Weight Weenies

Time for new Wippermann Connex links for my Campy 10 speed system. When last I purchased some there were two for 10 speeds: one marked "10 speed" and one marked "10S1." The 10S1 was best for UN chains. In searching for new links I only see one model offered and the description says it works with all 10 speed systems. Does anyone know if there now is just the single model?

campy's 10sp chain used to be wider than shimano/sram's 10sp chains. then campy came out with their "ultra narrow" 10sp chains, which ran quieter. theyre all practically the same width now. so theres only one 10sp link.

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While all modern 10 speed chains are now the same 5.9mm in width across the outside, they are not all the same width across the inner plates, so mixing brands of chains and master links will yield different amounts of side clearance.

Shimano, KMC and Wipperman all have about the same width across the inner plates, the last time I measured them, while SRAM and Campy were both about .1mm narrower.

Using a Wipperman connex link with the narrower chain brands will produce more side clearance than the other links on the chain. There is only one width of 10 speed connex link in current production.

is the current link the narrower of the two that were offered previously...the one i am using now works fine with my Campy chain

goldmine848 wrote:is the current link the narrower of the two that were offered previously...the one i am using now works fine with my Campy chain

No, since Wipperman, Shimano and KMC are the wider models, it means that Wipperman no longer makes the narrower version that they use to refer to as "Shimano compatible".

The SRAM link should be the narrowest, but it always pays to measure, since manufacturers may make changes without notice.

I like to see a side clearance in the .004-.008 inch or .1-.2mm range and use feeler gages to check.

Well I just looked at the box and it says they are 6.1mm. They seem to work fine with the Campy chain.

You must have bought new-old-stock chains. Wipperman hasn;t made 6.1mm width chains for quite a few years.

http://www.connexchain.com/Bicycle-chai ... 1_326.html

sorry for the confusion...I meant that the Connex links are 6.1 and I am using them with current Campy chains

i used shiomano 10 speed model with great success

Skip the Wippermann and get a KMC instead... works much better.

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I've always found the wipperman link to work well and it's the easiest to remove. You just have to remember to install it in the correct direction. The KMC link does not remove as easily and some are not recommended for reuse. I figure that as long as the link has some snap left to it, when reconnected, it's probably OK to reuse.

IRD makes links for 10 and 11 speed that have a similar shape to the wipperman.