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Road Cycling “It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best, since you have to sweat up the hills and coast down them. Thus you remember them as they actually are, while in a motor car only a high hill impresses you, and you have no such accurate remembrance of country you have driven through as you gain by riding a bicycle.” -- Ernest Hemingway

New Chain Recommendations

Old 01-05-20, 08:46 AM
  #26  
Kabuki12
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I ride vintage racing bikes and yesterday I replaced the chain on my Medici Pro Strada. I only recently acquired this bike and by all appearances it is a very low mile bike with no rust. I noticed the rotten tires first thing and thought the bike had been sitting for a really long time , AND the grease in the bottom bracket had solidified. The anodized Mavic wheels had zero brake rub and the paint is very nice. After cleaning up the bike I was still not happy with the bike. Oh , it was a blast as far as handling and speed , but when I was in low gear , it felt rough as I really pedaled hard up the hills. The cogs were not worn and the chain rings were like new. I took it to my local bike shop yesterday and Mark put it on the stand and immediately suspected a worn out chain! He had a gage and it only took a few seconds. I chose the KMC chain as it was very close to the original width of the original chain. This is important when running 5 or 6 speed free wheels , too narrow and the chain will slip between gear changes( don’t ask me how I know ) . I am so stoked that Mark figured out the problem . I have never had a chain give this symptom before where it feels like the bearings in the BB are bad. Joe
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Old 01-05-20, 10:17 PM
  #27  
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Originally Posted by bpcyclist
Yeah, read that. Had not heard of YBN before. Here is one.https://www.amazon.com/YBN-Speed-Cha...g-goods&sr=1-3
I took the plunge.It just arrived today.Time will tell if the Ti Nitide coating really offers the longevity they promise.
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Old 01-06-20, 08:14 PM
  #28  
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Originally Posted by DOS
I took the plunge.It just arrived today.Time will tell if the Ti Nitide coating really offers the longevity they promise.
I know from experience that titanium nitride is excellent for wear resistance. It also has some lubricity properties that would be favorable for this application. Although there are other PVD coatings that would be better. I would like to see AlTiN with a molly coat , now that would be a good chain! Joe
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Old 02-12-20, 09:05 PM
  #29  
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Originally Posted by randallr
Wipperman Connex 11SX is going to be your longest lasting choice due to minimal corrosion (it's stainless steel). I run their 8SX and change out chains a lot less often than I used to with SRAM PC870.
And here's some data to back that up:
https://www.connexchain.com/fileadmi...ments-2018.pdf

And now one of the main dealers for Connex (Cantitoe Road) has all their chains at 20% off (starting about 10Feb2020). I just placed an order for 7 ea 8sx chains, which I expect will give me a total of 25000 to 28000 miles
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Old 02-13-20, 08:25 AM
  #30  
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Originally Posted by DOS
I took the plunge.It just arrived today.Time will tell if the Ti Nitide coating really offers the longevity they promise.
How's that chain working out?
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Old 02-13-20, 06:39 PM
  #31  
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Originally Posted by Rides4Beer
How's that chain working out?
I haven’t installed it yet. Trying to get through til spring on my current chain.
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Old 02-14-20, 09:55 AM
  #32  
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For TiN to be of value, the coating has to be applied to certain critical areas, like the ID of the roller and the holes in the inner plates, or the pins. TiN on the outer plates, where is looks pretty isn't of much value.

I just measured a popular KMC X11.93 chain over it's full length and found substantial elongation, compared to my Campy chains with the same my mileage that had no significant elongation. Elongation that creates a change in pitch is entirely due to the wear between the pins and the inner plates. The only way to measure it properly is between the pin center lines, not between the rollers.

A chain can show little elongation, but still be extremely worn. I dissected a Campy 10 chain, many years ago, that was meticulously maintained over 6,000 miles of use. It had very little elongation - not even .25%, but the wear on the hole in the rollers was huge, the roller ODs significantly worn and side clearance between the inner and outer plates was twice that of a new chain. I now take measurements of the space between rollers, to get a better idea of when to toss a Campy chain. That one should probably have been tossed a 3,000 miles. With the different wear patterns between brands, there's no specific measurement that gives the user any assurance that the chain was completely used before it was tossed. Most chain checkers add roller wear to the true elongation. Those that don't tell you nothing more than a check with a precision 12 inch machinist's ruler.

