are chains directional?

[Milzy]

I find KMC chains very noisy compared with other makes anyway.

 

[Rohloff_Brompton_Rider]

The chamfered side plates go to the outside on the XT chain. And it's vastly smoother shifting that way round

This...

Shimano have been directional for years, iirc 105 chains and above.

 

[Nigelnaturist]

Sometimes if the chain is a little short it can induce extra chain noise.

 

[Peteaud]

Agree that Shimano chains have a direction.

http://bike.shimano.com/media/techd...0A/SI-09R0A-001-Eng_v1_m56577569830688497.pdf

top right on the pdf is the diagram.

 

[youngoldbloke]

Some of them are - eg 10 speed above, but I don't think the new 11 speed chains are.

 

[UltraMonkey]

Correct. New 11 speed Shimano chains are not directional.

Simplest way for directional Shimano chains, is that the writing faces outwards. (writing is only on one side of the chain)

 

[Rohloff_Brompton_Rider]

Agree that Shimano chains have a direction.

http://bike.shimano.com/media/techd...0A/SI-09R0A-001-Eng_v1_m56577569830688497.pdf

top right on the pdf is the diagram.

Be careful as your bicycle may fall over....hahaha! Translations can be funny sometimes.