SRAM PowerLink (?) removal?

I’ve removed loads of these things over the years but the one I got with my SRAM chain (1070) doesn’t seem to want to budge. Are those that actually come WITH a chain somehow different? The female bits aren’t parallel to the chain, if that makes sense, and I had to stand on the pedals to lock it into place unlike the other ones I’ve used which seem to just slip together… Any suggestions? Ta.

10 speed links are called PowerLocks and are not meant to he removable.

This should be a sticky.

They are removable but are not designed to be reused. I have reused one many times without issue tho (SRAM PowerLock
A set of these is a good purchase: PowerLock tool
Used to drive me mad trying to get the link off but it’s a 2 second job with these.

For 10 speed I use KMC chains and quick links. The quick links can be un done by hand like SRAM 8/9 speed powerlinks.

I have no plans to re-use (I have plenty of KMC and SRAM quick/power links) just want to get this bugger orf! 🙂

Kicking myself I didn’t just follow my instinct and use what I know rather than what came with the chain. Assume there is no difference in how they behave…

Mole grips or strong pliers used carefully at an angle across the opposing corners of the link gets them off, mainly so that you can fit a KMC.. Quick-links that you can’t re-use easily have to be one of the daftest bike products ever made )

Yet again, I will say Connex splittable links FTW. By far the easiest to use, I don’t know why anyone uses SRAM.

I’ve done it by using a pair of pilers just make sure you get hold of opposite ends of the link.
Some help that isn’t buy KMC
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GiXsOfZDdT0

got the removing pliers and they are great. Especially as the older 9sp ones could be hard to remove sometimes too.

if you arent planning on using it again… just use your chain link extractor tool to knock the pins out on the power link.. (if you dont have a powerlink removal tool)

I used an angle grinder to remove the last one. I now have the correct tool to remove them in the future but with my luck I probably wont have to remove any more

IHN – Member
Yet again, I will say Connex splittable links FTW. By far the easiest to use, I don’t know why anyone uses SRAM.

Posted 1 day ago # Report-Post

They’re rubbish if you use a chainguide, they can come undone as they go around the roller, inherent weakness of the design, OK for everything else though.

Well, there you go, I did not know that.

I borrowed a pair of Park master link pliers off a friend. However did I manage without these before? 😉

(To be honest, I managed just fine when it’s just regular quick links, but everyone likes a shiny new tool, right…)

I have two pairs. A decent set in the toolkit, and another pair live in the camelback. Because if you’ve ever struggled to undo them in the workshop, imagine how much harder it is when you’re miles from home, and the chain’s covered in filth. And it’s raining. And minus 3. And dark.

I got a pair of Topeak quick link pliers for about a tenner. works a treat and I re-use my 10 speed SRAm powerlinks and have had no problems so far.