Getting the best 7 sprocket chain

[Ed no-more-lemons]

Hi All

Perhaps I should post this under 'Know How', but as I will be fitting this to run over a Suntour Winner Freewheel, I felt a veteran perspective might be more appropriate.

I hope this will be the last major component I will need to aquire, in order to build up my Dawes Renown frame and as In the past I have made do with existing parts, I don't quite know what I should be looking for.

As the title suggests the one thing I do know is that width of the chain matters, further than that any guidance would be much appreciated.

Bye the bye I have never broken or refitted a chain with a special link and so was wondering whether it may be better to try for a NOS chain or whether these new fangled jobs can be fitted with a standard chain tool.

Thanx in advance for any thoughts and or comments

 

[Cycleops]

Can't really comment with any authority but they do say chains of yesteryear were better quality and I have a Bicycle Maintainance book from 1981 whose author talks of five years on one 'Regina' chain so maybe NOS may be the way to go. Have just bought a new Sram chain which is a doddle to fit with it's 'Powerlink'.

 

[porteous]

As far as I know 1/8 chains are OK up to four speed freewheels, after which you theoretically need a narrower 3/32. I have used NOS 1/8 on all the bikes I have restored, up to five speed freewheels, using pre 1980's componants, with no problem whatsoever.

NOS British made chains like Reynolds, come up regularly on fleabay.

 

[thegravestoneman]

I hope I am wrong but I think it was the Suntours that ended up sounding like a machine gun after about 200 miles. they changed well though.

 

[sidevalve]

As far I I know any 3/32 chain will do the job as fitting 5-6-7-8 speed sets, so the choice is as wide as you want to make it. As for splitting the chain, it's really again up to you but if you buy a chain splitter and follow the [simple] instructions it's a quick and easy job, [worth having a splitter anyway, just in case].

 

[fossyant]

KMC X8 chains

 

[Ed no-more-lemons]

Thanxs for everyones views and opinions.

I am currently delaying the purchase of a KMC Z51 chain or two. I suppose more links and not less are a better option and understand this chain needs a splitting tool.

Presumably these modern chains can be split at any link and that the same pin can be used repeatedly for splitting purposes. Although I seem to remember someone claiming this is not always the case and that some types of pin mushroom and so are not suitable for repeated splitting.

This may be the view of someone with an inadaquate splitting tool, as they seem to vary hugely in there usability as per http://www.cyclechat.net/threads/chain.122322/unread and the two examples I own.

Am I over complicating things or is this a real issue?

 

[smokeysmoo]

+1 for Fossy's KMC X8 suggestion.

I've just put one on my Dawes, and FWIW I use a KMC X10 on my best bike as well.

KMC X chains IMO offer the very best VFM you can get.

 

[integerspin]

Another one for a kmc.

 

[Cycleops]

Thanxs for everyones views and opinions.

I am currently delaying the purchase of a KMC Z51 chain or two. I suppose more links and not less are a better option and understand this chain needs a splitting tool.



This may be the view of someone with an inadaquate splitting tool, as they seem to vary hugely in there usability as per http://www.cyclechat.net/threads/chain.122322/unread and the two examples I own.

Am I over complicating things or is this a real issue?

I bought a cheap link remover and it didn't last long. Have now ordered a £25 one. Most decent chains now come with a 'quick link' or whatever the maker calls them so once you have removed the links you need that's it.

 

[Scilly Suffolk]

Road chains up to and including 8 speed are the same 3/32" width; only above that do they get thinner and are you likely to encounter pins that aren't reusable. Clarks, for example, market chains as being 5/6 speed and 7 or 8 speed but I don't know why, as they are the same width.

When you size the chain and remove links, you can rejoin it using a partially extracted pin although most new chains come with some form of "quick link". Having said that, some quick links are easier to use than others and not all are reusable.

The basic type, often called a "snap link", with two plates that press together is one that I have never managed to use and isn't reusable. My own chain of choice is Wipperman and their quick link I find easy to use and is reusable; obviously they should be replaced when the chain is.

My very cheap chain tool has, surprisingly, stood the test of time: it's not a tool that sees as much use as, for example, my Allen keys, so I budgeted accordingly and set my expectations to match. If I split chains frequently I would buy something larger and more comfortable to use.

 

[Teuchter]

If buying a KMC chain, you only need to split the chain once, when you first shorten it to remove any surplus links. After that it's joined by the quick link that consists of two pins and plates that you just slot together joining the two ends of the chain then lock in place by pulling lengthways. If you have to unfasten it in future, you can just locate the quick link and push the ends together, allowing you to separate the two halves again.

I've just done this on the Z51 I have on my Peugeot... I'm replacing the freewheel this week and so am sticking a new chain (another Z51) on there to go with it. Removing the old one was a doddle with the quick link.

A lot of bike multitools have chain tools incorporated into them and can be handy to keep with your "on the road" tools for the (all-be-it unlikely) event of a chain break while out. I have one of these Crank Brothers tools that cost me about £20 and has a pretty decent chain tool on it (better than the cheaper specific chain tool I used to have). Of course the allen tools on it are of very little use on my older bikes but then I don't change toolkit contents depending on which bike I'm riding each day.

 

[Kins]

I bought a £5 chain tool off fleabay, works fine on the 6 or 7 chains done so far, if it breaks I'll upgrade to a better one, till then it'll do.

 

[Ed no-more-lemons]

ScillySuffolk said

Road chains up to and including 8 speed are the same 3/32" width; only above that do they get thinner and are you likely to encounter pins that aren't reusable.

Thanks for clearing up my woolly thinking on that, was quite 'confused' as never needed a narrower chain than 3/32". and am unlikely to do so on old 7 speed freewheels.

No surprises in that said Z51 chain is still languishing around as the weather still looks harsh and Kurust and possible nail varnish will need to go on the frame.

Chain does not look to have a fancy quick link thingy unlike Teuchter's Z51. It was dirt cheap and was advertised as having no such device.

PS now the heck do you attribute quotes to other folk as others have done above.

 

[Kins]

PS now the heck do you attribute quotes to other folk as others have done above.

Click reply on the right of their posts.