Yet Another Cycling Forum
General Category => Freewheeling => Velo Fixe => Topic started by: Gattopardo on 25 October, 2016, 12:54:02 am
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Ok it is chain replacement time on the surly.
So do I go bushed or bushless?
I am a kmc chain fan so do I just go for the usual bmx chain.
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Ok it is chain replacement time on the surly.
So do I go bushed or bushless?
If your chainline is spot on and your cogs are not worn, then a chain with bushings would be fine. If not it'll be a bit noisy but probably bed in eventually.
I am a kmc chain fan so do I just go for the usual bmx chain.
If you do a high mileage (kilometrage?) then there are better options. If not, KMC are fine.
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If you do a high mileage (kilometrage?) then there are better options. If not, KMC are fine.
Which brand/make do you suggest? I typically use KMC bmx chains as I can feel reasonably confident they won't snap on me (I'm not built for speed!) but always keen to hear of alternatives, particularly for what is a high kilometreage bike. (I've added an 'e' because I can, not necessarily because I'm right.)
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A few years ago I tried a number of different chains under similar conditions: SRAM PC-1, Connex Wippermann 108 and 1Z1, and several different KMC. The life was determined as when they reached > 0.8% stretch.
The Wippermann chains outlasted the others by three to four times the distance. The worst was an expensive very chunky KMC which couldn't be split with standard tools and lasted ~ 800 km.
I use Wippermann 108 exclusively now, the nickel plating is pointless under a liberal coating of oil. They have bushings so can be very noisy on a worn cog until they bed in.
Having said that, you can usually pick up KMC S1 for £3.50 so it's more a case of how frequently the chain needs replacing rather than overall cost.
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I noticed that Wippermann chains last longer than other brands.
But I noticed that my chain rings wore out much quicker. Wippermann chains are expensive. So are chain rings.
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So KMC s1 bushed chain is 2.99 price matched from halfords at evans.
Should be the excuse I need to clean the bike and see what the clicking noise is.
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The HKK Vertex series is my favourite 1/8" chain:
http://tracksupermarket.com/hkk-vertex-gold-track-racing-chain-njs.html
Super quiet, lasted some 8 years of short distance commuting.
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How short?
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2-8km depending on job/house location at the time.
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Is the HKK Vertex bushed?
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Yes
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Thanks.
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I've never noticed much of a difference in chain life but full-bushing chains really need the chainline to be millimetre-perfect for quiet running. A bushingless chain is cheaper to make, should weigh slightly less and may be better for oil penetration.
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My chainline is millimeter perfect. I guess that also great helps with the longevity of the chain?
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I'm trying an experiment with a bushed chain (because it's there). That's in another thread.
The precision of chainline needed for a bushed chain to work better ought to analysable, to some extent, with a bit of Euclidian geometry (plus some trigonometry & approximations thereto for small angles to make life easier). I started a couple of years ago, but have a tuit shortage.