11 speed connector links

[Tommasini53]

Are there any 11 speed connector links available for Campy 11 speed chains??

I prefer using the connectors over repinning a chain. I thought I'd check before spending the $$ on the Park tools required to repin an 11 speed chain. HAPPY YEAR

[melonyogloo]

Yes, there is.

http://www.lickbike.com/productpage.aspx?PART_NUM_SUB=%270340-20%27

[corky]

I have used 2 of these with nothing to mention......ie. they work

[aoe]

I also use the x12 on one of my bikes but there is a bit of noise. Doesn't bother me but may bother some. Someone (oldpotatoe maybe?) told me that KMC makes a link that's quieter. Maybe pm him.

[oldpotatoe]

Are there any 11 speed connector links available for Campy 11 speed chains??

I prefer using the connectors over repinning a chain. I thought I'd check before spending the $$ on the Park tools required to repin an 11 speed chain. HAPPY YEAR

Lickbike writes-"Superlink is the only connecting link with welded pins and plates to prevent it from pulling apart. Install only on a brand new chain and replace with the chain every 1000-2000 miles. Made in USA. Guaranteed for 2,000 miles."

balderdash...measure the chain. No need to change any chain every 1000 miles..

IRD makes them and I have them..The Craig one was noisy, stopped selling it.
This one works well, is not noisy.

peter@vecchios.com

[jblande]

slight thread drift:

i recently pushed a pin in too far, but then was able with the campy chain tool to make the pin seat correctly after removing it. it looks like nothing is deformed.

i was thinking in should replace it with a connector link. any thoughts on whether this is necessary and/or a good idea?

thanks.

[Tommasini53]

Yes, there is.

http://www.lickbike.com/productpage.aspx?PART_NUM_SUB=%270340-20%27


Excellent! thank you. :beer:

[fourflys]

Excellent! thank you. :beer:

I might take a hard look at what oldpotatoe have to offer... it sounds like the one linked might not be the best... Sounds likes Peter has a bit of experience with these...

[PaMtbRider]

KMC makes them as well and is what I am using on my new 11 speed build.

[Dave]

http://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/sp/road-track-bike/Chains-Spares-Devices-KMC-11-Spd-Chainlinks-card-of-2/KMCACHAJ360


http://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/pp/road-track-bike/Chains/CHAI

[Tommasini53]

Lickbike writes-"Superlink is the only connecting link with welded pins and plates to prevent it from pulling apart. Install only on a brand new chain and replace with the chain every 1000-2000 miles. Made in USA. Guaranteed for 2,000 miles."

balderdash...measure the chain. No need to change any chain every 1000 miles..

IRD makes them and I have them..The Craig one was noisy, stopped selling it.
This one works well, is not noisy.

peter@vecchios.com

Is the Craig model is sold under the name SuperLink X11.2 ???? Or is the dot 2 an improvement over the first generation.

I didn't see an IRD model at their website. Does their 10 speed Campy link work with 11's? I hope the arms race stops at 11. thanks for your help and advice. :)

[Dave]

10 speed links are too wide, but I have used the KMC link for Campy 10 chains and got by with it. With 11 speed KMC links now available cheap, there is no reason to do this.

I would check the fit of the KMC link, just to be safe. Ideally, you should have .004-.008 inch of clearance between the inner and outer plates. KMC master links tend to be made for a loose fit, just like the rest of their chain links, so it wouldn't surprise me if the fit was a little sloppy.

[fourflys]

I would check the fit of the KMC link, just to be safe. Ideally, you should have .004-.008 inch of clearance between the inner and outer plates. KMC master links tend to be made for a loose fit, just like the rest of their chain links, so it wouldn't surprise me if the fit was a little sloppy.


which could be why Peter was saying they were noisy.... sloppy is bad IMHO...

[oldpotatoe]

Is the Craig model is sold under the name SuperLink X11.2 ???? Or is the dot 2 an improvement over the first generation.

I didn't see an IRD model at their website. Does their 10 speed Campy link work with 11's? I hope the arms race stops at 11. thanks for your help and advice. :)

I tried the Superlink and it was noisy on 4 out of 4 bikes..Won't try it again. The IRD one is for 11s chains ONLY and works great as tested by 3 or 4 of my customers. Do not use a 10s link on a 11s chain..

OBTW-Ribble is out of stock on KMC 11s links and their 11s chains are expensive plus take more than the time it would take to go to a bike shop and buy a Chorus 11s chain..I'm sure Schwabs or Turin in Denver has them, as I do.

[Dave]

Chorus/ Record chains are $65/80 at Schwab.

http://schwabcycles.com/itemlist.cfm?category=66

The same items are $37/44 at Ribble. They are out of the 11 speed master links, but ordering those alone would not make sense anyway.

http://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/pp/road-track-bike/Chains/CHAI

I encourage people to buy 1-2 year's worth of chains at a time. Buy a couple year's worth of tires too, to make the order worthwhile.

[R2D2]

I tried the Superlink and it was noisy on 4 out of 4 bikes..Won't try it again. The IRD one is for 11s chains ONLY and works great as tested by 3 or 4 of my customers. Do not use a 10s link on a 11s chain..

