How re-usable are re-usable quick links?

[mythste]

that would depend if it had also been tempered. which is what you would want for spring steel . as much as it pains me to agree with the eskimo

2 metallurgists and an cyclist walk into a bar...

 

[Crackle]

2 metallurgists and an cyclist walk into a bar...

Cast iron bar or a ductile steel one?

 

[midlife]

Spring steel is hardened carbon steel. It is not ductile.

Who mentioned ductile? I thought that was about being drawn into a wire?

Shaun

 

[Pat "5mph"]

I've re-used 9 and 10 speed quick links loads of times. And I use the little pliers to remove them. Never had a problem. Nor have I had any doubt about what I was doing.

Same here, 5,7,8 and 9 speed.

 

[Yellow Saddle]

Same here, 5,7,8 and 9 speed.

Here you go. https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/kmc-quick-links-11sp.194897/#post-4122564

 

[EasyPeez]

They won't get stack. Steel is a ductile material, and it would be immediately apparent if you'd exceeded the ductile limit.

I think I didn't explain myself very well - by get slack I didn't mean the chain becoming slack or damaged, but the pin and connector holes on the quick link no longer connecting tightly due to wear on the quick link from regular pulling apart and re-connecting with the tool.

 

[Yellow Saddle]

I think I didn't explain myself very well - by get slack I didn't mean the chain becoming slack or damaged, but the pin and connector holes on the quick link no longer connecting tightly due to wear on the quick link from regular pulling apart and re-connecting with the tool.

You are absolutely correct. On black Powerlinks the retaining notch is destroyed the first time the link is undone. On other links the notch is preserved provided that you compress the link before opening it. If however you simply force it open with a pair of link pliers, the notch is destroyed the first time it is opened as well. If then reused, it generally won't come loose by itself but it could. This typically happens when the freewheel is a bit sticky and tends to pull the chain a bit when freewheeling and, you change gears just at the moment when the damaged pin is in an optimum position over the cassette. I've had this happen to me once in riding enough to consume about 50 chains. Statistically it should happen more often because I only damaged a few of the links in that way.

 

[John the Monkey]

Well, I didn't know there were single use quick links before reading this!

For what my experiences are worth, I use a chain rotation method (3 x chains to one cassette) on my commuter that means changing the chain (breaking it using a quick link) every two weeks. Yet to have one fail before replacing the chain, and I think I've done 3 full rotations (9 chains, 9 quicklinks). chains are KMC 9 speed.

 

[Yellow Saddle]

Well, I didn't know there were single use quick links before reading this!

For what my experiences are worth, I use a chain rotation method (3 x chains to one cassette) on my commuter that means changing the chain (breaking it using a quick link) every two weeks. Yet to have one fail before replacing the chain, and I think I've done 3 full rotations (9 chains, 9 quicklinks). chains are KMC 9 speed.

Well, now you know. Have a look at the link I posted above. Also, your experience correlates with the small probability of possible failure as outlined above.

 

[Ihatehills]

I always open them by hand, on my kmc 9spd chain its a bit of a fiddle as you have to push the side plates in, but once the are aligned correctly they pop open really easily, I've always felt that the pliers are a bad idea

 

[EasyPeez]

I take the chain off about once a month (10 speed) after over 700 commute miles for a complete de-gunk. This happens about 6 times until the chain is stretched ( for me seems to be around 4,000 miles). Then new chain with new quick link, never had a problem with KMC quick link.

That's exactly the kind of routine I had in mind. I'm impressed that you got 4,000 miles out of a chain! What brand do you use? I got less than 2,500 out of my previous 10-speed Shimano, hence the speculative switch to KMC chains.

However, opening a reusable link with one of them link pliers destroys the safety catch and makes it unusable.

On other links the notch is preserved provided that you compress the link before opening it. If however you simply force it open with a pair of link pliers, the notch is destroyed the first time it is opened as well. If then reused, it generally won't come loose by itself but it could.

your experience correlates with the small probability of possible failure as outlined above

Sorry to be pedantic and/or slow on the uptake, but to me your first quote suggests that using pliers to split the chain renders the quick link defunct, but your following quotes suggest that using the pliers does not ruin the link but opens the (remote - "small probability") possibility that a chain might come loose by itself.
Throw in the added caveat that one could in theory compress the link with fingers before opening the link with the pliers, rather than just popping it open, and are we saying that it is, according to the laws of probability, not going to cause problems very often to re-use the link with pliers every few hundred miles?
Cheers.

 

[Yellow Saddle]

Sorry to be pedantic and/or slow on the uptake, but to me your first quote suggests that using pliers to split the chain renders the quick link defunct, but your following quotes suggest that using the pliers does not ruin the link but opens the (remote - "small probability") possibility that a chain might come loose by itself.
Throw in the added caveat that one could in theory compress the link with fingers before opening the link with the pliers, rather than just popping it open, and are we saying that it is, according to the laws of probability, not going to cause problems very often to re-use the link with pliers every few hundred miles?
Cheers.

Most people don't know they have to squeeze the link and then use the pliers gently. They also don't like the fact that the process takes skin off your thumb and forefinger, if done correctly. Hence my saying that using a pliers (roughly and incorrectly) destroys the link's safety mechanism. You are right, if you compress the link (after wiggling it enough to get the dirt out of there that prevents compression) and then use the pliers, the link remains intact. However, then you may as well perfect your technique and just use your fingers.

In our workshop I insisted that each new chain is fitted with a master link. That helped us with subsequent servicing because we removed all chains and put them in an ultrasound cleaner. I didn't want the mechanics to destroy the links so I forced them to use the right technique. Which btw, is not published anywhere I know of other than in "the book."

 

[HarryTheDog]

hat's exactly the kind of routine I had in mind. I'm impressed that you got 4,000 miles out of a chain! What brand do you use? I got less than 2,500 out of my previous 10-speed Shimano, hence the speculative switch to KMC chains.

Being a bit of a tart I use KMC X10-SL chains, I buy them off ebay at around 25 quid each compared to nearly double on the likes of wiggle etc. Also I am 11 stone so maybe don't stretch them as much as bigger guys and commute is fairly flat with only 397 foot gain in one direction, and 797 in the other over 46 miles round trip. I use pro-link gold oil fairly liberally which acts as a cleaner and lubricant.

 

[Apollonius]

I reuse quick links almost every time I fit a chain. Usually because I have threaded it wrong round the derailleur!

 

[EasyPeez]

Being a bit of a tart I use KMC X10-SL chains, I buy them off ebay at around 25 quid each compared to nearly double on the likes of wiggle etc. Also I am 11 stone so maybe don't stretch them as much as bigger guys and commute is fairly flat with only 397 foot gain in one direction, and 797 in the other over 46 miles round trip. I use pro-link gold oil fairly liberally which acts as a cleaner and lubricant.

That's some commute, bravo!