Tool Tip - How To Undo Chain Masterlinks?

[jimD]

I've been getting 9 speed chains from Riv and they come with masterlinks.

They have been great for installation but I've not figured out a straight-forward way to remove them.

Any tool tips for this?

Thanks,
JimD

[Allingham II, Thomas J]

Park Master Link Pliers. http://www.parktool.com/product/master-link-pliers-mlp-1 They're great.

Or did I misunderstand the question?

Thanks,
JimD

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[PATRICK MOORE]

SRAMs? Pinch and push the plates together laterally, ie so that you are bringing the connected links toward each other. Sometimes if you rock them side to side as you push them together, it helps loosen the masterlinks.The masterlink slots must be free of grit, so if the chain is dirty it helps to spritz them clean with WD40. 

KHS links are simply a pain and I don't use them. I can't speak of others.

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[Steve Palincsar]

Park makes a tool to help with this, the MLP-1 ("Master Link Pliers").

[MSmith]

It's hard to describe in writing, but try this...

Use a pair of channel lock pliers and put one jaw on the edge of the masterlink where the post attaches (i.e. not the sliding part.)  The other jaw goes to the same point diagonally across the masterlink.  Gently squeeze them together and the link should open up.  It usually takes a few tries, especially at first.  Cleaning the link facilitates it greatly.

There is a tool for this, but I find it totally overrated.  Channel locks work just as well once you get the feel for it.

Hope that helps- Mike in unseasonably warm So. Boston, Mass

[Scott G.]

Wait 500 miles, then they're easy to remove, wear is your friend.
When installing a new SRAM chain, use the old master link to figure out chain length.
Once you are happy with the chain length, use the new link.
Take the old link and tape it to business card and put in your saddle bag.

[eflayer]

hopefully you are de-tensioning the chain by first derailling it completely off the chainrings. with less tension, it is much easier to do the undoing.

[Michael Hechmer]

I share your frustration with SRAM master links.  A few years ago, I switched to Wipperman chains and have gotten better shifting, long chain life, and much, much, much easier master link removal.

michael

[Philip Williamson]

Thanks for asking this question, and thanks to the respondents for
their advice.
I just did some masterlink judo this weekend. I hate it. I used needle-
nosed pliers diagonally across the link, and it worked okay. My LBS
has some needle-nosed pliers they've ground down on the sides to work
better.
In the future I will WD40 the links first, and try channel-locks
instead of the pliers. I may order the special tool from my LBS the
next time they hook me up with something for nothing.

Philip

Philip Williamson
www.biketinker.com

[Joe Bernard]

Don't waste your life with this..get the Park tool. It's wonderful.

[cyclotourist]

+4 on the MLP-1... Best $10 you spend on a tool! 

Interesting aside:  Trying to buy one from my LBS was the straw that broke the camel's toe.  First they told me there was no such tool and wouldn't take the time to look one up in a catalog. I finally find someone to order it, and when it came in, he was like "So why do you want this?"  I gently explained that it was rumored to make removing chains easier.  Paid him my hard-earned money, and left. 

I now buy bike tools & parts online :-/

On Sun, Nov 20, 2011 at 8:42 PM, Joe Bernard <joer...@gmail.com> wrote:

Don't waste your life with this..get the Park tool. It's wonderful.

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Cheers,
David
Redlands, CA

[rcnute]

I bend the chain at the link, press/pull the link apart, disconnect,
reconnect, compress with needlenose pliers. Never had a problem yet.
I don't remove them that often though.

Ryan

On Nov 20, 1:29 pm, jimD <rasterd...@comcast.net> wrote:

[jimD]

Joe,

I'm convinced. All my other attempts (hacks) with various different versions of pliers have 

only resulted in beaucoup expletives. 

Plus I get a add another bike tool!

-JimD

On Nov 20, 2011, at 8:42 PM, Joe Bernard wrote:

Don't waste your life with this..get the Park tool. It's wonderful.

[jimD]

Well, as my dad used to ask, 'How are you holding your mouth'?

My efforts with pliers (all kinds) have been un-successful.
I've concluded that when it comes to master links I don't know how to hold my mouth right.
-JimD

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[Bill M.]

I've found that Channellock pliers work just fine, never had the need
for a specialized tool.

Bill

On Nov 20, 1:29 pm, jimD <rasterd...@comcast.net> wrote:

[Kelly Sleeper]

I just use my trusty chain tool .. avoid the master link and press the pin just enough to take the chain apart then press it back in when it's time to put it together. I know... ohhhhh but that isn't supported and not good blah blah blah... but it's worked for years for me and many others.
The chain on my Giant Tour Bike is held together for 5 years with pieces of three different chains I had on the wall when I put it together.

There is best practice and there is what works...

