Does anyone else remove and recycle the powerlinks from a worn chain before binning it?

I do.

Would the powerlink not wear/stretch like the chain…?

I do.

never thought of it… I will now though 😀

But, as Fadda asks, do they stretch/wear out? 😕

Yes.

I saw the title and thought you had been out with the JC Cycle boys.
Re the links it had Never occurred to me before.

usually not. Only if its only been on for a couple of rides after a snapped chain. I look at the pins on the powerlink, If I can see a big worn area (usually if its barely gold then the pins will start to look fairly worn) I’ll not put them back into a new chain

I don’t put them back in, I put them in with my puncture patches and stuff for emergency repairs.

Of course, spares innit.

relegate to emergency box if they have been on ages.

Hands up here 8)

Yup – for emergency get you home use

you bin chains?!

always reuse – how can they wear out? they are a pivot for a roller. Worst case scenario the roler wobbles about .5mm

Yep, I keep one spare in my rucksack once I’ve taken it off a used chain. Or I did until I had to give it to my friend as I couldn’t be bothered joining his chain with a tool. Not tight, just sensible.

Yep. Got loads of the buggers now!

try ky if it’s a tight one

yep. its the inner plate that wears mainly.
(though the pin does wear too)

im pretty sure power links are harder steel than the rest of your average chain, and also, a single worn link, is not the same as all of them being worn.

AND its only for emergencies anyway 🙂

i carry both a 9 and an 8 speed pair, as my bikes vary between 9 speed, and correct-number-of-speeds setups.

the wear is between the inner plate and the roller – they do wear on the pins and so do the sideplates.

The wear is between the inner plate and the roller as this is one point where the load is transfered to the pins (this makes it more likely to walk off the cog as the rollers pivot about) and the inner plate and the pivot pin as this is where the chain bends while loaded (this produces the *stretch* you measure from pin to pin). Chains don’t stretch in the real sense. The quick link is just a pair of outer plates and pivot pins, only the pins wear on them.

I re-use them, and have never had one fail despite other parts of the chain failing, but don’t be fooled that they can’t wear at all. As said earlier, the majority of the wear is not on the case-hardened pin so it’s pretty safe for multiple re-uses.

Yes, and needed it yesterday when my new chain snapped

tight bugger here too.
I also make tyre boots out of old tyres. 🙂

Yep,

They’ll get you home/back to the car. Also on group rides there’s always someone who snaps a chain and hasn’t yet heard of them so I get through them fairly fast as they never come back.

Of course. Generally just put them straight on to the next chain and keep the new ones in spare. Never had one break. got some chap home at Marshbrook at the weekend with one of the spares.

I don’t put them back in, I put them in with my puncture patches and stuff for emergency repairs.

+1 and then hand them out to the tight buggers who don’t carry spares – they ain’t having my shiney new ones!
I also do it for other ppl bikes I upgrade (chain/drivetain obviously), usually attach the old un to a cable, so they can’t loose it & always have one!
I don’t see it as being tight, just sensible… one of the most dead useful ‘spares’ that should be carried all the time
…..can you tell this was my first major mechanical [years ago] was a chain snapping 2 hrs from the car, with no chaintool/spare link

yup – in pack – for broken chain moments 🙂