Rather than toss chains prematurely in an attempt to avoid new-chain skip, I alternate the use of several chains. Even a few hundred miles of use can make the difference that avoids the new-chain skip problem.
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Old 02-15-20, 08:54 AM
  #33  
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Originally Posted by Rides4Beer
How's that chain working out?
Originally Posted by DOS
I haven’t installed it yet. Trying to get through til spring on my current chain.
That article had me looking thru an online etailers listing. Hadn't heard of YBN, so what else is there? A run thru Universal Cycles pages, you can get in 11speed, chains from all sorts of (to me) obscure (or at least didn't know they made/sold chains) companies.
FSA Team Issue chains (only $25)
Gusset GS-11 chains.. over $50 - putting it in a similar league to YBN's normal retail or Campy Record
Sunrace still makes chains evidently
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Old 02-15-20, 10:14 AM
  #34  
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No complaints at all about FSA Team Issue-- I put on a decent amount of miles, so $ per mile is significantly more important to me than possibly saving a third of a watt.

I do a two chain rotation on each bike, with two bikes roughly splitting my annual mileage. Buying the cheapest 11-speed chains I can find has me spending $80 a year on chains, and it's usually a cassette every other year.

I've used Connex (Wippermann,) SRAM, Shimano, FSA, and KMC. They all last the same mileage, within about 10%. I buy whatever's cheap at the time. Brand doesn't seem to matter.

Currently running the FSA chain, as they were $16 each some months ago (now $27 each.) The cheapest SRAM, the PC-1110, was out of stock for ages but now back at it's $15 pricepoint, and I've never gotten less than 3,000 miles out of one.

The same I've gotten on every chain.
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Old 02-15-20, 12:36 PM
  #35  
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Originally Posted by Sy Reene
Hadn't heard of YBN, so what else is there?
I use YBN quick-links since they are advertised to be good for 5 uses instead of 1 like everybody else which adds up pretty quickly if you wax your chain and rotate through 3 different chains. Molten Speed Wax sells their products and their chains aren't cheap but are suppose to be good.
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Old 02-15-20, 07:42 PM
  #36  
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I use the same quick-link for the life of a chain, removing and reinstalling it at least 10 times. It's fine.
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Old 02-16-20, 06:48 PM
  #37  
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Originally Posted by Sy Reene
That article had me looking thru an online etailers listing. Hadn't heard of YBN, so what else is there? A run thru Universal Cycles pages, you can get in 11speed, chains from all sorts of (to me) obscure (or at least didn't know they made/sold chains) companies.
FSA Team Issue chains (only $25)
Gusset GS-11 chains.. over $50 - putting it in a similar league to YBN's normal retail or Campy Record
Sunrace still makes chains evidently
I was thinking about trying it out when I need a new chain for the new bike, because it's the only reasonably priced black chain I've seen. Would look great on the new bike with a black sunrace cassette.
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Old 02-17-20, 09:44 AM
  #38  
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Originally Posted by Rides4Beer
I was thinking about trying it out when I need a new chain for the new bike, because it's the only reasonably priced black chain I've seen. Would look great on the new bike with a black sunrace cassette.
Black chain and a black cassette screams "I'm cheap".
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Old 02-17-20, 10:36 AM
  #39  
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OTOH, black rotors...
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Old 02-17-20, 12:05 PM
  #40  
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Originally Posted by noodle soup
Black chain and a black cassette screams "I'm cheap".
How is that when none of them are cheap? I can get silver cassettes and chains for half the price of a sunrace cassette and YBN chain. lol

You don't think black would look good on this?