About a month ago I saw the park tool chain pliers and purchased them... as advertised they do make getting the master link apart very easy and will use them when at home.. on the trail I'll press the pin out and back in.

later

Kelly

[Michael Hechmer]

At the risk of repeating myself.... the Connex master link is a completely different design from the Sram.  All I have to do to remove them is take some tension off the chain, turn the quick link vertical and pop it open with my hands.  It's a ten second job, no tools needed.  Plus these chains shift better and outlast Sram chains.  After my trying them out a few years ago and then reordering the next year, the owner of the LBS I use, tried them.  Now he stocks the chains and recommends them to anyone who does their own work.

michael

[mikel...@juno.com]

michael,

is Connex the brand of the chain or what the connecting link is called?

mike goldman

warwick,r.i.

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[Seth Vidal]

I agree about the connex from wipperman. I have one on the rom and
it's a great chain.

-sv

[Steve Palincsar]

On Mon, 2011-11-21 at 06:50 -0800, Kelly Sleeper wrote:
> I just use my trusty chain tool .. avoid the master link and press the pin just enough to take the chain apart then press it back in when it's time to put it together. I know... ohhhhh but that isn't supported and not good blah blah blah... but it's worked for years for me and many others.
> The chain on my Giant Tour Bike is held together for 5 years with pieces of three different chains I had on the wall when I put it together.
>
> There is best practice and there is what works...

You don't mention what chains you do this with. It works fine on older
style, wider chains, gets dodgy at nine and is ruled out at ten or
above. You're using 7 or 8 speed drive trains, correct?

[Clayton]

This is just in regards to SRAM masterlinks. I used to be able to undo
SRAM masterlinks with my hands alone. It was about 4 years ago that I
last did it with a then new SRAM 8 speed chain. However, these days
the masterlinks supplied on new SRAM chains as well as the 10 speed
masterlinks I use on my shimano chains even defy my needle nose
pliers. I recently purchased the tool as well and it does work. I
think SRAM might have changed their masterlink design either that or I
just lost my magic tough.

Clayton
SF, CA

[cyclotourist]

FYI, I've seen a hack with using some narrow wire strippers as the chain-link pliers.  Can't find the linkey to prove it.

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[Steve Palincsar]

On Mon, 2011-11-21 at 10:12 -0800, Clayton wrote:
> This is just in regards to SRAM masterlinks. I used to be able to undo
> SRAM masterlinks with my hands alone. It was about 4 years ago that I
> last did it with a then new SRAM 8 speed chain. However, these days
> the masterlinks supplied on new SRAM chains as well as the 10 speed
> masterlinks I use on my shimano chains even defy my needle nose
> pliers. I recently purchased the tool as well and it does work. I
> think SRAM might have changed their masterlink design either that or I
> just lost my magic tough.

I never used to need a tool either, but the past several chains have
required its use.

[René Sterental]

I also use the Connex master link. I use it with my Shimano chains with no issues. Performance sells them.

René

On Monday, November 21, 2011, Michael Hechmer <mhec...@gmail.com> wrote:
> At the risk of repeating myself.... the Connex master link is a completely different design from the Sram.  All I have to do to remove them is take some tension off the chain, turn the quick link vertical and pop it open with my hands.  It's a ten second job, no tools needed.  Plus these chains shift better and outlast Sram chains.  After my trying them out a few years ago and then reordering the next year, the owner of the LBS I use, tried them.  Now he stocks the chains and recommends them to anyone who does their own work.
> michael
>

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[Philip Williamson]

> You don't mention what chains you do this with.   It works fine on older> style, wider chains, gets dodgy at nine and is ruled out at ten or> above.   You're using 7 or 8 speed drive trains, correct?

The only two chains I've broken were 9 speed chains shortened with a
chain tool. The last one put me in the street with some road rash. One
way my fault, one was my friend's fault, both due to ignorance. I've
cut up and reconnected older chains multiple times with no problem,
but now I always use a master link on 9 speed chains. I have a couple
of chains with a couple master links each because of singlespeed
gearing changes.

Philip

On Nov 21, 9:01 am, Steve Palincsar <palin...@his.com> wrote:

[Phil Bickford]

I've been using mostly Campy chain$ and Conex master links with little
trouble. But the Sram master links are really a PITA to get undone.
I've got to use pliers to get them to let go.

Phil B

On Nov 21, 11:25 am, Philip Williamson <philip.william...@gmail.com>
wrote:

[Jim Thill - Hiawatha Cyclery]

[Jim Thill - Hiawatha Cyclery]

As others have said, the Park MLP-1 is the way to go. It's not expensive and makes your chain removal MUCH easier. Any other approach is by comparison messy and difficult, given that there actually is a "correct" tool for the job.