Just ordered in a couple of these, anything special I should do before the first use?
Yeah, send them back while you can still get a refund.
I have one I’ll sell for cheap if anyone wants it. Ok, here’s my beef. They don’t shift very well at all (in my experience) and the little quick link thing is just an excuse for people not to learn how to use a chain tool. Here’s a question, if you’re riding up a hill, really torquing on the chain, which link is going to go first? The chain is compatible with Shimano 9 spd, but it doesn’t work as well with a 9 spd kit as does a shimano chain. There are subtleties to the shimano chain (outer plate shape) that seems to make a big difference when shifting.
My two cents, if you’re doing flat riding or racing with very little gear changing, give them a go. If you want a smooth, predictable shifting machine, stick with an Ultegra or Dura Ace chain (assuming you’re running shimano…)
While I’ve been told my experience was unique, my wipperman snapped at the quick link while on my last long ride before IM USA. I simply stood on the pedals to make a simple start from a stop light, and PING! I was down on the top tube with my n*ts in my throat. The little quick link just blew into several pieces. One side plate was split right down the middle.
Bike Nashbar sent me a new one, but I’ve never put it back on since I’m now afraid to ride it.
You know, those Shimano chains are awfully nice…
I was down on the top tube with my n*ts in my throat.
You know, whenever I see a wipperman chain I will remember this phrase for the rest of my life !!
I’ve never used one, and it doesn’t look like I will be running out to buy any soon . . .
Well I love these chains. I’m only on my first one, but I have no shifting problems and my n*ts are still where they’re supposed to be. Every time I ride I’m always amazed that I can actually feel how smooth the chain rides. Of course these failure horror stories have me a bit concerned, but it’s also true that whenever you break and reassemble a Shimano chain that you’re increasing its chances for failure.
As for first time installation, I know some will strip off the factory grease and re-lube the chain themselves. I just sized the chain using a standard chain tool, and was off.
This is mostly related to the follow on responses, but don’t get so down on the concept of quick link based on Wipperman alone. As a clean bike freak I rely on the SRAM quick link to help me keep my chains in good shape, and I’ve never had a moment’s worth of problems.
I break my bike down every couple of rides for a thorough cleaning. Part of that includes removal of the chain - and without the quick-link that wouldn’t be possible. You can buy them for a couple of bucks and put them on the standard Shimano chains in a snap. I keep two chains and two quick links - while one is getting dirty the other one is getting cleaned.
Never ever ever had a problem with the quick link and I hope to never have a chain again without one.
Schwingding
Do you use a SRAM chain with the link to do you just put the SRAM link into a Shimano chain. If you use the Shimano chain you use the special pin (2 of them) to install the link right? Just wondering because I’m not sure which way to go on a new chain, SRAM or link with Ultegra.
Thanks
A
Schwingding
Do you use a SRAM chain with the link to do you just put the SRAM link into a Shimano chain. If you use the Shimano chain you use the special pin (2 of them) to install the link right? Just wondering because I’m not sure which way to go on a new chain, SRAM or link with Ultegra.
Thanks
A
Sure. I use the Shimano chains, I think its the HG, but I can’t recall perfectly, with the SRAM masterlink. Correct about using both pins. I’ve thousands and thousands of miles on them with no problems at all. As for breaking strength? I don’t know, but I AM only 140 pounds wet.
I installed a new wipperman Connex chain on my new Cervelo Soloist Team with Shimano Dura-Ace 9 speed, FSA carbon cranks and Shimano Dura-Ace (correct, matching series) chainrings. I was absolutely not pleased with the shifting performance. It was sporadic and difficult to adjust correctly. The chain was meticulously prepared and lubed, everything was extremely clean. Shift quality was poor. To benchmark the chain I switched to FSA chainrings on the FSA crank, a relatively tight ration 53/44 combination. No improvement. Double checcked cog tightness, switched wheels (from Zipp 404 to Mavic Ksyrium) to dial out the hub variable and put a Dura-Ace crank on the bike with the Dura-Ace chainrings. Still poor shifting at either extreme of the cog- the 11 to the 12 or the 19 to the 21, take your pick which one you wanted to work poorly. The shifts were also loud and clunky in between. Finally switching back to the standard Shimano Dura-Ace 9 speed chain yielded a substantial immediate improvement in shifting performance and drivetrain noise. When I mentioned this to an industry rep. he commented that the Wipperman 9 speed chains are too wide for a 9 speed drivetrain and that better nine speed performance could be obtained from using the 10 speed chain on a nine speed drivetrain. With Shimano Dura-Ace working so well at half the price I am sticking with the Dura-Ace chain and have since gone back to the FSA cranks. Shifting is now excellent, quiet, repeatable and without compromise.
