How do you undo a KMC link

[Crackle]

What's the technique and are you supposed to be able to do them with your fingers in the event of a chain incident.

Also, good chains for 7 speed mtn bike which won't keep snapping. This Shimano one I have is only a few hundred miles old and has snapped twice. First time I thought it was my fault and it had snapped where I joined it, hence the KMC link but this time it's snapped near the link but not where I joined it.

Must be my run of bad luck time, last time I was out I lost a jockey wheel. I contemplated turning the bike into a SS but didn't as the car wasn't far but now wish I had as then I'd have known I took the chain tool out my repair kit. Today's walk was, grumble, grumble, further.

 

[yello]

I find pushing the plates of a KMC link together before attempting to slide it open is the key. Pretend you're squeezing a spot!

Some links are not so obliging. We had to remove a clubmate's chain on the road a couple of weeks back, and none of the assembled technical minds could get the link off no matter what we tried. We ended up breaking the chain with a chain tool.

As to 'best chain', pays your money etc. I use KMC chains (because they are cheaper than Campag or Shim) and they've been find for me.

 

[HLaB]

There should have been a wee instruction leaflet that came with the link. You are supposed to squeeze the two sides together and then slide them in opposite directions. Sounds simple but in practice I've not found it so but other times it is!

I've never had a problem with my SRAM or KMC chains bursting but I don't mtb; I avoid Shimano but that is only because I'm being lazy and KMC/Sramm chains are easier to fit.

 

[John the Monkey]

The KMC links are somewhat easier to do if you use some sort of doohickey to take the tension out of the chain. A length of used spoke with a "hook" bent in each end, and then those hooks secured either side of the link works for me.

As others have said, squeeze & slide, although it's less easy on a gunky chain.

I like KMC chains personally - their 9 speed ones are my preferred choice for my bikes, Mrs Monkey's bike, and my neighbour's pub bike (which I fixed up for him) run their 7/8 speed "rust buster" chain.

 

[andy_wrx]

Release tension on the chain - drop it off the chainring onto the bottom bracket so the mech spring isn't pulling it tight.

Waggle everything about around he link, squeeze the two plates of the link together, make sure everything's loose and no grit sticking in there.

Then squeeze the plates together with finger and thumb of one hand, whilst holding one side of chain between little&third fingers and palm of that hand, hold other side of chain in other hand, and push together.

Usually not a problem but, similarly to yello, there was one link I just couldn't get apart when wanting to remove the chain to bag the bike up when flying home from holiday. After 10 mins waggling and fiddling I gave up, broke another link with chaintool further along the chain, now have two joining links.


I've used SRAM PCwhatever and KMC X8 quite happily on my 7sp MTB.
The Shimano joining pin is a pain in the @rse and potential source of failure if not applied right in my opinion, far easier to use a joining link type thing from KMC or SRAM.
I also recently bought a couple of Mavic 10sp chains cos they were cheap at CRC and people were recommending them on timetriallingforum. Not fitted yet but they also have a joining link - apparently they're Mavic-branded but made by Wippermann

 

[Crackle]

I wiggled and squeezed, even tried some long nose pliers, followed your instructions carefully Andy but like you and Yello's experience, it wouldn't come free and I've ended up joining it with the chain tool as I can't put my hands on the spare KMC link I have.

I may well get a KMC next, I think I'll give this another go first, it can't possibly part again. My running theory is I damaged a link last weekend when the jockey wheel went AWOL.

 

[zacklaws]

They come apart quite easy, trouble is its like riding a bike, one day you do not know why you can not ride one, then when you learn, you cannot understand why you could not ride a bike in the first place.

The knack is to get a pair of plumbers pliers, you put one jaw on the end of the link and one on the rivet at the opposite end of the link, gently squeeze, and it all comes apart. For some unknown reason its harder to do with an ordinary pair of pliers but you can do it with them

I used to have major problems parting them and asked in my LBS how to do it and that was the method they gave me. One day before I learnt how to do it I jiggled the link apart for ages and it just fell apart all of a sudden, I thought that was easy and like a fool reconnected it to see if I could do it again, it was 10 minutes before it came apart again

 

[PpPete]

Pushing the two halves of the link never seems to work for me, until after I've waggled it from side to side.
KMC seem slightly easier than SRAM IME

 

[Crackle]

They come apart quite easy, trouble is its like riding a bike, one day you do not know why you can not ride one, then when you learn, you cannot understand why you could not ride a bike in the first place.

The knack is to get a pair of plumbers pliers, you put one jaw on the end of the link and one on the rivet at the opposite end of the link, gently squeeze, and it all comes apart. For some unknown reason its harder to do with an ordinary pair of pliers but you can do it with them

I used to have major problems parting them and asked in my LBS how to do it and that was the method they gave me. One day before I learnt how to do it I jiggled the link apart for ages and it just fell apart all of a sudden, I thought that was easy and like a fool reconnected it to see if I could do it again, it was 10 minutes before it came apart again

I suspect you're right about the technique, though I'm unlikely to have two pair of pliers with me at the side of the road. I'm wondering if the fact it's a KMC link on a Shimano chain makes any difference.

 

[HLaB]

I wiggled and squeezed, even tried some long nose pliers, followed your instructions carefully Andy but like you and Yello's experience, it wouldn't come free and I've ended up joining it with the chain tool as I can't put my hands on the spare KMC link I have.

I've found similar in the past gave up and went away for a while, came back and hey presto

 

[buddha]

The last time I had a problem trying to undo a link (frozen fingers) I did the following:
I looped a shoelace over both rollers, tied one end to the BB, and pulled the other end of the lace to pull the rollers together while squeezing the plates of the link together with my other hand.
Surprisingly it worked!

 

[Crackle]

I've found similar in the past gave up and went away for a while, came back and hey presto

I need to use it in the morning, so that gives you plenty of time to get down and give it a wiggle, just watch the fuel protest go slow on the M56

The last time I had a problem trying to undo a link (frozen fingers) I did the following:
I looped a shoelace over both rollers, tied one end to the BB, and pulled the other end of the lace to pull the rollers together while squeezing the plates of the link together with my other hand.
Surprisingly it worked!

Genius!

Well, armed with everyone's suggestions, I feel I might give it another go this weekend and add some perseviarance to my effort.

 

[gbb]

I found when mine were new, they were absolute barstewards. As time progressed, its just got easier. Whether they loosen up with wear, i don't know.

 

[mattsccm]

i give the a good wiggle to loosen any crap then squeeze the side together. Thumb on the back of the pinfinger on the opening side. 1 pin for each hand. getting the plates nearer to each other works.

 

[chillyuk]

I asked about chains earlier in the week and went with a KMC chain, also ordered a couple of joining links at the same time. When I looked at the links (I have never used them before) they went together very easily, in fact it appeared too easy and I didn't fancy risking them, so I joined the chain with a chain tool. I have put the links in my pannier pocket for emergency. Reading this thread it seems my doubts were unfounded!