I've got KMC quick links on all my bikes, and have always assumed they were single use. However, it's occurred to me that this can't be the case, otherwise Putoline users would be spending a fortune on quicklinks! So, realistically, how many times can you open / close them until it's wise to replace them?
lots.
Many.
somewhere between many and lots
... not loads though - don't do it loads
I'm sure they wear out eventually but how often do you really undo them? Maybe 20 times in the life of a chain even if you're compulsive? That's not a lot, for a chunk of metal.
Some are advertised as single use but I've never found one that actuallt is in practice
The ones supplied with the chain are like you point out single use. KMC do a range that are multiple use across there own range and crosses over to Shimano and SRAM too. The average price is £10 for two links or thereabouts. I put them on all our bikes. Sure you can reuse the single use ones. I just don't like that nagging feeling in the back of my head miles from home in honking weather that is suddenly remembers it is single use only.
I thought taht Northwind but I'm pretty sure the one on my singlepeed is an 11speed link and its daft loose now.
Just keep an eye on the pins where they are pushed into the plates as they can get loose. Be gentle when opening them - use 'just enough' force - to minimise the chance of this happening.
It is finite however. I had an 11spd Shimano quick link snap earlier this year, not ideal. It was likely older than the chain however.
Some folk overthink things.
No idea how many times I've used some of them, but if I ever snap a chain the quick link that goes on (from my bag), has been used at least once before.
If they were only strong enough to actually be used once, they would never stand up to someone putting the power down, so I’d say the answer is somewhere between ‘once’ and a fair few times.
I've been spreading the rumor that reusable quick links are patented, and other manufactures call theirs single use to get round the patent, but are essentially reusable.
It is finite however. I had an 11spd Shimano quick link snap earlier this year, not ideal. It was likely older than the chain however.
Although I re-use them a few times I'm a bit more cautious these days. I was in France and had just crested the top of a Cat 3 climb where I'd been out of the saddle for the last few metres and things had levelled out and I'd sat down.... the chain suddenly snapped. Inspection showed that, in fact, it was the quick link that had snapped. It could have been painful if I'd been out the saddle at the time. Fortunately I had a spare quick link with me.
I'm somewhere between quite a few and lots on some of them. 8-10 speed drivetrains in this house.
I just carry a couple of spares and don't think about it too much. Although masterdabber has given me balls for thought!
Iirc Whipperman have the patent for infinite use, all others are single use. Slight mechanical difference between them - they are all equally strong in tension irrespective of how many times they've been undone but it's back pedalling that undoes a worn reused non-resuable.
conversely, I've broken several chains over the years and never at the quick link.
I’ve never really understood what it is about them that makes them single use only.
So long as it still offers some resistance to being undone I consider it serviceable.
Some of the newer ones are a bugger to undo. Quick link pliers solved that though. I probably only take a chain off a handful of times in it's life but they've never given me a problem. I keep quick links off old chains as I carry a couple on rides to use if a chain breaks. If I break a chain it normally ends up being replaced at the next available opportunity though.
As oldnick says, if it is secure then I don't see a problem.
I've always wanted to try using a chain made entirely from quick links.
@imnotverygood - I’ve never really understood what it is about them that makes them single use only.
The small number of failures I've seen in our old shop were where the pins had come loose - presumably where they are bent a bit when opening, elongating the hole they are pressed into.
until it snaps
Does anyone here have a pic of the quicklink 'pliers' made out of an old spoke? I made some for mates Christmas pressies a while ago but can't really remember how. It involved a vice and something to force the spoke into a suitable shape to fit around the rollers. It might have been a Park Tool clampy thing used to hold the air shaft of a dropper post.