you beauties!!

My new toolbox best friends

Amen to that. I've read numerous posts about powerlinks literally falling apart if you had the technique but I've failed dismally to master it. Lots of other people clearly haven't got this magic knack either as Park make a tool, too.

Good aren't they.

An essential bit of kit. If you don't have one treat yourself now.

Seriously? its SOOO easy to do it, just push the faces of the plates together and slide, job done. Next youll be saying you poitevly HAVE to use a headset press (when a hammer and skill is all you need).

Or you can use a zip tie – slightly cheaper that £7:99

bit of bent coathanger for me – easy to carry in a backpack or pocket. after all, the only place you "need" those pliers is on the trail. at home you could just clean off the kacky chain & do it by hand, shirley ?

As STATO

I really do find it so easy to open them
It's worth persevering & learning the knack in case you need to open one when out somewhere

Seriously?

+1

Got my technique nailed.

Can be tricky if the chain's very gunky, but those are not tools I'm going to carry out on the trail with me. At home, I'd rather spend the money saved on beers!

ziptie's – coat hangers – WTF
I get a certain satifisfaction from having the right tools for the job

oh yeah and I'm a soft southener – incase your wondering 😆

A tool for opening Powerlinks?

Jeezus.

another one here – it really is worth persevering as it's a faff to have yet another tool, especially one that isn't exactly trailside friendly. I think it's down to having the special link really clean, a tiny bit of grit can clog up the sliding action. First time I managed to split the chain tool free, after ages of struggling, with only colourful language to assist me, I was as delighted as you are with your lovely new pliers. It works best if you push the chain together, so that the paltes of the speacial link are at 90 to the rest of the chain, then pinch the plate mid point between the rivets. once you've got the knack, s'easy – honest.

last week it took me longer to pop the chain link than it did to fit and set up a new front mech.
thanks for the link a new tool will be ordered for an old tool to use!

Them plier things is cheating, just like tyre levers 😉

Still, I do love my headset press 😎

Surely the next step
🙄

the next step? disappointed, was hoping for 'robots in disguise' there 😮

Don't be preposterous, that would be going too far! 😉

Try Connex links. They are tool free. And not SRAM tool free, where you need a tool, they are tool free as in you don't need a tool. Promise!

Hilarious!

Next essential purchase – a quick release opening tool!

I thought a Powerlink was supposed to enable you to split a chain without tools?

If you need tools to split a powerlink then you may as well join the chain properly and buy a proper chain tool. A solution to a problem that doesn't/shouldn't exist IMO.

bloody hell, what about suspension on a bike… you dont need it to get down a hill but it does make it that little bit quicker and easier?!

if the OP is happy with his purchase, then its a good purchase IMO

(might not be something i would buy… but its not my money so who cares!)

It is technique,jus one I haven't always got!
However I've have now got a Connex Wipperman chain and the quick link things is so easy to use and isn't badly affected by grit.

What RealMan says.

SRAM powerlinks are bobbins compared to da shizzle that is the Connex link

Got the Park one in the shed. They rock!

long nose pliers work too 🙂

Now, is there a tool to unclip my shoes from the pedals? 😉

I think I can agree with both sides here. When I first started using Powerlinks I found them really easy to split, but I struggle sometimes nowadays. No idea why. Anyway, I could split them while on a ride if I had to but a tool for the job in the workshop would save a lot of faff.

Ok everyone watch and learn

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-IiCQLJTcj4

Connex quick links. Even after half a ton of mud and lube and in freezing conditions and at night they are still so ridiculously easy to open. I think you can buy them from wiggle. Very good quality too, never heard of any breaking.