OBTW-Ribble is out of stock on KMC 11s links and their 11s chains are expensive plus take more than the time it would take to go to a bike shop and buy a Chorus 11s chain..I'm sure Schwabs or Turin in Denver has them, as I do.

I tried the previous Superlink on 10 speed. Noisy as it made a terriple clicking sound. Turns out it was catching on the next cog (too wide??). It would ride up and then snap back in place. I just went back to Campagnolo permanent attacment. I really don't have much need to drop the chain off the bike.

[oldpotatoe]

Chorus/ Record chains are $65/80 at Schwab.

http://schwabcycles.com/itemlist.cfm?category=66

The same items are $37/44 at Ribble. They are out of the 11 speed master links, but ordering those alone would not make sense anyway.

http://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/pp/road-track-bike/Chains/CHAI

I encourage people to buy 1-2 year's worth of chains at a time. Buy a couple year's worth of tires too, to make the order worthwhile.

$36 from Ribble if you buy an additional $35 worth of stuff otherwise $45 +$7 shipping so $52..truth in advertising since you really love this place.

Plus about a week or so to get it?

Plus my daily updated online currency calculator says this calculated pounds to dollars is $55, not $52 but whoknows??

I guess $10 is worth not having to go to the ....bike shop.

[Ralph]

RE the Noisy Super Link.....I've tried them on a Campy 10 speed chain, and they are very noisy, clunky, etc. Sounds like the chain doesn't fit cogs, that kind of noise.

So I put my Park chain checker over those links that include the Super Link, and it shows a poor fit, showing a lot more stretch over those few links, like a wore out chain. Then put checker over a few links without a Super Link connector and it shows very little stretch like a new chain. So that explains the Super Link noise to me. Maybe that is also the problem with the 11's Super Link connector.

No problem with the KMC connector.

[Lovetoclimb]

To clear my confusion,

OldPotatoe - you mentioned the IRD link was the most successful in trials on customers' bikes? Is this the "Superlink X-11.2" that was linked in response to the OP?

To everyone - How strict should I be in following the advice to only install on a brand new chain? Have you put a connector link in a used 11s chain without incident?

(I have a Chorus 11s chain on my race bike with approx 1500 miles that passed a chain checker test with plenty more life, but it would live even longer if i could maintain it like I do my Wipperman 10s chain.)

[Dave]

I won't hurt a thing to install a master link on a used chain.

Campy chains wear differently than most other brands. A well maintained Campy chain will elongate very little. Elongation is pin/bushing wear.

I always advise against using chain checker tools because the mix roller wear with true elongation that can should be properly measured with a precision rule.

I have also found that elongation is not a good measure of Campy chain wear. I've used a 10 speed chain for 6,000 miles and measured a fraction of the "allowable" .5% elongation. Despite that, the roller were shot and the side clearance huge. A new chain skipped on one of the cogs when installed on the cassette that had only seen that one chain. Since then, I use calipers and measure roller spacing. A new chain will measure about .200 inch. I use 3 chains in a rotation and never leave a new chain in use for longer than it takes the space to increase to .220. I toss the cassette and chains after all 3 get to about .240 spacing.

If you try a KMC chain, then measuring elongation is probably wise. Most other brands elongate to .5% or more at about the same time that the rollers are shot.

[Steve in SLO]

Dave,
I have been told by my LBS owner that Campy chain elongation is a crummy marker of chain wear, which seems to mirror your experience. He told me that when a chain begins to shift poorly (due to side plate wear?) it is worn out. Would you agree?

[Dave]

Elongation is a true measure of the chain's change in pitch, so it does have value. Side wear is certainly a factor, but I've never tossed a chain due to side wear. My Campy 10 chain with 6,000 miles on it had a side clearance around .013 inch, which is about twice that of a new chain and it seemed to shift fine. Unfortunately, the worn rollers made one cog incompatible with a brand new chain. That did not end the cassette' life. That worn cog would not skip with any chain that had even a few hundred miles of use on it.

Your main concern should be ending a cassette's life with new-chain skip. That's the idea behind measuring elongation and tossing a chain at .5% elongation, but as I explained, it doesn't work with a Campy chain. That's why I started using my chains in groups of three. I can guarantee that I can use all three chains for their full life and never encounter new-chain skip. You could use four chains if you want to trash them a little sooner.

If you use a brand of chain that elongates quickly, tossing chains at .5% elongation helps to prevent new-chain skip, but it also insures that you really don't get the full life from each chain. Might buy 6 chains to get the same mileage and cassette life that can be had with only 3-4.

[oldpotatoe]

To clear my confusion,

OldPotatoe - you mentioned the IRD link was the most successful in trials on customers' bikes? Is this the "Superlink X-11.2" that was linked in response to the OP?

To everyone - How strict should I be in following the advice to only install on a brand new chain? Have you put a connector link in a used 11s chain without incident?

(I have a Chorus 11s chain on my race bike with approx 1500 miles that passed a chain checker test with plenty more life, but it would live even longer if i could maintain it like I do my Wipperman 10s chain.)

No. The Superlink X-11.2 is the Craig one, NOT the IRD one.

I install new connectors on used but non worn out chains all the time. shimano and Campagnolo because they get hooked together with a pin, I take them off to clean, reattach with a Wipperman(10s) or IRD(11s) connector.