Cheap, nasty chain

[CharleyFarley]

Today I replaced the 122 link chain on my cruiser. I felt that it was quite light and, apparently, it is. I had to remove two links for the proper length and when I did, the roller fell out from between the inner plates.

Checking my records I found that I had put a new chain on it only 18 months ago, same make - Zonkie. So, I got 1,300 miles out of it, despite cleaning and lubing it with Rock N Roll lube every hundred miles. I only ride dry pavement, so the wear wasn't caused by mucky conditions.

Reading the Amazon reviews a couple of guys said the chain is lightweight, and one said the pins were rusty. Two other guys said their chains broke. One of them repaired it with a quick link and it broke, again, in a different place. Needless to say I'm disgusted with Zonkie chain. So, looking for decent 122 link chains turns up, nothing. The last time I bought a new chain I tried to get Sram, KMC or Shimano, but found none of the right length. Tried, again, today. It seems that dealers are stocking up on ebike chains and leaving quality 122 link chains out of it. I found a place that sells quality chain but it's in the U.K. Five to six weeks delivery, plus VAT plus shipping to the USA, makes it somewhat expensive. They're out of stock, anyway.

I don't want to have to buy two Shimano chains and join a piece from one of them. And I'm aware that some shops sell bulk chain. The only LBS, here, that might sell bulk is a 34-miles round trip in very high speed traffic. So I went to their website, clicked on 'Contact Us,' and that leads to a map showing where they are. No way to contact them other than by phone, but my hearing problem prevents me from using the phone.

Perhaps I ought to just sell the bike while the new Zonkie chain is working. And what a name! It sound junky!

Okay, gripe over.

 

[Cycleops]

Never mind, on the bright side I think you might have discovered a new adjective for worn out or of poor quality. That chain or whatever is zonkie or zonked.

 

[gbb]

I always brought quality chains, not top quality, just respected brands, KMC, Shimano, Campag, Sam etc and found they generally lasted me quite well, none of them standing out or falling behind each other in mileages achieved per chain.
I did once buy a cheap Chinese, brand I can't remember, chain. Its life was significantly shorter than the accepted brands , like half the mileage.

 

[fossyant]

Oh, and don't but them off Amazon, plenty of copies. Always get the chains via a bike shop (on-line or in person).

 

[Jameshow]

I'd post you some spare chain if yo were UK based.

No one nearby with spare links??

 

[richardfm]

The Chain Reaction US site has two 122 link KMC chains that aren't e bike chains

 

[CharleyFarley]

Never mind, on the bright side I think you might have discovered a new adjective for worn out or of poor quality. That chain or whatever is zonkie or zonked.

Zonkie sounds like a cheap Australian beer.

 

[C R]

Oh, and don't but them off Amazon, plenty of copies. Always get the chains via a bike shop (on-line or in person).

Yep, same on ebay, got a "shimano" one some time ago that rusted badly after only about 150 miles, despite regular cleaning and oiling. When I went back ebay to check the shop and ask for a refund the shop was gone.

 

[CharleyFarley]

I always brought quality chains, not top quality, just respected brands, KMC, Shimano, Campag, Sam etc and found they generally lasted me quite well, none of them standing out or falling behind each other in mileages achieved per chain.
I did once buy a cheap Chinese, brand I can't remember, chain. Its life was significantly shorter than the accepted brands , like half the mileage.

I buy KMC or Shimano for my fat bike and they last a long time. The name of Zonkie, and the cheap price put me off but it was the only choice I had in 122 link chains. The first one I bought was a 'wait-and-see' situation. The second one says 'no more Zonkies.'

And from reading the reviews and seeing that two people said their chains broke, I'm leery about trusting this new one. I don't intend to wait until it wears out; I'm going to get two Shimano chains from a LBS and use part of one to lengthen the other.

If I had to take a guess, I'd say that most cruiser owners may never need to get a new chain because they don't do the mileage.

 

[CharleyFarley]

The Chain Reaction US site has two 122 link KMC chains that aren't e bike chains

I forgot to mention, the cruiser is 7-speed. Finding a quality 122 link 7/8-speed chain is like looking for a needle in a haystack. I didn't see any of what I need on Chain Reaction, and if I did, add to that the cost of shipping to the US, plus VAT, plus a (small) bank charge for converting dollars to pounds. It will be cheaper and quicker to buy two Shimano chains from a LBS and join a piece on. I already have the pin to join them.

A LBS joined a piece on a new Shimano, for me, for this cruiser. After a 100 miles I cleaned and lubed the chain, and just for the heck of it, I checked it with my Park checker. The chain was totally shot. How could that happen? I saw him take the 'new' chain out of a Shimano pack. I think somebody bought a new chain from him, cleaned their old one, put it in the Shimano pack and took it back for a refund. It was after this that I found the Zonkie.

 

[CharleyFarley]

Oh, and don't but them off Amazon, plenty of copies. Always get the chains via a bike shop (on-line or in person).

I buy parts from my LBS, such as tires, tubes, cables, chains and tools but they had no 122 link chains. I'm wary of Amazon and eBay parts, especially eBay, but I sometimes do what I have to do, and that doesn't always work out.

 

[CharleyFarley]

I'd post you some spare chain if yo were UK based.

No one nearby with spare links??

I have plenty of spare links, just no extra chain. I'll have to buy two chains and join a piece on.

 

[vickster]

I buy parts from my LBS, such as tires, tubes, cables, chains and tools but they had no 122 link chains. I'm wary of Amazon and eBay parts, especially eBay, but I sometimes do what I have to do, and that doesn't always work out.

Can’t they source you one?

 

[CharleyFarley]

Can’t they source you one?

The last time I bought a chain from a nearby LBS I asked them about 122 link chains. They couldn't help. It's a very small shop so they don't have room for bulk chain. They took what looked like a new Shimano chain from it's box, and joined a piece of chain onto it. I serviced that chain at my usual 100 miles and found it was completely worn out. I don't think they deliberately sold me an old chain because they've been in business for forty years and have a good reputation. As I mentioned in another response, what I suspect was that somebody bought a Shimano chain, put it on their bike, cleaned their old chain and put it in the Shimano box and got a refund on it. And I bought it. I can think of no other explanation, and if I had told them about it, they might have thought I was accusing them of selling me a used chain. For what I spent on it, I thought it best to drop it and buy a chain online. That's when I found the nasty Zonkie. Anyway, I'll go back to them and buy two Shimano chains and join them together, myself, after I check them for length, first.