Spare chain link advice

Page may contain affiliate links. Please see terms for details.

dodss

Veteran
Help please, my chain separated yesterday on my road bike. I had a link splitter and spare link and managed to fix the chain to ride home. I now need spare links for my repair kit. I have looked online and need to know about 7,8.9 speeds; I am not sure about that question. and don`t know what to order.
I have two bikes, the old road bike and a Carrera mountain bike ,these have rear cassettes of seven and eight speeds respectively; are those the things that are being asked about.
Apologies for my ignorance. I have rode for a good while since my triathlon days and fortunately not had this issue for a long while. I took it to the bike shop when the chain separated a few years back. I cannot remember being asked about speeds when I got the splitter; must have been lucky.
 

fossyant

Ride It Like You Stole It!
Location
South Manchester
You just need an 8 speed link. Chains are the same size upto 8 speed, then they get slightly narrower. I carry 3 different links !!
 

Buck

Guru
Location
Yorkshire
Try and get the reusable ones as well - much easier for chain maintenance/clenaing.

KMC or Wipperman Connex are good.
 
OP
OP
D

dodss

Veteran
Thanks all, great advice.
 

ColinJ

Puzzle game procrastinator!
8-speed quicklinks come in two widths: 7.1 mm and 7.3 mm. Make sure you get the right one for your chain. I didn't.
Hmm... I didn't know that!

I just did a search and found an eBay ad...

8-speed QL Ad said:
Available in two pin lengths:
  • 7.1 mm compatible with - KMC Z8 and Z8RB / SRAM 7 and 8-speed chains
  • 7.3 mm compatible with - KMC e1 EPT, X8 EPT, X8, Z8 EPT, Z8, Z7 and Z6 chains / Shimano UG51 and HG40/50/70/90 chains
I'll have to check what I have and what I need!

I can imagine that buying the shorter type when you need the longer could be a problem. Surely having 0.2 mm extra pin length would NOT be though? :whistle:
 
Location
Wirral
I usually carry one each of 4 sizes (8,9,10,11) and have used 4 over the last ten years, never any for me (yet). I can now see I'll break my chain in two places this weekend now I've said that! 3 newbies and a seriously heavy/strong rider needed help. I have been paid in beer and chocolate and even had a peck on the cheek (no I wasn't bending over) but what goes around comes around, I probably have 2 karma cards in hand - but can karma count, and is it karma'esque to expect favours?
 

PpPete

Legendary Member
Location
Chandler's Ford
IME (with KMC and SRAM quick links) is that the greater the number of speeds, the harder they are to fit and remove. 9 speed usually manageable without tools unless the link really gunged-up. 11 speed, even perfectly clean and lubed, virtually impossible without the appropriate pliers. Very happy I had a spare link and such a tool with me when I bust my rear mech here. Single speeding back to Machynlleth was no fun, but infinitely preferable to walking. Since then I've learned that Wiipperman Connex can be used sans tools.
 
Top Bottom