Chain recommendations

[slowmotion]

No problem,

all I did was was remove the chain on mine, count the number of links and cut the new chain to the same amount of links, allowing for the quick link, so -1 link, dead easy, you shouldn't need to calculate the length if it's a like for like swap, only really on a new frame build.

You're assuming that the original chain was the correct length in the first place. It might be, but then again, it might not.

 

[Blue Hills]

SRAM for me, but not sure if they do 9 speed?

Of course they do, why wouldn't they?
Have used sram chains for donkeys' years, sod shimano's pins.
Sometimes use kmc.
Always use the cheapest good one - don't feel the need for polished ones any more than i would polish my shoe soles.

 

[vickster]

Of course they do, why wouldn't they?
Have used sram chains for donkeys' years, sod shimano's pins.
Sometimes use kmc.
Always use the cheapest good one - don't feel the need for polished ones any more than i would polish my shoe soles.

I said I didn’t know...not that they don’t

 

[I like Skol]

And when you next replace the chain, keep the quick link from the old one and toss it in your bike tool bag. I usually carry a couple around with me, they can really come in handy, mostly for other people but you never know when you might need it yourself!

 

[Blue Hills]

And when you next replace the chain, keep the quick link from the old one and toss it in your bike tool bag. I usually carry a couple around with me, they can really come in handy, mostly for other people but you never know when you might need it yourself!

Though you can remove them for cleaning I don't think you are supposed to use the re-usable ones beyond the life of each chain. I'd buy a couple of new ones to carry to be honest. I do. I did freakishly once have an SRAM link undo itself on the south circular but managed to find the bits before resorting to the spare link. Don't want to alarm people - may have been my fault - only time it has ever happened in years and years.
As I understand it only SRAM links up to 9 speed can be removed and replaced during the life of the chain for cleaning etc - 10 speed and up are once only use I think. Another reason for not going above nine.

 

[Blue Hills]

I said I didn’t know...not that they don’t

Fair enough. You did.

https://www.rosebikes.co.uk/bike-parts/bike-chains/9-speed?brand[]=SRAM

I'd go for the 951 - the cheapest.

As I understand it all of the chains are exactly the same functionally - just differences in coating. Only one to be avoided is a bottom of the range 8 speed one I think (830?) which I understand has inferior construction so best to go up one.

 

[Blue Hills]

[QUOTE 5559017, member: 9609"]I have just bought one of those el cheapo £3.99 jobs on ebay. I have only done about 400 mile with it, but early indications suggest it is going to out last any KMC I have ever used. (i am just using an old KMC connector with it)[/QUOTE]
Do you have an exact link?

 

[Blue Hills]

[QUOTE 5559071, member: 9609"]https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Universal-Bicycle-Mountain-Bike-Cycle-Chains-5-6-7-Speed-Gear-Link-116/233069250332?ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDXT&_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2649[/QUOTE]
Thanks.

Please report longer term test results back - am always one for saving money and not being suckered into marketing flannel, but am wary of going too far.

That chain as I understand it would also run fine on 8 speed? Though it doesn't specifically say so.

 

[JhnBssll]

Thanks.

Please report longer term test results back - am always one for saving money and not being suckered into marketing flannel, but am wary of going too far.

That chain as I understand it would also run fine on 8 speed? Though it doesn't specifically say so.

I think you're right to be cautious - we did a lot of work testing chainsaw chains recently comparing the market leading brand with a cheaper brand. The results were interesting, with the cheaper brand having several chains that lasted longer than the leading brand. However, it also had several chains that lasted less than half the time, and a whole range of results in between. The leading chains had very little variation in lifetime.

For this reason, whilst it's great that this particular cheap bicycle chain is lasting well, I wouldn't assume this to mean the next one will be as good. Of course they might all be great, but experience leads me to doubt this

 

[Trigger369]

Update ..
Called to chain reactions store picked up a kmc chain , and the 2 chain tools needed . Within an hour I was back home had a quick cuppa and had the new chain on .
Had a quick 10 mile spin on zwift and noticed straight away the difference in the new chain much smoother and changing gears was just as smooth as it was before. Happy happy now.
Thanks for all your input guys

 

[silva]

I'm not a big fan of KMC, so far used 3 models and each gave bad results.
Their descriptions are also quite nothingsaying upto plain misleading.
Things like:
"Rust Buster Technology", in reality just zinc plated, ride home with a new chain and the zinc's already gone from the rollers.
"Anti-Stretch Technology", that's not a / their technology, it just depends on the chosen quality of the steel and KMC surely didn't invent a new steel grade / hardening process - they just buy what is avail.

Those that have to deal with rust/salt, and opt for their stainless steel chain, well bad luck, the stainless steel is common grade 3xx so quite soft though they compensated with double thickness of the plates, but the pins are not stainless, and since a chain is a serial construction, the whole is as strong / resistant as its weakest part, making those non stainless pins rendering the stainless rest useless.
I'm not guessing here, I experienced it, salt on the road, but dry, wind blowed it up, and some hours later the chain felt apart while just slowing down / wobbling over cobblestone.
And my second spare bicycle, stored in a wooden gardenhouse, I thought KMC's stainless chain would make the difference - no rusty discoveries after some months anymore - it didn't, all pin ends got brown and I had to replace it despite the rest blinking.
And it's not that it's impossible to have stainless pins that ARE hard, some of the 4xx grades with a martensitic grain structure.
If KMC was honest they should state that the pins aren't stainless, but just like those nothingsaying technology names, they chosed not to.
Only after some persistent specific questions, they confirmed.
They ceased that Z1X 'INOX' stamped model, instead there's a new model named "S-10" and their official successor for the Z1X INOX hs now "EcoProTeQ Gecoat" as description, that is explained as a same coating as their "Rust Buster", but double the thickness.
But what does wear do: taking off material, any coating first, and with it, the corrosion resistance.
So, KMC doesn't appear anymore on my wishlists.

Just my experience, for what it matters.

 

[Ajax Bay]

had the new chain on .. Had a quick 10 mile spin on zwift and noticed straight away the difference in the new chain much smoother and changing gears was just as smooth as it was before. Happy happy now.

You need to take your new chain and old cassette out and stomp up a few hills in various sprockets. That, not Zwift, is the acid test of whether the cassette needs replacing as well. Hope you kept the old chain, because if you do get slippage, put the old chain back on and you'll be fine, till both chain and cassette come to the end of their matched life together. Then replace both together.

 

[Nigelnightmare]

I use "Connex by Wippermann" chains (German), they come with a connex link which doesn't need a tool to remove and they are re-useable.