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SRAM, Shimano, KMC - chains

Old 05-05-20, 11:24 AM
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SRAM, Shimano, KMC - chains

I've used SRAM, Shimano, & KMC chains in the past & based on my experiences for 8 speed equipped bicycles, the Shimano seemed to be the overall best when considering Cost, Performance, & durability.

Now that I have a 2x11 bicycle that takes a 11 speed chain, I'm looking at going with a SRAM chain as it seems it's more favorable based on the consumer reviews I've been reading. Currently the 11 speed chain is a Shimano HG601-11, & it seems noisier than the Shimano 8 speed chains that I've had in the past. The chain's alignment is good & shifting is good, meshing is good, it just seems to have a bit of noise that I can hear more than I'd deem normal compared to the other setup.

the cost for a 11 speed 114 link chain is not as low as the 8 speed stuff, so before jumping the gun I wanted to read what BF members recommend.
The KMC brand is the lowest cost whereas the SRAM is slightly more expensive. Shimano is a lot more expensive, nearly double the SRAM price. Is there a cost relation as to why the price gaps or is it "just because" it is & the three chains will perform & last the same?
I use Pedros Slick Wax & like the product with my 3x8 speed & decided to carry it over to the 2x11 speed chain.
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Old 05-05-20, 05:44 PM
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I have had great success with KMC chains. Very nice quality, shift well. I've recently started using their X chains, partly because a mechanic/shop owner in Richmond, Vermont that I trust stocks them. For my 10 speed bikes, the KMC X10, for 11 speed bikes, KMC X11. Comes with the MissingLink, which I like a lot. Easy to put on and take off. Since they're around $25, you can change your chain yearly and not break the bank.
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Old 05-05-20, 05:52 PM
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Well here we go


I have used shimano and KMC and both work fine in all my 11 and 9 speed bikes. If I find a sale I buy a bunch.
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Old 05-05-20, 05:56 PM
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May I just suggest, none of the above if at all possible?

Wippermann

https://www.connexchain.com/en.html
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Old 05-05-20, 05:56 PM
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Originally Posted by Troul
Now that I have a 2x11 bicycle that takes a 11 speed chain, I'm looking at going with a SRAM chain as it seems it's more favorable based on the consumer reviews I've been reading. Currently the 11 speed chain is a Shimano HG601-11, & it seems noisier than the Shimano 8 speed chains that I've had in the past.
My experience is limited to 9-speed chains. Having used Shimano, SRAM and KMC chains on a Shimano drivetrain, all brands worked, but Shimano was quietest and shifted most smoothly, KMC was least quiet and smooth.
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Old 05-05-20, 06:59 PM
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How many hours of use does it take to wear out a bicycle chain? How much personal experience can one rider have? I can understand user reviews if somebody has a truly atrocious experience. For average, typical bicycle chain use, I don't see much value in user reviews.
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Old 05-05-20, 07:48 PM
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Originally Posted by Retro Grouch
How many hours of use does it take to wear out a bicycle chain? How much personal experience can one rider have? I can understand user reviews if somebody has a truly atrocious experience. For average, typical bicycle chain use, I don't see much value in user reviews.
That's exactly why Zero friction did this test. Measures chain wear and cost-per-mile on 8,9,10, and 11 speed chains from KMC, Sram, and Shimano.
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Old 05-05-20, 08:02 PM
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Don't buy the cheap SRAM NX chain. Cost only $14, but shifts like crap, rusts and wears quickly. I don't have experience with their higher level chains, though.

You can get the lower KMC and Shimano chains for a bit over $20 and they are fine.
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Old 05-05-20, 08:05 PM
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My 2 cents

I’m prefacing this with the fact that I have only owned a few SRAM drivetrains, I like Shimano a lot, and use it exclusively for the road. I feel that Shimano chains are slightly more eager to make a quick and clean shift, I have never used Whipperman. Don’t pinch pennies on a crucial component: regardless of brand, XTR/Dura Ace or XT/Ultegra level Shimano, SRAM seems to do the mid range price a little better. Wear doesn’t matter to me, I frequently throw a new chain on at 2,000 miles or so, I get a lot of life from cassettes and to a lesser extent chainrings.
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Old 05-05-20, 08:05 PM
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My interval for replacing a chain uses a personal measurement derived from an unique formula that determines satisfactory life span
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Old 05-05-20, 08:18 PM
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There’s More! (bonus drivel)

I recently got a cheap road bike with a Sora 9 speed drive train, it came with a KMC chain, and when it wore out I put in a SRAM (pc 951? I think) and it was wider and made me adjust (spread) the front derailleur in crude manner.
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Old 05-05-20, 10:42 PM
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Originally Posted by Dirt Farmer
May I just suggest, none of the above if at all possible?

