Shimano/Taya/Sigma chain link - what's the secret ?

[N_Cook]

No tools it said - what a clever idea I thought.
Not unless you have the fingers of a rock climber , or what is the secret.
One thing I learnt long, long ago , tie a bit of wire a few links back
either side of the link before removing or replacing to take the tension off
the link area.

With these links the only way I could put one end on the pin and then just
preliminary place the other one was to put a bit of a set in that closure
link, so it would slide over the top of the second pin when firmly pushed by
finger.
Then 2 pairs of molegrips, not particularly firmly gripping but enough to be
able to flex the made-bridge piece enough to complete the locked closure.

[Pete Biggs]

N_Cook wrote:
> No tools it said - what a clever idea I thought.
> Not unless you have the fingers of a rock climber , or what is the
> secret. One thing I learnt long, long ago , tie a bit of wire a few
> links back either side of the link before removing or replacing to
> take the tension off the link area.
>
> With these links the only way I could put one end on the pin and then
> just preliminary place the other one was to put a bit of a set in
> that closure link, so it would slide over the top of the second pin
> when firmly pushed by finger.
> Then 2 pairs of molegrips, not particularly firmly gripping but
> enough to be able to flex the made-bridge piece enough to complete
> the locked closure.

I don't know exactly what product you're talking about. Can you post a link
to a picture?

SRAM Powerlinks are easy to manage without tools once you get the knack.
Not easy to describe in words, though. Please search the uk.rec.cycling
archives (via Google Groups) for attempts.

Flexing doesn't sound a good idea. You do not want to cause damage and
increase chance of snapping.

~PB

[Alan Braggins]

In article >, Pete Biggs wrote:
>N_Cook wrote:
>> No tools it said - what a clever idea I thought.
[...]
>> Then 2 pairs of molegrips, not particularly firmly gripping but
>> enough to be able to flex the made-bridge piece enough to complete
>> the locked closure.
>
>I don't know exactly what product you're talking about. Can you post a link
>to a picture?

Taya Sigma link is this:
http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_10001_catalogId_10151_productId_20 0137_langId_-1_CarSelectorCatalogId__CarSelectorGroupId__varien t__categoryId_103704_crumb__parentcategoryrn_10370 4
http://www.bike-x.co.uk/index.php?cPath=105_106&osCsid=3d9b5977ee88aabe815409581fa97c17

Also this: crap. I used one once[1], and won't be using one again.

[1] Because Halfords was open at 7.30pm and LBS wasn't, and I didn't know
better at the time.

[Dave Larrington]

In ,
Alan Braggins > tweaked the Babbage-Engine to
tell us:

> Taya Sigma link is this:
> http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_10001_catalogId_10151_productId_20 0137_langId_-1_CarSelectorCatalogId__CarSelectorGroupId__varien t__categoryId_103704_crumb__parentcategoryrn_10370 4
> http://www.bike-x.co.uk/index.php?cPath=105_106&osCsid=3d9b5977ee88aabe815409581fa97c17
>
> Also this: crap. I used one once[1], and won't be using one again.

Mine has never failed yet, but then it's only used for joing the ends of the
Mayoral Chain :-)

--
Dave Larrington
<http://www.legslarry.beerdrinkers.co.uk>
Dead pigs make perfect, if heavy, earrings.

[Rob Morley]

In article >, N_Cook
says...
> No tools it said - what a clever idea I thought.
> Not unless you have the fingers of a rock climber , or what is the secret.
> One thing I learnt long, long ago , tie a bit of wire a few links back
> either side of the link before removing or replacing to take the tension off
> the link area.
>
> With these links the only way I could put one end on the pin and then just
> preliminary place the other one was to put a bit of a set in that closure
> link, so it would slide over the top of the second pin when firmly pushed by
> finger.
> Then 2 pairs of molegrips, not particularly firmly gripping but enough to be
> able to flex the made-bridge piece enough to complete the locked closure.
>
Eh? All you do is hold the chain on each side with your fingers, press
with your thumbs and pull with your fingers to flex the chain, and
wiggle/pop the front plate over the pins with your thumbs. Then flex
the chain a bit the other way to make sure the plate is fully engaged in
the slots on the pins.

[Pete Biggs]

Alan Braggins wrote:

> Taya Sigma link is this:
> http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_10001_catalogId_10151_productId_20 0137_langId_-1_CarSelectorCatalogId__CarSelectorGroupId__varien t__categoryId_103704_crumb__parentcategoryrn_10370 4

Thanks. The shape of the holes are quite different from SRAM's.

N_Cook, if it's for 7, 8 or 9-speed, get yourself a SRAM Powerlink
(appropriate speed), is my advice. After several years of using them in
several chains, I know they work well.

For 10-speed I use Wipperman Connex.

I like Halfraud's photo zoom facility, btw.

~PB

[naked_draughtsman[_3_]]

On Fri, 18 Apr 2008 12:45:31 +0100, N_Cook wrote:

> No tools it said - what a clever idea I thought.
> Not unless you have the fingers of a rock climber , or what is the secret.
> One thing I learnt long, long ago , tie a bit of wire a few links back
> either side of the link before removing or replacing to take the tension off
> the link area.

There is one type that you can buy in Halfords where you bend the chain at
the link undo it. It's identifiable by having the two pins on one plate
and two holes in the other. It should go together OK when new
but I had problems getting them undone and then they were bent so not easy
to use again (the instructions said they could only be used once).

The SRAM ones are much better IMO and to open them you just squeeze and
push together. They have one pin and one hole on each side and they don't
mention any limit on the number of times they can be opened and closed
(although one of mine seems a little dodgy at the moment). I think
they're no more expensive than the crap one Halfords sell.

peter