What Chain! A companion to the 'What Chain Lube' threads...

[Fab Foodie]

Get the popcorn out!

Now, I recently fitted a new chain of choice - 9 Spd KMC with quick-link and managed to unship-it under load the other week (must fit that new front mech) causing a twist over several links. I managed to get to a shop where they sold me a Shimano chain. I gave-up on Shimano chains waay back as I never found them to wear well. KMC seemed to work better and a they're not a king's ransom have stuck with them. In passing the mechanic in the bike shop commented that Shimano chains were better than KMC - but in the moment never said why.
Anyhow, now am running a Shimano 9 speed on the Rourke and am seriously thinking of trying the Paraffin Wax treatment. As am not a high-miler these days and change my chain every spring anyhow, I get plenty of life from chainrings and cassettes.

But which Chains do the CC massive use/prefer and why?
Is there any data (other than anecdata) to suggest one is stronger/longer lasting than any others?

Go!

 

[vickster]

SRAM. Tend to be cheaper at least in 10/11 speed guise

 

[Dogtrousers]

KMC ... because that's what I buy. Just because.
But if I were shopping for a chain and KMC was out of stock I'd happily go for something else.

 

[Ajax Bay]

After several sideplates on two successive 9sp KMC chains broke on me, I moved to preferring SRAM. Minimal price difference but haven't had any more fractures in several years.
Mercifully I caught (literally) each fracture before the chain parted under load, by wiping the chain after oiling with a folded paper towel, and checking if the towel 'caught' on anything.
KMC £15 Merlin Cycles
Shimano £14 Hal-fords
SRAM £12.50 Tredz

 

[C R]

SRAM here, had bad experiences with both shimano (likely counterfeit) and kmc.

 

[figbat]

Depends on the drivetrain. For older 9/10-speed stuff I’ll use a SRAM ..51 chain regardless of other component manufacturers. For 12-speed I tend to go for a matching chain, so SRAM Eagle GX or X01 for the bikes that run these.

 

[matticus]

Gold ones are fastest.

 

[Threevok]

KMC (Gold) on the single speed Kinesis
Shimano HG53 on the Inbred

 

[Fab Foodie]

Gold ones are fastest.

Gold quick-links are fab - you can easily find it on a grey gunky chain!

 

[ColinJ]

Cheapest or second cheapest SRAM!

 

[Fab Foodie]

Cheapest or second cheapest SRAM!

My choice! The crappy bike shop in Taunton (The Bike Chain - how apt) charged me £23 for a chain and quick link (I changed the chain myself) - no concept of customer service either - avoid unless Hobsons choice....

 

[ianrauk]

I'm a sucker for KMC and Decathlon seem to be very competitive with their prices.

 

[ColinJ]

I have only broken 2 chains since I started cycling again in 1989 and those were probably due to me being a cheapskate and not replacing them sooner!

 

[T4tomo]

I have only broken 2 chains since I started cycling again in 1989 and those were probably due to me being a cheapskate and not replacing them sooner!

I had one break twice (snapped outer links) in 5 minutes and 2 pedal strokes. At that point I binned it a got a different bike out - luckily they were my first pedal strokes of the ride....and the first outing of spring of that bike, not sure what had happened to the chain over winter.

so now I usually

change my chain every spring anyhow,

on that bike.

I was tempted by one of these for it (being a massive tart) but the price put me off somewhat

 

[presta]

My Horizon came with a KMC Z51 fitted when new, and when it was due for replacement I fitted a SRAM PC58 for no other reason than that's what was on the shelf at a LBS. Since then I've carried on using SRAM just because that's what I was already using, changing to PC971 when I upgraded to 9 speed.

This is the data from them:

Included on the plot for comparison is the data from the tests published by Wipperman (in which the wear was deliberately accelerated with sand). The blue line is the average of all the chains they tested, and in red the average of all the SRAM chains they tested.