I can see your logic, but I see it as having one weak link rather than a few.
I have tryed the split link on my bmx, didnt have any problems but it was always in the back of my mind that it would snap, I would never trust it on a trials bike.
iolos old alex rim dies a slow and painful deather due to grinds, it would just dent if you gave it a funny look, it had loads of cracks in the braking surface. Did him well though