quicklinks what do you use and are they reliable?

+1 for the Wipperman Connex link.

I have been using them for 4-5 years without problems. I even use them on my downhill bike without any issues.

They are so much easier to use than the sram link.

The sram ones have been good to me.

Haven't broken a quick link, but SRAM's ara a PITA to get off. Wippermann Connex are much easier to remove - they don't seem to jam in place and you can get them off just with your fingers. I carry a small pair of pliers in my Camelbak that I've had to use a couple of times with SRAM.

I have used Sram and Connex and both work well. The Sram ones can be hard to get off sometimes. The Connex ones must be put on with the correct orientation or they won't turn around the 11t cog on your cassette.

Never had a broken chain in 13 years on my other bikes so yeah, its either me or the epic. Personally I think its got something to do with those FRM chainrings.

The bike does get unhappy when shifting down from the big ring on the front and quite often gets chain suck just as the chain finishes rolling off the big cog. Has always done it with different chains, clean or dirty and different lube options. I have just learned to ride around the problem by shifting early and pedalling with a low cadence during the change. Never had chainsuck at any other time until the chain got muddy in the dirtworks and kept sticking to the small cog until I gave it enough lube to work again.

So I think something happens when its changing down and somehow if the links in the wrong place it manages to disconnect the sram quick link that most people cant get undone when they are trying to.

Will try a connex link on the new chain and will also replace the chainrings.

Who does a 26 or 27t small for a 2*9 setup other than middleburn and FRM?

I found a little different on the weekend, 2x10 with good rings and a heap of chain suck when using small ring and the smaller gears on the cassette, put it down to the mud and the cross chaining in the small small gear ranges.

Oh and I have reused the SRAM 10 speed powerlink (the black one that came with the chain) time and time again with no failure to date, although its a real PITA to undo??

Yes, its a standard XTR 09 3 ring crank with an FRM Pro 27T on the small and a 40T on the middle with spacers on the large. The front derailleur was swapped to an SRAM XX 2x. Guess the front derailleur is a 2010. Shifters are XTR and it all works well except sometimes when I change down.
The FRM rings have been on since before I got the bike and have outlasted the chain and cassette so appreciate they are good stuff. They still don't look warn to me but after the last 2 weekends and the previous years work its probably time they got a rest.
Only reason I can see for changing from FRM is to see if that stops the intermittent chainsuck on downshifts, I know its remote but that chainsuck or whatever else is happening on the downshift is all I can see that would be disconnecting the quicklink.

Why else would the quicklink come apart 40m up the woomera range hill just after I changed down on the flat before the hill?

@haydos - @buck is correct. Those black pins you got with your SRAM 10 speed chain aren't meant to be reuseable. Without bagging the manufacturer why do you think SRAM who have created a market in 9 speed reusable links have released 10 speed with a non reuseable link? Now I've never had a problem personally with a SRAM link but doesn't it seem strange they didn't release their XX gear with a re-useable link? Also Shimano don't have a quick link so there may be a reason for that too?

@paul - most likely your problem comes from one or a combo of wear, chainline and front derailleur. If any of them are slightly out of spec then a day in the mud will always highlight the problem. I didn't have a single problem with chain suck in the race and haven't had it for a few years because I make sure I replace my drivetrain before it wears. Up until last year I was running full XTR then converted to SRAM XX cassette, chain & derailleur's with the FRM cranks and chain rings. I've not had a problem with either set up. For what it's worth John Odams came 3rd last year in that horrific Capital Punishment using FRM so safe to assume they do the job. Looking at your setup, having XX front derailleur with XTR shifters may not be ideal? I recall a thread in recent days debating that very issue and I remember Flynny & Hawkeye were quite educated on the topic.

So what I would do is change your chain to Shimano and check wear on your rings & cassette (if you are unsure of wear send me some close up pics) and finally check your offset. Can you get the chain rings closer to the frame? Further up this thread somewhere I recall mentioning some of the better known brands haven't designed the offset for 2X set up so you find you don't get the straight chainline you should get which could be the cause of throwing your links off. I do have a 27 tooth ring still in its box.

I've been using wipperman connex links for about 4 years and have never had a problem.
Really easy to get off and on. I've tried SRAM ones but find them a pita to get off. I carry a couple of spares in my pack and have rescued a few friends with snapped chains. Never had chain problem myself though .... Maybe I just don't pedal hard enough ...
CB

The only things that are old are the rings and the rider. For what its worth I max out at 280w so there are plenty of people putting a lot more force through a 9 speed chain.

A new Shimano chain and 36T cassette went on before the James Williamson. The LBS said the rings didn't need changing. I have done 22:45 riding time for 351k since then. The LBS checked the chain again after the GNR Monday ride and it wasn't that bad.
I did swap to a new xtr 34T cassette for the dirtworks but from what I am told the cassette doesn't impact chainsuck unless its worn and stretches the chain.

The rings couldn't be any closer to the frame as they have all sorts of deformities in the carbon seat tube and chainstays to get it in close. I think with the 2X on the 3X crank they are actually left of centre.

Have also been told that xtr shifters and the xx are ok on the front.

New rings then. Will give you a call when I work out if I want to stay 27 & 40 or try 26/39.

Paul,

For the racing you are doing and the pace you ride you should consider the 27/42 combo I use. With your 36 on the cassette you shouldn't need 26 on the front. Similarly 39 and 40 are pretty short on the faster stuff. I stayed in my big ring on the weekend for all but the 2 big climbs and a couple of pinch climbs. Most would say the gap between 27 and 42 is too big as you need 3 compensatory shifts on the back to maintain cadence when you change between chain rings but you would find at your fitness level you hardly change between chain rings so the small ring is really used as a bailout. Even when you do shift to it you can just keep changing the rear until you run out of gears and then go back to the big ring. You're welcome to ride my bike to try the ratios. It does need a clean after the weekend though

all a bit 6 of one half dozen of another. They all do a pretty good job. Never had one of any brand fail yet.