Campy 12 speed chain - peen or quick link?

[jm714]

Originally Posted by radsmd

Can’t find the KMC missing link for 12 being sold separately yet.

I have a couple of old Park chain tools, but none that have the peening capability. Hate to spend $60+ for a tool that I’d use so infrequently.

Looks like I’ll be calling up to Campagnolo NA to see if they have any recommendations on good wrenches in the San Diego area.

You might try summer cycles in Del Mar for campy help.

[oldpotatoe]

Originally Posted by makoti

So are you saying that, even using an official Campy pin, you are better off using a quick link on a 12? Getting 12 for the travel bike, and it's either QL's or buy the Abby tool.

QL or chain section, which is only one time use..cannot split and then just install a pin..get a QL..Tool doesn't make a difference. Still bad news to shove a (new) pin into a plate that has already seen a pin.

[oldpotatoe]

Ya know, Now I'm not so sure..gonna call Campag NA tomorrow and ask..10s, w/o peening, shows a link along with a new pin..11s and 12s, does not..so wondering is the 'peening' means you can just push a pin out and install a new, to be peened, pin...The 2020 spare parts shows 10s chain with a link..but 11s and 12s, pins only.

I'll let ya know.....

[Jeff N.]

I've been trying this out...so far no problems whatsoever.

[Dave]

The sram eagle quick link is the best fitting for the Campy 12 chain. I'm using it too.

[PsiSquared]

Originally Posted by oldpotatoe

Once again, unlike older chains, where you can push a pin out and then push a pin back in..if you push out a Campag pin, then rejoin at that place, even using a 'new' pin, you run the risk of breaking a chain there. Campag chains are designed to have that supplied pin shoved into a 'virgin' outer plate only. WHY, chain pin replacement 'kits' from Campag include a wee section of virgin chain links. So..use a KMC or other, snap link.

Campag 'kit' below

Ok.

[mcteague]

Originally Posted by Dave

The sram eagle quick link is the best fitting for the Campy 12 chain. I'm using it too.

Have you tried the KMC and, if so, how did you find it wanting?

https://www.kmcchain.eu/connector-KM...cross-12_speed

Tim

[Red Tornado]

Have used KMC links with Campy chains for years, never had any problems.

[pjbaz]

Originally Posted by bfd

Doesn’t Shimano use chain pins too? I know they have a master link, but the pins are still available:

https://www.biketiresdirect.com/prod...yABEgI-E_D_BwE

Had that part fail this year and it cost me the chain, a brand new R8000 fd and a proprietary-sized cf fd clamp that is about as rare as rocking horse poop - total was about $200

[Dave]

Originally Posted by mcteague

Have you tried the KMC and, if so, how did you find it wanting?

https://www.kmcchain.eu/connector-KM...cross-12_speed

Tim

I have both kmc and sram eagle links. The KMC is a little wider, making for excessive side clearance, but it worked ok too.

[PsiSquared]

Originally Posted by Dave

The sram eagle quick link is the best fitting for the Campy 12 chain. I'm using it too.

Why is it the best? Isn't the pin in the SRAM link longer than the pin in the KMC link?

[Dave]

Originally Posted by PsiSquared

Why is it the best? Isn't the pin in the SRAM link longer than the pin in the KMC link?

No it's not. The kmc 12 chain and its quick link are wider than any other 12 speed chain.

[PsiSquared]

Originally Posted by Dave

No it's not. The kmc 12 chain and its quick link are wider than any other 12 speed chain.

Aren't the pins on SRAM 12 speed chains 5.25mm long? KMC says their 12 speed pins are 5.2mm long.

[Dave]

Pin length is not the only criteria to consider when selecting a quick link. I have both the KMC and Eagle 12 links. The pin length on the KMC link is .212 inch or 5.4mm and the Eagle pins are .209 inch or 5.3mm.

If the links are installed on a Campy 12 chain, there is a big difference in clearance between the two links. The KMC link will have a clearance between the inner and outer plates of .014-.015 inch, while the Eagle link will be about half that amount. A new chain will usually have a clearance in the .004-.008 inch range. Quick link clearances to tend to be larger than the rest of the chain, but the Eagle link produces a better fit than the KMC.

The pin lengths on the chains won't always be the same as a quick link. An Eagle chain measures .207 inch or 5.25mm, which is only .002 inch less than the quick links. A campy chain measure .203 inch or 5.15mm. I don't have a KMC chain to measure.

[DrewK]

I pin Shimano chains, pin Campy chains, and run QL's in Sram. Coincidentally, Sram is generally MTB only.