So, long story long, I was out for a first ride with a lad from work and his usual riding group. Unfortunately we didn’t get much riding done due to a mechanical that took a while to fix, after my colleague managed to tie his chain in knots around the bottom bracket. After finding the master link none of us could get it open for ages as it was old and stiff.

I remember a while back on here there was a “best thing you’ve bought” sort of thread and a lot of people said their purchase of master link pliers was well worth it, tales of broken thumbnails abounding.

Standing there in the woods wishing I had a pair (of pliers!), I got to thinking about how they work. They just squeeze the link together right? So, off with the shoe, shoelace through one side and back out the other either side of the master link, pull in opposite directions and off it pops. Bit of a tight fit for the plastic lace end but doable.

I was the only one with lace-up shoes, everyone else having fancy clippy attachment things on theirs. Just thought this could be worth sharing so people might stick a bit of string in the puncture repair box next time they’re out and save a bit of time fiddling with links. A lace with the plastic bit flattened with pliers at home would be ideal.

TL;DL: I’m a flipping genius, use a bit of string through the link to pop master links off.

Hmm, clever. 2 small zip-ties, each zipped through the other, and tug the ends parallel to the chain would also work, (but that only occurred to me just now when I pictured your solution)

Like 😀

A length of old cable inner graces my little tool pouch for just such a thing and other things.

I think one zip-tie would work as long as it was narrow enough. Because of how the link works it needs to pass through two narrow links. The only problem I could think of with mine was that you need two hands to pull the string, so you rely on the link falling apart if you’re on your own. The zip tie would solve this, but I think so would a knot in the string, one one end in your teeth…

I just use old regular pliers that have been attacked with an angle grinder

I use Connex links, then you don’t need any tools/laces/zipties…

I just use the KMC pliers, as i have no imagination.

…and got them for £3.

I just use the KMC pliers,

OMG just think of all the extra weight you’re carting around 😯

I use a pair of circlip pliers.

i normally carry a couple of 2.5mm allen keys…slot them in either side of the link and squeeze….

my top tip for unclipping powerlinks is an old toothbrush to clean up the links first, the smallest amount of grit stops the coming undone, especially on 8-speed.

Do these methods above really work? I havent seen a set of those pliers, but assumed they were some clever gizmo that managed to squeeze the links in 2 directions at the same time?

So far I’ve failed using string, but sort of understand the principle…

going to try allen keys and circlip pliers next.

but assumed they were some clever gizmo that managed to squeeze the links in 2 directions at the same time?

Nope. Just a pair of shaped pliers that press the pins towards each other.

[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eEHrWId8kvg[/video]

I just split the chain and rejoin it with a new quick link with the chain splitter on my multi tool.