advantages on spending more on a chain

[DLB]

I've just changed the chain on my hybrid for a shimano hg40 and i'm now looking to change the chain on my road bike. I could buy the same chain again (about £8) but on a previous thread i was advised to spend more and get a 'better chain'. Why is this? How is a £20 chain better than the hg40? Does it last longer? Or change smoother?

Any advice appreciated

 

[Chris James]

There is a Chris Juden piece on this on the CTC site, relating to an answer a member of the CTC got from SRAM. As long as your chain was hardened (i.e not the absolute cheapest) then the next benefits were stronger rivetting (only useful for bad changers?), shinier side plates and fractional weight improvements.

His analysis was that most people do not benefit from expensive chains.

 

[fossyant]

Wiggle do some of the quality KMC chains for a reasonable £12-£14. I like shiny silver ones !!!

As said, just that bit better quality, and are finished better. If it's a nice shiny bike, then get a good chain - purely aesthetics !

 

[mickle]

Its all about the plating, chains might have no plating, nickel plated outer plates only, chrome outer and nickel inner plating or full chrome plating on inner and outer plates. Chrome plating is always done on top of nickel plating as chrome wont stick to steel very well. Plating increases durability, particularly side to side wear but each individual manufacturing process adds cost.

 

[DLB]

thanks for those comments.

All things considered i've decided to buy another hg40. I'm ot really bothered about how the chain looks and so long aas the hg40 works as well as the other chains (or nearly as well) i'm happy with that.

On another matter, i was surprised how easy changing a chain was. Only took 10 minutes and was much more straightforward than i thought

 

[walker]

cheaper chains have cheaper links, thus more chance of the chain snapping or breaking and less durability to change links. Not so good when 40 miles away from home

 

[mickle]

cheaper chains have cheaper links, thus more chance of the chain snapping or breaking and less durability to change links.

Huh? Cheaper chains are no less reliable than expensive chains. They may be less durable because they have less or no plating, they might not derail so quickly because the side plates have less well defined profiles and they might be heavier (really expensive chains have holes in the side plates and hollow rivets) but they are not more likely to break.

 

[Danny]

Have to agree with Mickle. I always buy the cheapest possible Shimano 7 speed chain, and have never had one break.* It also seems to me to move smoothly from gear to gear, but I guess I might notice the difference if I had higher spec gear changers.

 

[walker]

Huh? Cheaper chains are no less reliable than expensive chains. They may be less durable because they have less or no plating, they might not derail so quickly because the side plates have less well defined profiles and they might be heavier (really expensive chains have holes in the side plates and hollow rivets) but they are not more likely to break.

But surely a nickel chain would be considerably less durable than a titanium chain? Hey I might be wrong and talking out my Donkey, but it would make perfect sense would it not?

 

[Piemaster]

Ooh, my first post (though I have been lurking a bit and reading older posts)
Broke the chain (Shimano HG73)on my Giant escape a couple of days ago after probably around 100 miles from buying the bike, fortunately only 10 mins walk from LBS where I bought it from. They repaired it but when I was cleaning it after getting home found another plate missing and one bent. Back to LBS. They replaced it with a KMC chain (free). Guy put it on as thats what he uses and has never broken one yet, other brands yes, but not a KMC. (around £20 normally)
More of a pat on the back to the shop than anything, nice guys and no quibbling whatsoever.

 

[DLB]

Ooh, my first post (though I have been lurking a bit and reading older posts)
Broke the chain (Shimano HG73)on my Giant escape a couple of days ago after probably around 100 miles from buying the bike, fortunately only 10 mins walk from LBS where I bought it from. They repaired it but when I was cleaning it after getting home found another plate missing and one bent. Back to LBS. They replaced it with a KMC chain (free). Guy put it on as thats what he uses and has never broken one yet, other brands yes, but not a KMC. (around £20 normally)
More of a pat on the back to the shop than anything, nice guys and no quibbling whatsoever.

Welcome Piemaster (who ate all the....? ) Decent LBS mate.

 

[mickle]

But surely a nickel chain would be considerably less durable than a titanium chain? Hey I might be wrong and talking out my Donkey, but it would make perfect sense would it not?

Ti chains aren't stronger than steel ones, just lighter.

 

[gambatte]

cheaper chains have cheaper links, thus more chance of the chain snapping or breaking and less durability to change links. Not so good when 40 miles away from home

Not had a chain snap on me yet, although I've helped a couple roadside that have. Just carry a powerlink and a chain tool, no probs being 40 miles from home.