Your recommended chainbreaker
- AUbicycles
- Site Admin
- Posts: 15579
- Joined: Tue Aug 23, 2005 2:14 am
- Location: Sydney & Frankfurt
- Contact:
Your recommended chainbreaker
Postby AUbicycles » Thu Apr 19, 2018 3:15 pm
Recently I topped-up the online shopping cart with a cheap X-Tool chainbreaker for the workshop - looked ok but when tools are made of lead rather than steel, this will never given them much of a lifespan after unpacking. Rubbish.
Would like to get your recommendations for a workshop chainbreaker - also when I reconnect smoothly without any unwanted friction. Preference is to remove and reuse the same pin but welcome recommendations if, for example, be going for breakable pins instead each time. Or should I be using a quickpin?
- MichaelB
- Posts: 14752
- Joined: Tue Feb 20, 2007 9:29 am
- Location: Adelaide, South Australia
Re: Your recommended chainbreaker
Postby MichaelB » Thu Apr 19, 2018 4:11 pm
I suggest using a good quality chain tool. They don't get used often, but they need to work when you need them !!
- biker jk
- Posts: 6998
- Joined: Tue Nov 17, 2009 6:18 pm
- Location: Sydney
Re: Your recommended chainbreaker
Postby biker jk » Thu Apr 19, 2018 4:19 pm
- 10speedsemiracer
- Posts: 4904
- Joined: Sat Feb 11, 2017 7:38 pm
- Location: Back on the Tools .. when I'm not in the office
Re: Your recommended chainbreaker
Postby 10speedsemiracer » Thu Apr 19, 2018 4:55 pm
I prefer the KMC missing link joiners, find the Shimano pins a bit fiddly and leaves you in the same position as you were in before i.e. need to break the chain, instead of undoing a missing link. Have also needed to use the SunRace links on occasion, no issues.
-
- Posts: 1437
- Joined: Mon Apr 23, 2007 6:14 pm
- Location: Perth
Re: Your recommended chainbreaker
Postby twowheels » Thu Apr 19, 2018 5:59 pm
I (AUbicycles wrote: Would like to get your recommendations for a workshop chainbreaker - also when I reconnect smoothly without any unwanted friction. Preference is to remove and reuse the same pin
https://facebook.com/BitsaBikesWA/ ) usually break then rejoin using the same pin.
After you rejoin you need to grab the chain either side of the join and flex the chain back and forth but at right angles to the usual travel. This frees up the link/friction.
I use the Park Tool blue handle workshop breaker, previously used their smaller tool, Think I actually prefer the smaller one, but the larger one happens to hang on my tool board & as I paid for it feel I should use it.
-
- Posts: 1132
- Joined: Sun Jan 11, 2015 7:07 pm
- Location: Mornington Peninsula
Re: Your recommended chainbreaker
Postby Arbuckle23 » Thu Apr 19, 2018 6:46 pm
https://giantperth.com.au/tool-shed-ct- ... giant.html
Works really well, solidly built.
- Duck!
- Expert
- Posts: 9850
- Joined: Tue May 21, 2013 8:21 pm
- Location: On The Tools
Re: Your recommended chainbreaker
Postby Duck! » Thu Apr 19, 2018 6:57 pm
DO NOT under any circumstances reuse the pins in chains for any more than 7-sp (even some 7/8-sp. chains it's strongly advised against). Narrower chains have peened pins, with ridges around the ends to lock them in place. Reusing these pins damages the link plates, greatly increasing the risk of chain breakage. For 1-6-sp. chains where pins can be reused, the key is to not fully push the pin out, but to leave it fitted in one outer plate, which will guide it back in. For this purpose you need a chainbreaker with a spreader cradle - a second set of holding teeth toward the cenre of the tool, so that after you've fitted the pin, which will compress the link, move to the spreader cradle and gently push the pin a little further, which will also push the opposite side link plates away from the roller and alow the link to move freely. HG-type chains with peened pins don't need a spreader cradle, as the peens will properly space the link plates.AUbicycles wrote:Preference is to remove and reuse the same pin but welcome recommendations....
I use two tools, a Shimano TL-CN34 for 8+ multi-speed chains (although it's also compatible with up to 6-sp.), and a Park CT-3 for single & 5/6-sp. chains. The cradle on the Shimano tool is too narrow to fit single-sp. chain in, plus it lacks a spreader for those chains that do have reuseable pins, which is where the Park comes in. Only criticism with the Park is that the pins are relatively soft and wear down with use, so eventually you can't fully remove a link pin when you do need to.
