Originally Posted by
Pop N Wood
I pretty much run nothing but KMC chains. They are excellent performers, priced right and available everywhere. They have yet to give me something to complain about.
Picking a chain to match the brand of cassette is pure marketing BS. Rise above the rhetoric and make an informed decision.
it depends. With 10-speed or lower drivetrains, the tolerance is loose so matching brand components isn't critical. Also, a frame with a longer chainline (thus a lesser chain angle) will be less picky about chains.
With 11-speed, and now 12-speed coming, tolerance is tight. To the casual observer, KMC and Shimano chains here look almost identical, but close observation will revel that they have slightly different profile. This sligh difference is enough to cause noiser drivetrain, and it may be enough to cause issue when you're cross-chaining in the big-big gear combo, or when you pedal backwarks (the chain will off the cassette). This is especially true if the bike frame has a short chainline (ie, greater chain angle).
for the 8,9,10-speed stuff, it doesn't matter which chain you use