Reason I ask is that I couldn’t for the life of me break the chain last night! I had assumed that the missing link would come apart as easily as a SRAM version. Am I doing something wrong?

The 10 speed ones? I can’t seem to get mine to come apart properly either, and this is on a KMC chain too. I managed to pull one apart with pliers and lots of swearing, but it snapped a few weeks later, so I must have damaged it in the process.

9-speed ones are pretty much the same (same design, KMC are slightly tighter toleranced I think). 10 speed i’ve not used SRAM ones but KMC work well for me, only ever struggled to get them off when they’re properly manky and jammed up.

The best six quid you’ll ever spend

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/bbb-open-link-closing-link-tool-btl77/rp-prod47439

I snapped and bought the KMC tool.

Just the remover, though, as the KMC have separate tools for opening and removing.

I find that they are stiff when new but it’s possible to split them with a bit of swearing! Still better than the SRAM 10sp which can’t be split.

uhmmm, this 10 speed stuff is new to me. I knew about the tools but PITA to have to carry one in the Camelback. I’ll bite the bullet.

Thanks

I wouldn’t carry the tool- you only ever need it to separate a split link, how often do you want to do that while out riding? Useful for the garage as it’s a frustration-remover.

I wouldn’t carry the tool- you only ever need it to separate a split link, how often do you want to do that while out riding? Useful for the garage as it’s a frustration-remover.

This^^

Fitting them is easy, and removal rarely is needed when out on the bike.

I had to do a quick trail repair with a KMC 9spd missing link on my sram 10spd chain. Can i just keep it on or will i die?
(The original sram missing link failed)

I wasn’t planning on changing my chain or cassette in the near future so want to avoid that if possible

My kmc x9l snapped on me friday night at 10pm while halfwaydown the darkest windiest mudiest wettest trail ive ridden this year!.. It broke right next to the power-link & was left with the correct ends to just re-join with the magic link so a quik fix luckily but couldve been a nightmare.?? Dunno why she broke but #justsayin 😉

The KMC (9 speed) are always fine with me. Much swearing and frustration until someone told me the trick, which is to pich the links inwards whilst seperating!

No problemo!

Yeah, I can do the 9 speed ones, never had a problem with those, the 10 speed ones seem to be right buggers though. Might have to get one of those tool thingys, hmmm.

mintimperial – Member
Yeah, I can do the 9 speed ones, never had a problem with those, the 10 speed ones seem to be right buggers though.

The SRAM 10 speed ones aren’t intended to be reusable.

The SRAM 10 speed ones aren’t intended to be reusable.

I know that, I’m talking about the KMC ones, as you can see from my earlier post agreeing with the OP. 🙂

I just had another go at one of mine out of interest: definitely KMC, definitely does not want to come apart. Maybe I got mine from a duff batch or something.

*scrubs horrible wintery chain-cack from hands*

My 10 speed kmc link failed on me on a flat cycle path ride, chain and it are only a couple of hundred miles old. I’ve not had a chance to try getting it apart. To be fair I’ve had a sram link do the same to me.

10 speed kmc ones are reusable. They’re just a bit stiff when new after a miles on they ease up and are no harder than the 9 speed versions to remove

The 10spd sram ones are reusable. And quite easy to get off aafter a bit of practice

You have to push the links inwards together (do a pinching motion with thumb and index finger) whilst sliding them apart to get them off easily.

For years I wondered why some missing links would come apart easily until I learned that this was the way to do it. Now they all come apart easily.

As Johnny m says. Bought a BBB tool for £6 to put them on and take them off but after a few miles can do them by hand no problem.