Would I notice a lighter chain

Bike-Rich
Bike-Rich Posts: 275
edited January 2013 in Road buying advice
Hi all,

Fitted a sturdy x9.93 KMC chain last spring and never had a problem with it,
But, i'm feeling like I want to spend a bit a money on the bike ready for this year and would like to know if I would notice any difference if I were to buy a lighter chain? Something like the KMC SL?

Thanks

Comments

  • schweiz
    schweiz Posts: 1,644
    On it's own, 20-30 g - No

    If you have the budget of Sir DB with marginal gains and all that, if you can save 20-30g in 30-40 places over a bike then you've saved around a kg.

    There's more noticable ways to save weight though starting with tyres, tubes and wheels.
    VN BMC Cube SS
    http://app.strava.com/athletes/30000
  • passout
    passout Posts: 4,425
    Better chain might bring better shifting & be a bit quieter. You won't notice any difference in terms of weight though.
    'Happiness serves hardly any other purpose than to make unhappiness possible' Marcel Proust.
  • Bike-Rich
    Bike-Rich Posts: 275
    Thanks guys,
    Don't mind so much about the weight as my bike is quite light, ideally would like to make it as smooth as possible.
    I have some new b-brackets coming soon so hopefully they may make a difference.
    Anything else (cheap'ish) I could do to gain?
  • rolf_f
    rolf_f Posts: 16,015
    passout wrote:
    Better chain might bring better shifting & be a bit quieter. You won't notice any difference in terms of weight though.

    Even that is questionable. I have a Record and Centaur chains and the links are identical - including the metal. The only difference is in the rollers and that won't make any mechanical difference.

    The best improvement I have made to my Campag setups is using Connex chains rather than the Campag ones. Aside from being cheaper, they are slightly wider which is a big improvement.

    To the OP - if you want a smooth chainset, just clean the chain thoroughly and regularly. And the chainring teeth, and the cassette, and the jockey wheels.
    Faster than a tent.......
  • Bozman
    Bozman Posts: 2,518
    You'll notice that it doesn't last as long but that's about it.
  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,321
    You'll probably notice the loud clunck when it snaps and you hit your teeth on the bars
    left the forum March 2023
  • passout
    passout Posts: 4,425
    Rolf F wrote:
    passout wrote:
    Better chain might bring better shifting & be a bit quieter. You won't notice any difference in terms of weight though.

    Even that is questionable. I have a Record and Centaur chains and the links are identical - including the metal. The only difference is in the rollers and that won't make any mechanical difference.

    The best improvement I have made to my Campag setups is using Connex chains rather than the Campag ones. Aside from being cheaper, they are slightly wider which is a big improvement.

    To the OP - if you want a smooth chainset, just clean the chain thoroughly and regularly. And the chainring teeth, and the cassette, and the jockey wheels.

    True. I found KMC chains the smoothest when using SRAM and shimano drivetrains. Shimano chains are pretty poor in my experience, SRAM are OK.
    'Happiness serves hardly any other purpose than to make unhappiness possible' Marcel Proust.
  • Monty Dog
    Monty Dog Posts: 20,614
    KMC make Shimano chains :?
    Make mine an Italian, with Campagnolo on the side..
  • Bozman
    Bozman Posts: 2,518
    Monty Dog wrote:
    KMC make Shimano chains :?

    I find it quite funny when folk slag off Shimano chains when as you say KMC make them, I used Shimano for years without an issue but I've swapped over to KMC for ease of use(quick link) and they run trouble free too.
    I've used sl, l and the basic chain and I can't really notice a difference.
  • passout
    passout Posts: 4,425
    Monty Dog wrote:
    KMC make Shimano chains :?

    Maybe but then they are very cheap KMC chains & not like the ones I put on my bike now - SL? The shifting was a definate improvement, you could tell straight away. I guess it is about quality & design though, rather than brand - granted.

    KMC have the reusable link thingy (easier to use than the SRAM power link) which my Shimano chains never used to have. So there are tangible differences.

    Also KMC make KMC chains to their own spec and shimano chains are actually different in design (even though manufactured by KMC). At least, that's how I understand it.
    'Happiness serves hardly any other purpose than to make unhappiness possible' Marcel Proust.
  • bernithebiker
    bernithebiker Posts: 4,148
    passout wrote:
    Monty Dog wrote:
    KMC make Shimano chains :?

    Maybe but then they are very cheap KMC chains & not like the ones I put on my bike now - SL? The shifting was a definate improvement, you could tell straight away. I guess it is about quality & design though, rather than brand - granted.