- AUbicycles
- Site Admin
- Posts: 15579
- Joined: Tue Aug 23, 2005 2:14 am
- Location: Sydney & Frankfurt
- Contact:
Re: Your recommended chainbreaker
Postby AUbicycles » Thu Apr 19, 2018 8:18 pm
MichaelB, when you fit a new chain, do you install a quicklink. It is only recently that Shimano have a quicklinks for 11 speed - not sure if you are on 11 speed but interested in your workflow.
-
- Posts: 1132
- Joined: Sun Jan 11, 2015 7:07 pm
- Location: Mornington Peninsula
Re: Your recommended chainbreaker
Postby Arbuckle23 » Thu Apr 19, 2018 8:47 pm
I won't be using one again, I'll stick to KMC.
-
- Posts: 2631
- Joined: Tue Oct 20, 2009 10:36 pm
Re: Your recommended chainbreaker
Postby eeksll » Thu Apr 19, 2018 9:14 pm
One thing to note is on a chain checker tool, if the quicklink is in the middle of the measuring section, the chain almost always measure long/worn.
note: I fully suspect it is me that did not install the pin properly even after heavy youtube and googling. I clearly have a knack for not doing it properly even when taking care.
- Duck!
- Expert
- Posts: 9850
- Joined: Tue May 21, 2013 8:21 pm
- Location: On The Tools
Re: Your recommended chainbreaker
Postby Duck! » Thu Apr 19, 2018 9:23 pm
It's quite quick. Engage the notches, rotate the chain so the link is in the top span, grab a fistful of rear brake & jump on the forward-pointing crank. Locked. Easy. SRAM PowerLock links need the same treatment.Arbuckle23 wrote:The Shimano quick link is very tight to get locked in. Not much very quick about it.
I won't be using one again, I'll stick to KMC.
Personally I prefer properly pinned chains; I've seen too many quick links jettison themselves out in the wilds. If you don't let crap build up on your chain, you never need to take it of until it's being replaced.
- MichaelB
- Posts: 14752
- Joined: Tue Feb 20, 2007 9:29 am
- Location: Adelaide, South Australia
Re: Your recommended chainbreaker
Postby MichaelB » Fri Apr 20, 2018 8:33 am
On 11sp and use the KMC quick links.AUbicycles wrote:
MichaelB, when you fit a new chain, do you install a quicklink. It is only recently that Shimano have a quicklinks for 11 speed - not sure if you are on 11 speed but interested in your workflow.
Have actually been using some 10sp ones on the 11sp chain without issues too.
Note though that some of the quick links are single use only. Seems to be more common, as the latest KMC x93-11 chain has a single use quick link.
As to the force to sometimes click together/get apart, there are pliers that do the job or a variety of techniques.
- foo on patrol
- Posts: 8987
- Joined: Sat Dec 19, 2009 11:12 am
- Location: Sanstone Point QLD
Re: Your recommended chainbreaker
Postby foo on patrol » Sun Apr 22, 2018 8:21 am
Foo
Goal 6000km
- Tim
- Posts: 2944
- Joined: Wed Jul 07, 2010 5:02 pm
- Location: Gippsland Lakes
Re: Your recommended chainbreaker
Postby Tim » Sun Apr 22, 2018 9:24 am
I only use the chain breakers for shortening new chains.
The KMC 9 and 10 speed Missing links are reusable and can be opened and closed by hand.
The KMC 11 speed Missing Links are Non-reusable and need a tool to open and I close them with pedal force. I do reuse them for chain removal and rotation with a second chain, but only use the one link on the one chain. Each chain has it's own link and is discarded when a worn out chain is discarded. Never had a problem with them though plenty of others have.
-
- Posts: 325
- Joined: Sun Feb 25, 2018 5:36 pm
Re: Your recommended chainbreaker
Postby Scintilla » Sun Apr 22, 2018 9:54 am
The best chainbreakers come with one (or even two) spare pins. Often they are hidden in the handle which can be screwed off.foo on patrol wrote:I don't like the pins I prefer the KMC quick links. Chain breakers, well the pin itself, is the weak link on the breakers but as far as a brand name goes, I have no answer. I have three old school breakers and two newer ones and all of the pins have bent or broken after time.
