Friday, June 19, 2009

Campagnolo 11 Speed Chain Failure

Now if you don't use the Campy recommended, "200 dollar" chain tool to hook up your 11 speed chain, it will break. If not now, at some point. Because of the smaller tolerances and a special peening procedure involved, your conventional tool will not be able to seat the union bushing into the links properly. It will bend out and take the paper thin link along with it.

Only the mighty Campy tool can properly do the following while crapping in your wallet :

a) Support the left end of the link by clamping it while pushing the union bushing in adequately with a conical pusher.

b) Split the protruding end by a special hole provided in the tool.

c) Lock the bushing in the link ("locking the link"). 

Trust me, this is the Cadillac of chain tools. Your grandpa's tool just won't cut it.

Now I myself thought I could somehow get away without 'following the rules'. Oh no. Didn't work.

The following chain failure happened to me while climbing a long hill. I asked my local bike shop to equip themselves with the right tool and had them fix me a new chain. (I think its the right thing to do for them as now, it is likely that customers increasingly show up at their place with a 11 speed job)

Hey, just check out the width of this chain. This is technology right here.


Now start being amazed and see how a 11 speed chain is installed :

12 comments:

Chris said...

Jesus Christ! 200 dollar tool to install a chain? Its technology alright, but it doesn't come cheap eh? Speaking of which, I'm sure Park Tools or Pedro will come up with something similar for lesser coin. I don't see Campy monopolizing in this for long.

Anonymous said...

I back up Wheels of Justice. I wasn't amazed. Just shocked at the absurdity. This is why I won't be switching to 11. Coincidentally, it is also an unlucky number for me. Can you imagine what'd happen if they released a 13 speed chain? Cross your fingers while you slip into the 13th gear :))

Phil said...

att first, I thought that tool was a some sort of machine gun you see in the movies.

Kieselghur said...

$200 for a tool VS. the free Powerlink that comes with a new SRAM chain...
I wonder if it's patents or the design of the chain that made them go with what, at a glance, seems to be the most complicated way to install the chain.

Scott Skalski said...

Amazing blog!

Anonymous said...

The 200 dollar tool is a gift to bike shops. It ensures that every 11 speed chain is installed at a shop with the proper tools and expertise. It ensures that every worn out chain also sells another hundred dollars in accessories and other high margin items. It also seems to wears out less than half as fast as a dura-ace chain. Campy 11 speed is the best of the new-generation of groupos being offered. Stop bitching about it.

Anonymous said...

i think i can forsee where this is going. people are going to complain that the tool is too big to place in a saddle bag. its going to be made smaller, lighter, maybe adorned with some new alloy, some different colors, some lightening holes...voila..soon you have a 300 dollar tool :)

Ron said...

"At the risk of sounding like an old guy... wait, I am an old guy..."


Badger, that was classic. :)

Anonymous said...

I wondered about using my 10 speed chain tool if I would go 11 speed. Maybe I need to shop frames first. The wicked web we weave...

Anonymous said...

Park makes a tool now. It's $50, if it does the job satisfactorily.

From what I've read so far: Campy narrowed the links but the rollers are the same width. The links are made out of a fancy steel that's "20% stronger" or some such thing.

My concern (I'm considering going to 11) is how well you can do on a field repair? Can you mash that thing in well enough to ride 50 miles home and then properly fix your chain? You can't carry that campy chain tool with you...

I also don't want to spend $200 on the chain tool or have the bike shop swap my chain (I don't like waiting in line).

Anonymous said...

come on! you pay 200 for some bullshit tool like that? perhaps the only thing that is truly unique is the pressing pin tip. A backing support is simple to acquire and that little clip isn't required if you remove the chain from the chain ring

Anonymous said...

I know folks who are succesfully using a KNC 10 speed quick link in their 11 speed chains. seems to work fine and im sure KNC will soon come out with a dedicated 11 speed QL