oily chain everywhere in the bag.
    Couldn't get the damn quick link open and time getting short for the flight...so broke the chain at another pin and fitted another quick link when I got home, ran with two for months until I ended-up replacing the chain in usual way when it got to the wear stage on the chain-checker.

    I suppose if you kept all the offcut links from when you shorten a chain when you fit a new one, plus the old quick links from the chains you replaced, then after about a dozen chains you could join all the offcuts together and make yourself a 'free' chain 8)
  • JamesB
    JamesB Posts: 1,184
    yes works fine, have had about 800 miles use and no issues :) ,

    viewtopic.php?f=40004&t=12843942&p=17521422#p17521422
  • pete.whelan
    pete.whelan Posts: 788
    I have 3 quick links in the chain on the recumbent (it does need a chain with about 280 links in it)
    Recipe: shave legs sparingly, rub in embrocation and drizzle with freshly squeezed baby oil.
  • DrKJM
    DrKJM Posts: 271
    John.T wrote:
    But why use another quick link ? Why not just a normal link?
    It is not safe to join a 9 or 10sp chain with anything other than a quick link or a joining pin. The original pins are riveted over and this breaks off on removal. Nothing wrong with using 2 quick links.
    I didn't know his. I took a nine speed chain off at the weekend and took out one link, rejoined, then took another as it was still a bit too long. That's probaly two rejoined sites. Are these not safe. Should I bin the chain and start again? I've ridden 80 miles since without obvious problems.
  • John.T
    John.T Posts: 3,698
    DrKJM wrote:
    John.T wrote:
    But why use another quick link ? Why not just a normal link?
    It is not safe to join a 9 or 10sp chain with anything other than a quick link or a joining pin. The original pins are riveted over and this breaks off on removal. Nothing wrong with using 2 quick links.
    I didn't know his. I took a nine speed chain off at the weekend and took out one link, rejoined, then took another as it was still a bit too long. That's probaly two rejoined sites. Are these not safe. Should I bin the chain and start again? I've ridden 80 miles since without obvious problems.
    You may get away with it on a 9sp chain if you have taken care to make sure the pin is right through both plates. The join will not be as strong as a new one. You can not do this with 10sp as the pins are too short.
    My Fleet.

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