Can you add extra links to a Shimano 12 speed chain.

[Webbo2]

Can this be done or do you end up joining two bits with two quick links?

 

[Punkawallah]

While it -can- be done, I’m not sure it -should- be done. Emergency use excepted, of course.

 

[fossyant]

I wouldn't on modern chains due to the way the pins are made.

 

[T4tomo]

Can this be done or do you end up joining two bits with two quick links?

Yes & Yes
i.e the best way to lengthen a (12 speed*) chain is to join two bits with two quick links

*speed is irrelevant, save for you could pop pins in and out on was is 10 or 9 speed and below, but never sure how reliable a fix that was.

 

[Webbo2]

Thanks for the replies.

 

[Dadam]

While it -can- be done, I’m not sure it -should- be done. Emergency use excepted, of course.

Why? Genuine question, I was musing on this the other day.

Advice from many is to carry a spare quick link to fix a broken chain. Very sage advice. But if you had two quick links together on the chain, if the chain breaks you can just move one to bridge the gap. No chance of forgetting to carry a spare as it's on your chain already

They're both under the same load so no more likely to snap surely.

 

[Punkawallah]

Why? Genuine question, I was musing on this the other day.

Advice from many is to carry a spare quick link to fix a broken chain. Very sage advice. But if you had two quick links together on the chain, if the chain breaks you can just move one to bridge the gap. No chance of forgetting to carry a spare as it's on your chain already

They're both under the same load so no more likely to snap surely.

There is no ‘science’ behind my opinion. But ‘a chain is only as strong as its weakest link’, and while the designer might have allowed for the quick link to replace one link in the chain, it may not have been designed to replace two.

YMMV, T&CA, DTTAH.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

if you had two quick links together on the chain, if the chain breaks you can just move one to bridge the gap.

You cannot move a quick link from elsewhere on the chain to fix a broken chain. Think about it!

 

[Dadam]

You cannot move a quick link from elsewhere on the chain to fix a broken chain. Think about it!

Ah, but if you have two quick links together, you can move one of them.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Ah, but if you have two quick links together, you can move one of them.

Try joining two quick links directly together. You will see the problem. Plus you are splitting and joining the chain four times instead of two if the chain goes mid ride. Plus 12 speed quick links are only meant to be joined once. Best just carry spare links in your toolkit, not fitted in the chain.

 

[Elybazza61]

I wouldn't after seeing what happens when worn links fail and as others have said 11-12 speed chains are a lot narrower and have less material on them, just get the right length chain.

In an emergency I'd probably use a quick link to mend a broken chain on a ride but would probably ride it in as easy gear as possible.

 

[Alex321]

Why? Genuine question, I was musing on this the other day.

Advice from many is to carry a spare quick link to fix a broken chain. Very sage advice. But if you had two quick links together on the chain, if the chain breaks you can just move one to bridge the gap. No chance of forgetting to carry a spare as it's on your chain already

They're both under the same load so no more likely to snap surely.

You can't put two quick links together. You use a quick link by first pushing out the pins from the two ends being joined, and you can't push out the pin from a quick link.