Yeah, but now you can get the Wipperman chains in all sorts of colors! Hmmm…colors or smooth shifting? Tough choice…
Shimano at half price of the Wipperman must mean you are talking about the stainless steel version. I think the stainless steel wipperman is a bad chain. The side plates bend quite easily and it costs 66% more than the nickel version for a claimed 40% increase in chain life. Something about that doesn’t add up to me.
The 10sp chain shifts fine with campy although it is marginally noisier than the campy campy.
broke two of those links within a couple of hundred miles, both on the start on a redlight…
shifting seemed ok but then I’m not too picky, I guess!
Aaaarrghhh!! You guys are getting in my head now. As I said, I’m very happy with this chain but the last thing that I want is reliability questions in the back of my mind while racing in my first IM.
i’ve put almost 1000km’s on my new 8 speed wipperman nickel chain with no problems so far. although, after reading all this stuff, i’m getting a little nervous now too. i have, however, snapped a shimano chain before.
having snapped both shimano 9sp and campy 10sp chains while riding, i’ve switched to wippermann and will not go back to a press-in pin.
for people who have shifting problems with wippermann, i can suggest one thing, which they don’t adequately describe in their literature: it’s possible to put the connex link in backwards, in which case you’ll having trouble in your smallest cog (outside cog).
otherwise, in my personal opinion using both their 9sp chains with shimano and 10sp chains with campy, i have nothing but praise for its longetivity, smoothness, shifting, etc.
but that’s not the main reason why i ride wippermann. it is my opinion that when chains get really narrow, like 9sp and 10sp chains, there is a greatly increased possibility of not correctly pressing in the pin during assembly. this is the case even if you have all the right tools, are experienced, etc. and if you end up with a stiff link, and try to fix it, then you’re REALLY asking for problems.
if you ever need to take your chain off to clean it or transport your bike, now you’ve got double the risk of a problem with the connection. not so with a connex or sachs. it’s just disconnecting the chain by hand, same link each time.
that said, i think any well made mechanism like the connex link, such as the sachs link, would be just as good. i just think press fitting pins yields uneven results with narrow chains.
Pooks,
don’t worry about your chain in your IM.
If you are hammering full out of T1 and lactic asid is dripping out of your ears, you are doing something wrong!
When you apply constant smooth pressure all the way, your chain will hold just fine.
take it easy those first 90k and then you won’t have the power to break anything anyhow;-)
good luck for your IM
Dan - I have never paid any attention when putting in the connex - which way is backward?
Another thing to check when there is chain noise is chainline, especially with 10 speed where the tolerances are further reduced.
Very true, I certainly don’t plan on hammering, but there are quite a few hills. Anyway, I just got back from doing hill repeats on my 11-23 and all I could think about was this damn thread. My boys were on full alert and fearing an encounter with that top tube. Maybe I ought to get a compact frame… 
Thankfully the ride was as uneventful as ever.
by spending slightly greater time in free fall before impacting a compact frame top tube the blow, so to speak, to the family jewels would likely be greater. Something to consider.
I’ve been riding a Wipperman 10sp chain for over a year and it’s great. You will get shifting problems if the conex is not installed right.
The half-moon shape on the connex has to be pointing down to the ground (upside down smile face). If not, you will experience shifting problems and noise. When properly installed the chain is quiet and shifts great.
Hope this helps.