Chain advice

tut_gareth

Time has come to renew my chainset but i'm a bit unsure about which chain to buy....
I'll be using mainly shimano XT components, cassete 9spd, front and rear mech, shifters, etc, and maybe cranks and rings, though may stick with my raceface evolve dh's for the time being...
I do mainly single track and dh at trail centres, so i need it to be strong but well suited to smooth gearchanges.

Any recommendations would be great?

Thanks

cooldad

KMC
or Sram
or Shimano

I'm sure you'll get random recomendations for all of them.

.blitz

Quite like XTR chains meself the plating seems to repel dirt and looks sharp for a very long time.

No probs with KMC chains. Or SRAM for that matter...

tut_gareth

had an xtr chain a few years back but it only lasted two rides before snapping... was a bit dissapointed.. maybe it was just bad luck....

Do KMC chains work well with Shimano components?

cooldad

All chains work with all components as long as they are the right size.
KMC are excellent and normally a bit cheaper.
They are huge and make chains for other companies, as well as branding their own.

.blitz

tut_gareth wrote:

Do KMC chains work well with Shimano components?

No problems IME. Providing they are the same speed, SRAM/KMC/Shimano it all fits together like Lego.

mattv

Most bikes come with KMC chains from the manufacturers. It all works together.

Danlube

I have always used sram chains, buts that just me. only reason really is the powerlink. some mates prefer shimano chains, some even prefer kmc chains! if your sticking to one price group they are pretty much all equal to each other, some just have little perks to tempt you with (hollow pins, nickel/chrome plated, hyperglide etc etc etc ...)

tut_gareth

Cheers for the views guys,

My current chain is a sram and i have to say its been very well used.. though the power link did destroy itself at bracknell forest this weekend.
I think i'm going to give the KMC chains a go this time............(nothing to do with one i've seen being gold..... :roll: ... honest),,

getonyourbike

KMCs are very good; they seem to wear slower than any other chains out there. I'd buy KMC again.

cavegiant

Another vote for KMC. The x9 is the relevant one for nine speed.

You want either silver or if you want almost rust proof, gold.

The KMC x9L gold is a good investment.

Do not buy the grey if you want to get the chain wet =-)

allthegearnoidea

yup, another vote for KMC here, have used the X9L's for a couple of years now and very much like them!
the gold coating does wear off the insides fo the links but is expected for shifting but the outside stays noice and shiny and Looks the nuts!
Strong as old boots too, i tend to get 10 months offroad use out of mine and am Heavy on drive trains, have just changed my current one for another the same (X9L - gold) although its not quite worn its close, i have to push the checker in on the .75 side to get it in! but had a new one there and figured save the cassette some more too!

KMC make shimano chains with exception of the yumeya iirc. obviously make them to shimano spec's, but they make their own chains Much better!!!
the X*SL range do tend to suffer fro stretch a little more but are aimed a bit more at the racer side, the X*L is a great chain! they do also do the X9 series in a few different colours too! 8)