Wippermann

https://www.connexchain.com/en.html
That chain is waaaaaaaay too expensive!
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Old 05-06-20, 04:04 AM
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I have about 1K miles on my first SRAM driveset - 1x11 on a Jamis Renegade - and my first KMC chain. A testing article had the KMC chain rated worse in friction (more power loss) until KMC recommended NFS oil. Kind of expensive, but they claim you use less and I like trying out stuff like that.

I'm very impressed with the SRAM Force1 groupset. Not sure I can really tell the difference with the chain and only 1,000 miles is not enough for any kind of endurance/reliability testing. I have a chain wear indicator tool - not showing any wear yet. On my Trek road bike with Shimano chain, I usually get 3-4K miles before hitting the recommended replacement point.
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Old 05-06-20, 06:05 AM
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Originally Posted by SlvrDragon50
That chain is waaaaaaaay too expensive!
Not if you consider the entire life cycle cost.
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Old 05-06-20, 07:34 AM
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I buy KMC 10 speed by the foot. When I restring any of our tandems, it takes much more than typical lengths.
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Old 05-06-20, 08:09 AM
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Originally Posted by bakerjw
I buy KMC 10 speed by the foot. When I restring any of our tandems, it takes much more than typical lengths.
where do you get this? I have been wanting to get in bulk like this but can't find a source!!
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Old 05-06-20, 10:25 AM
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Originally Posted by sdmc530
where do you get this? I have been wanting to get in bulk like this but can't find a source!!
I'm too lazy to google "chain in bulk". But there are sources selling by the foot when i once considered that.

The problem is you have to buy a LOT to make it worthwhile. Especially since you then need to buy the relatively expensive master links that come with each chain. Of course, for tandems or recumbents bulk may be the best option to avoid splicing multiple chains.

Another problem (for me at least) is that I have 10 and 11-speed bikes in my fleet (plus my daughter's and wife's 8-speed). One can use 11-speed chains for 10-speed, but that seems wasteful.
So to really buy a lot you would have to consolidate speed number. And the next problem is, I'm always contemplating to 12-speed at the enext rear wheel upgrade on my good bikes. Don't want to buy 5 years worth of 11-speed chains, only to then be prevented from upgrading.

Just something else to consider. If you keep your bike unchanged for 10 years, it may be worth it if you get master links for cheap.
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Old 05-06-20, 10:43 AM
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I usually get mine from Alex at MTB tandems.
I stick exclusively to 10 speed driver trains. Road. MTB. Bikepacking. Road and mountain tandems. Makes life much easier.
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Old 05-06-20, 10:49 AM
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Chain tests performed in laboratory conditions on test rigs are meaningless to the consumer. They are strictly for manufacturer clout. I've used chains from pretty much every major brand, and lubes ranging from plain wax to almost-perfume-expensive MucOff Hydrodynamic.

...and you know what? Of chains of the same speed (and therefore plate width,) no chain lasts significantly longer than any other. The variance is within 10%, and could be narrowed down to riding conditions as much as anything else. The lube doesn't matter, the brand/cost of the chain doesn't matter.

So I buy the cheapest chains I can find (like the usually lambasted SRAM PC-1110) and wax them (for cleanliness above all else) and they last 3,000-3,300 miles... just like every other brand/make/model. Some might shift a little better out of the box, some might run a little quieter on a particular cassette.

But once you peel back the bling of coatings or "special technologies," a chain is a chain is a chain. They're built the same way to do the same thing. Buy the chain you like. Buy it if it's coated and you like that. But don't expect miracles.

For point of reference, I had a Wipperman 10SB followed immediately by a KMC 10.93 last almost the exact same amount of miles, on the same bike, using the same lubrication. But that 10SB was one sexy chain.
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Old 05-06-20, 11:13 AM
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Originally Posted by DrIsotope
Chain tests performed in laboratory conditions on test rigs are meaningless to the consumer. They are strictly for manufacturer clout. I've used chains from pretty much every major brand, and lubes ranging from plain wax to almost-perfume-expensive MucOff Hydrodynamic.

...and you know what? Of chains of the same speed (and therefore plate width,) no chain lasts significantly longer than any other. The variance is within 10%, and could be narrowed down to riding conditions as much as anything else. The lube doesn't matter, the brand/cost of the chain doesn't matter.

So I buy the cheapest chains I can find (like the usually lambasted SRAM PC-1110) and wax them (for cleanliness above all else) and they last 3,000-3,300 miles... just like every other brand/make/model. Some might shift a little better out of the box, some might run a little quieter on a particular cassette.

But once you peel back the bling of coatings or "special technologies," a chain is a chain is a chain. They're built the same way to do the same thing. Buy the chain you like. Buy it if it's coated and you like that. But don't expect miracles.