Originally Posted by Sy Reene
OTOH, black rotors...
Well, black arms at least lol When I get new wheels they'll have RT-81s, clean and simple.
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Old 02-17-20, 12:12 PM
  #41  
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Originally Posted by bpcyclist
Hi, gang. It is time for a new chain on my 2018 BMC SLR02 with 105-5800. The current chain is a 105 FC-5800 chain on an 11/28, 50/34, 172.5 setup. Quite happy with how the chain has performed, though I am certainly no sort of bike guru--I just ride a lot. I don't race, I do put up quite a few miles (7200ish for 2019). Shimano is of course out now with their 105 R7000 stuff. Wondering if I should go with that, or look at Ultegra or the Dura Ace option. I do quite a bit of climbing--it is quite hilly/mountainous here in Western Oregon. Conditions here usually later October through and into May are extremely wet and grimy. It can literally destroy a bike, if you don't take care. I clean the drivetrain farily well after every ride and very thoroughly once a week without fail and keep it generously lubed, so I do think I am basically doing my part. It is not making any noise--it is utterly silent, but it is time, based on miles.

Anyhow, would appreciate recommendations on what my next chain should be. Many thanks for taking a minute to help me out.
Wippermann Connex
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Old 02-18-20, 09:44 AM
  #42  
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Originally Posted by noodle soup
Black chain and a black cassette screams "I'm cheap".
I resemble that remark! LOL

Reading comprehension on my part..."black cassette"....carry on! LOL
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Old 02-18-20, 10:32 AM
  #43  
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Originally Posted by Rides4Beer
How is that when none of them are cheap?
BITD, all low end bikes had blackish/dark brown freewheels and chains, and the new black chains/cassettes look about the same.

this is an example

https://www.amazon.com/SunRace-Speed.../dp/B00XIFI9LQ
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Old 02-18-20, 11:13 AM
  #44  
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Originally Posted by noodle soup
BITD, all low end bikes had blackish/dark brown freewheels and chains, and the new black chains/cassettes look about the same.

this is an example

https://www.amazon.com/SunRace-Speed.../dp/B00XIFI9LQ
Gotcha, I haven't been around bikes long enough to know any previous trends.
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Old 05-10-20, 08:48 AM
  #45  
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Reviving this thread. I'm about to replace my Shimano R8000 cassette and am considering the YBN or Shimano Dura-Ace chain after reading the Cycling Tips article. I'm curious if anyone has personal experience with YBN and the Ultegra cassette. Comments appreciated.
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Old 05-10-20, 11:49 AM
  #46  
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Originally Posted by DOS
I took the plunge.It just arrived today.Time will tell if the Ti Nitide coating really offers the longevity they promise.
Update on the TiN? I know TiN works wonderfully on my firearms. As wellas Robar NP3.
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Old 05-11-20, 06:31 AM
  #47  
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Originally Posted by Robert A
Reviving this thread. I'm about to replace my Shimano R8000 cassette and am considering the YBN or Shimano Dura-Ace chain after reading the Cycling Tips article. I'm curious if anyone has personal experience with YBN and the Ultegra cassette. Comments appreciated.
What I'm getting once my current KMC chain is dead (efficient & long lasting):

https://www.connexchain.com/en/11-speed-chains.html
https://bikerumor.com/2018/01/29/wip...lasts-longest/
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Old 05-14-20, 10:31 PM
  #48  
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Originally Posted by eduskator
What I'm getting once my current KMC chain is dead (efficient & long lasting):

https://www.connexchain.com/en/11-speed-chains.html
https://bikerumor.com/2018/01/29/wip...lasts-longest/
What do you gain by getting a different brand than from your groupset manufacturer?
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Old 05-15-20, 06:47 AM
  #49  
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Originally Posted by Robert A
What do you gain by getting a different brand than from your groupset manufacturer?
Better efficiency & lifespan.
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Old 05-15-20, 12:25 PM
  #50  
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Originally Posted by eduskator
Better efficiency & lifespan.
Enough improved efficiency relative to, say, the Shimano DA chain? I read that there's a 1/2 watt difference and wonder if this is really worth the bother. But if there's better shifting or a smoother experience, then that's something else.
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