Changed my tune on quick link reuse after a close call

I used to think reusing quick links was fine if they clicked back together okay. Then, on a group ride last week, my chain snapped on a steep climb because a reused link gave out. I had to walk my bike three miles back, which was pretty embarrassing. Now I see that even if a link seems tight, the metal can be stressed from previous use. I keep a few new links in my kit all the time, just in case. It's a small cost that stops big headaches on the road.

3 comments

3 Comments

wesleyroberts2mo ago

Three miles walking a bike sounds like a new kind of workout. I bet that chain snap was louder than your excuses to the group. After @the_seth described his crit disaster, I started treating used quick links like expired food. They might look okay, but you REALLY don't want to find out the hard way. Now I have a brand new link taped inside my helmet like a weird good luck charm.

the_seth3mo ago

Man, I totally get where you're coming from. I had a reused link fail on me during a crit race last year, and it was a nightmare. My chain just exploded when I stood up to sprint, and I went down hard. Now I never reuse them, even for a quick fix. It's just not worth the risk of a wreck or a long walk home.

parker_hunt613mo ago

Ugh, that sounds brutal. After a snapped chain left me stranded miles out, I just keep a cheap chain tool and a fresh quick link in my seat bag. Breaking the chain and putting in a new link takes two minutes on the side of the road. It’s way better than trying to fiddle a pin back into an old link, and you know it’s solid. Never have to worry about it letting go again.