-
- Posts: 951
- Joined: Sun Apr 15, 2012 1:43 pm
- Location: Watching the ships on the Southern Ocean
Re: Your recommended chainbreaker
Postby ball bearing » Sun Apr 22, 2018 2:42 pm
- redsonic
- Posts: 1767
- Joined: Wed Sep 26, 2012 8:08 pm
- Location: Brisbane
Re: Your recommended chainbreaker
Postby redsonic » Sun Apr 22, 2018 3:10 pm
Yep, I have the Pedro's Tutto and it's ergonomics are fantastic. Love it.ball bearing wrote:I have several including the Park Tool CT3. The nicest one is the Pedro's Tutto by a long shot.
- AUbicycles
- Site Admin
- Posts: 15579
- Joined: Tue Aug 23, 2005 2:14 am
- Location: Sydney & Frankfurt
- Contact:
Re: Your recommended chainbreaker
Postby AUbicycles » Mon Apr 23, 2018 4:10 pm
-
- Posts: 374
- Joined: Thu Oct 08, 2015 6:31 am
- Location: Brisbane
Re: Your recommended chainbreaker
Postby Patt0 » Mon Apr 23, 2018 7:53 pm
https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Bike-Bicycl ... L1W7fbCkDA
- ValleyForge
- Posts: 1831
- Joined: Tue Jan 27, 2009 5:37 pm
- Location: Brisbane
Re: Your recommended chainbreaker
Postby ValleyForge » Mon Apr 23, 2018 9:39 pm
The ParkTool I have is 10S, but works fantastically.
-
- Posts: 1876
- Joined: Sat Nov 08, 2008 10:46 am
- Location: Southeast Tasmania
Re: Your recommended chainbreaker
Postby LG » Tue Apr 24, 2018 2:14 pm
-
- Posts: 246
- Joined: Mon Oct 14, 2013 9:25 am
- MelodyWheels
- Posts: 136
- Joined: Fri Aug 29, 2014 9:30 pm
- Location: Fremantle, Western Australia
- Contact:
Re: Your recommended chainbreaker
Postby MelodyWheels » Sun Apr 29, 2018 5:52 pm
- WyvernRH
- Posts: 3175
- Joined: Tue Nov 06, 2007 6:41 pm
- Location: Newcastle NSW
Re: Your recommended chainbreaker
Postby WyvernRH » Mon Apr 30, 2018 8:49 am
Am I the only one still using this type of tool?
Richard
- 10speedsemiracer
- Posts: 4904
- Joined: Sat Feb 11, 2017 7:38 pm
- Location: Back on the Tools .. when I'm not in the office
Re: Your recommended chainbreaker
Postby 10speedsemiracer » Wed May 02, 2018 12:37 am
This is the updated version of mine :
Has a more substantial feel to it than an Ice Toolz unit I had, and an el cheapo before that.
- General Australian Cycling Topics
- Info / announcements
- Buying a bike / parts
- General Cycling Discussion
- The Bike Shed
- Cycling Health
- Cycling Safety and Advocacy
- Women's Cycling
- Bike & Gear Reviews
- Cycling Trade
- Stolen Bikes
- Bicycle FAQs
- Serious Biking
- Audax / Randonneuring
- Retro biking
- Commuting
- MTB
- Recumbents
- Fixed Gear/ Single Speed
- Track
- Electric Bicycles
- Cyclocross and Gravel Grinding
- Dragsters / Lowriders / Cruisers
- Children's Bikes
- Cargo Bikes and Utility Cycling
- Road Racing
- Road Biking
- Training
- Time Trial
- Triathlon
- International and National Tours and Events
- Cycle Touring
- Touring Australia
- Touring Overseas
- Touring Bikes and Equipment
- Australia
- Western Australia
- New South Wales
- Queensland
- South Australia
- Victoria
- ACT
- Tasmania
- Northern Territory
- Country & Regional
- The Market Place
- Member to Member Bike and Gear Sales
- Want to Buy, Group Buy, Swap
- My Bikes or Gear Elsewhere
- Cycling Brands
- Cannondale
- Garmin
- Giant
- Shimano
- Trek
Who is online
Users browsing this forum: MattyK
- All times are UTC+11:00
- Top
- Delete cookies
About the Australian Cycling Forums
The Australian Cycling Forums is a welcoming community where you can ask questions and talk about the type of bikes and cycling topics you like.
Bicycles Network Australia
Forum Information
Connect with BNA
This website uses affiliate links to retail platforms including ebay, amazon, proviz and ribble.