    KMC have the reusable link thingy (easier to use than the SRAM power link) which my Shimano chains never used to have. So there are tangible differences.

    Also KMC make KMC chains to their own spec and shimano chains are actually different in design (even though manufactured by KMC). At least, that's how I understand it.

    Good points there. Shimano have nothing like the KMC 10SL (which I use, and like).
  • carbon337
    carbon337 Posts: 414
    You'll notice if its gold that everyone will tel you it looks ace!
  • gloomyandy
    gloomyandy Posts: 520
    Have been looking around at chains to replace the one on my Sram Red setup. On CRC the prices are:
    Sram PC 1091R £31.99
    Shimano Dura-Ace 7801 £29.99
    KMC X10 SL £44.49

    So the KMC chain is a fair bit more expensive than the others. Will it last longer or work better than the other chains?

    Oh and one other thing I know on line is cheaper than lbs but I'm sure the Sram chain was over £50 in my local shop...
  • kamil1891
    kamil1891 Posts: 658
    I've just bought a Dura-Ace chain from planet-x for £25. I don't think it gets much better than that, especially for the price ;)
  • bernithebiker
    bernithebiker Posts: 4,148
    I get my Kmc 10 sl s direct from Taiwan, 25 quid.
  • racingcondor
    racingcondor Posts: 1,434
    I've been running DA chains on my Force set up for several years.

    Really good chains do seem to be more flexible and run slightly smoother and more quietly but other than that I wouldn't say I'd notice much. I just buy DA for the reasons above, you can almost always find them for <£30 and I'm happy with that.
  • smidsy
    smidsy Posts: 5,273
    ugo.santalucia wrote:
    You'll probably notice the loud clunck when it snaps and you hit your teeth on the bars

    Invoice for new keyboard on it's way Ugo :lol::lol::lol:
    Yellow is the new Black.
  • northpole
    northpole Posts: 1,499
    Best chain I have used is a kmc 10 sl - really smooth and has lasted much much longer than I had anticipated.

    Worst chain I've had is a sram which was bought in an emergency when my record chain had a link bent when the chain came off! I was surprised at the deterioration in feel and gear change. I have a kmc 11 sl waiting to be fitted when (if) the weather picks up in the spring. Hoping it works as well as the 10 sl did with shimano.

    Peter
  • orderodonata
    orderodonata Posts: 86
    gloomyandy wrote:
    Have been looking around at chains to replace the one on my Sram Red setup. On CRC the prices are:
    Sram PC 1091R £31.99
    Shimano Dura-Ace 7801 £29.99
    KMC X10 SL £44.49

    So the KMC chain is a fair bit more expensive than the others. Will it last longer or work better than the other chains?

    Oh and one other thing I know on line is cheaper than lbs but I'm sure the Sram chain was over £50 in my local shop...

    KMC x10 SL £37 at Parker International now, I got a couple and they are nice looking chains, feel very slick on the bike. Have to wait a while to comment on longevity though (I hope).
    ______________________________________
    Alive at both ends, but a little dead in the middle.
  • bernithebiker
    bernithebiker Posts: 4,148
    orderodonata wrote:
    gloomyandy wrote:
    Have been looking around at chains to replace the one on my Sram Red setup. On CRC the prices are:
    Sram PC 1091R £31.99
    Shimano Dura-Ace 7801 £29.99
    KMC X10 SL £44.49

    So the KMC chain is a fair bit more expensive than the others. Will it last longer or work better than the other chains?

    Oh and one other thing I know on line is cheaper than lbs but I'm sure the Sram chain was over £50 in my local shop...

    KMC x10 SL £37 at Parker International now, I got a couple and they are nice looking chains, feel very slick on the bike. Have to wait a while to comment on longevity though (I hope).

    Er, £25 on Ebay?!
  • gloomyandy
    gloomyandy Posts: 520
    Out of interest (and given the thread on the 3T Bars), can you be sure that the chains of Ebay are genuine KMC?
  • bernithebiker
    bernithebiker Posts: 4,148
    gloomyandy wrote:
    Out of interest (and given the thread on the 3T Bars), can you be sure that the chains of Ebay are genuine KMC?

    This was discussed in another thread, and I think the general consensus was that they are genuine, just no OEM packaging.

    Of course, impossible to be 100% sure, but I've used them before, and if they are fakes, then they are very, very good, fakes.

    It should be here soon - I'll post some pics for comparison.

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