For point of reference, I had a Wipperman 10SB followed immediately by a KMC 10.93 last almost the exact same amount of miles, on the same bike, using the same lubrication. But that 10SB was one sexy chain.
Yea.. I wouldn't buy into a Wipperman until I see an objective 3rd party test with multiple samples. Or maybe a reliable crowd-sourced test (even that would be pretty flawed). Even with the "lab data", it was seemingly showing a pretty marginal improvement. 3x the lifetime but also 3x the cost. KMC 11.93 is $21 on eBay and Wipperman 11SX is $69.

And even that test is questionable. The design is poor.
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Old 05-06-20, 11:40 AM
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I think wiping off the chain after the ride and lubing every once a while will be more effective pro-longing the life of the chain than spending $80 on a chain.
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Old 05-06-20, 12:36 PM
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And the Wipperman/Connex is eliminated outright for someone like me who uses a two-chain rotation per bike-- I ride three bikes every week, and each bike goes through (roughly) a pair of chains a year. It's not nickel 'n diming to balk at the prospect of spending $400 a year on chains, when $90 in chains does the same job.
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Old 05-06-20, 02:05 PM
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Originally Posted by HerrKaLeun
I'm too lazy to google "chain in bulk". But there are sources selling by the foot when i once considered that.

The problem is you have to buy a LOT to make it worthwhile. Especially since you then need to buy the relatively expensive master links that come with each chain. Of course, for tandems or recumbents bulk may be the best option to avoid splicing multiple chains.

Another problem (for me at least) is that I have 10 and 11-speed bikes in my fleet (plus my daughter's and wife's 8-speed). One can use 11-speed chains for 10-speed, but that seems wasteful.
So to really buy a lot you would have to consolidate speed number. And the next problem is, I'm always contemplating to 12-speed at the enext rear wheel upgrade on my good bikes. Don't want to buy 5 years worth of 11-speed chains, only to then be prevented from upgrading.

Just something else to consider. If you keep your bike unchanged for 10 years, it may be worth it if you get master links for cheap.

I should have been more clear, the only bulk I can find is an insane amount and costs $2500! I was hoping you had a deal where I could get a little less I guess. I don't want 500 feet of chain.

I don't mind buying a high number of chains when a deal arises but there is usually waist that I am always looking to end. I know its like 5-10 links per chain but that would be cool to stop throwing away.
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Old 05-06-20, 02:46 PM
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Originally Posted by sdmc530
I should have been more clear, the only bulk I can find is an insane amount and costs $2500! I was hoping you had a deal where I could get a little less I guess. I don't want 500 feet of chain.

I don't mind buying a high number of chains when a deal arises but there is usually waist that I am always looking to end. I know its like 5-10 links per chain but that would be cool to stop throwing away.
that is what bulk means......... yes, it only pays to buy a lot if you use a lot. If you go to a bike manufacturer and buy 100 bikes, I'm sure they give you a good price per bike. but most people don't buy 100 bikes at a time. Same with chains it seems.

I recall a store where you could order in foot increments. Not sure if it was in 10' increments or more. At the time it didn't make sense to me since separate master links are quite pricey.

I'm also not sure if the bulk chain is any good. i doubt it has the same nice shift/coating or whatever features of XT, for example. I assume it is rock bottom of whatever brand.

Edit: if what you found really was $2,500 for 500', that is $5/ft. A chain is about 5 ft, so you use up $25 and still have to buy a link. so you pay almost $30 and had to buy years of bulk chain. You can get good brand 11-speed chains for $20 (inc. link). you see how bulk chain doesn't make sense. Probably better to hunt for a bargain of 5 chains or so.

Last edited by HerrKaLeun; 05-06-20 at 02:53 PM.
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Old 05-06-20, 03:07 PM
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Originally Posted by HerrKaLeun
that is what bulk means......... yes, it only pays to buy a lot if you use a lot. If you go to a bike manufacturer and buy 100 bikes, I'm sure they give you a good price per bike. but most people don't buy 100 bikes at a time. Same with chains it seems.

I recall a store where you could order in foot increments. Not sure if it was in 10' increments or more. At the time it didn't make sense to me since separate master links are quite pricey.

I'm also not sure if the bulk chain is any good. i doubt it has the same nice shift/coating or whatever features of XT, for example. I assume it is rock bottom of whatever brand.

Edit: if what you found really was $2,500 for 500', that is $5/ft. A chain is about 5 ft, so you use up $25 and still have to buy a link. so you pay almost $30 and had to buy years of bulk chain. You can get good brand 11-speed chains for $20 (inc. link). you see how bulk chain doesn't make sense. Probably better to hunt for a bargain of 5 chains or so.
yep, your math is so correct. I have always been looking for a place to get like 100 foot of KMC X11 or shimano 11 speed that I can just have for years. Probably not a easy thing to manage with quick links that is very true.
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