Comments on: Review: SRAM Power Link Chain

By: jonavan

jonavan — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 05:27:21 +0000

ok so ive had the same problem, luckily i was close to home. I hop a curb, or in like three other cases im digging on the pedals, and BOOM! My chain in on the ground behind me and the powerlink has seperated flying in different directions. The last time it happened I almost went over the handle bars. Why is this happening?

By: chuck

chuck — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 02:50:00 +0000

They are very noisy.

By: R. Jordan

R. Jordan — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 05:01:42 +0000

Two days ago I was riding and I hop up a curb on campus and boom. I look down and my chain is draging along behind me. One half of the powerlink was gone and I had to push her back to the dorm. I dont know what went wrong. Why would it just come apart like that?

By: Glen

Glen — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 19:12:43 +0000

Just purchased a Sram PC 890 to replace my old Sram/Sachs PC 51. The new chain does not have the beveled edges like the old PC 51 (like in the photo). The new chain shifts terribly (on a brand new casette) and I’ll be using a Wipperman instead.

By: Michael

Michael — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 04:12:19 +0000

Separating them can be easier if the link itself is rotated vertically, then squeezing the opposing plates diagonally with some pliers for them to click together.

By: Tristan

Tristan — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 19:40:50 +0000

Im a Power Link lover as well. I’ve found them hard to undo from time to time, but the trick that always gets them apart is to wiggle the chain in the x-axis a bit (i.e. not the way the chain wants to flex) while pushing inwards.

I’ve only blown out one powerlink, and that was on a well used chain, so I wont count it.

Also, I’ve lost more than one powerlink when it flew off after separating. Good luck.

By: Michael

Michael — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 03:45:40 +0000

Another thing to do is when the link won’t click into place just exactly right, rotate the pedals until the just “unclicked” master link is above the chainstay. Grab hold of the rear wheel tightly while giving the pedal a forward push. This usually clicks the link in for the desired engagement. Otherwise, swap the master link for a different size, maybe to a KMC Missing Link (6, 7, 8 speeds).

By: Steve

Steve — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 18:16:13 +0000

Love the SRAM chains, too. Just a little pointer on taking them off: pinch them together while pushing toward each other. Does that make sense? In other words, you quite obviously have to compress the link inwards, but at the same time push them together laterally. Works on everything but the 10 speed, which is worthless. KMC 10 speed links work better than that.

By: JiMCi

JiMCi — Mon, 07 Jan 2008 19:06:48 +0000

When it’s time to give that chain a good scrubbing, I also use the PowerLink and… a second chain!

I start by measuring chainwear. The Park CC-3 “go – nogo” tool is fine for that. If the chain is still within tolerances, I open the PowerLink (shifting the derailleurs to the smallest cog and chainring removes tension in the chain and makes the whole process easier) and attach a clean lubed chain to it. When I take the dirty chain out, it pulls the clean one trough the derailleurs. All that’s left to do is to close the SRAM PowerLink and voila, a clean chain is installed while the dirty one is ready for a good cleanup.

(If the derailleurs and gears also need cleaning, I do it while the dirty chain is still on, otherwise solvent or grit would mess up the clean chain).

By: Michael

Michael — Mon, 07 Jan 2008 05:16:22 +0000

I’m used to Connex chains personally, but do admit the SRAM master links are supreme. At the shop I’m at we actually ditch the master links that come with the lower end Connex chains (800, 804) and replace them with SRAM masters. Nearly ideal. Even lately we’ve noticed some discrepancies with the fit of the higher end Connex links and therefore have been subbing those with SRAM too.