JeremyLC

Guys, this is supposed to be a family friendly forum.

Leukybear 

Or are they already?

Oh and the worst chain you can get is a sram pc-1.

The heaviest chain you can get is the overrated shimano oval plate chain. It's meant for beach-cruisers.

ThermionicScott 

My KMC Z410 NP is about done, gonna put on the SRAM PC-7X next.

TejanoTrackie 

I've got the PC-7X on several bikes, and it's a great chain at a very reasonable price. Unfortunately, SRAM no longer makes them, and they are very hard to find.

ThermionicScott 

Tell me about it! I have a feeling that I'm going to like this chain, and then be really sad when it wears out.

I wonder why they stopped making it...

Unkle Rico

What wheel locks are those?

Scrodzilla

They're not locks, they're Phil Wood Chrome Domes.

SingleSpeeDemon

I think those are the standard bolts that come with Phil BMX hubs. I could be wrong, however.

kingston 

KMC Z610HX.

Unkle Rico

Aye -- thanks for that!

scoho

I've had two Izumi Eco chains in a row that I've been unhappy with.

The first one rattled and buzzed like a mf unless it was dripping with lube.

The second one, which I'm using now, doesn't rattle and buzz *quite* as loudly, but if I'm mashing even a little it grinds so badly I can feel the vibration in my legs and saddle.

I've cleaned everything, lubed, checked my chain ring and cog, flipped the chain every which way, tightened and loosened the chain. The first chain would work nicely for a day or two after a fresh lube (Finish Line Ceramic Wet) if I didn't wipe it down; nothing seems to help the second chain.

Any idea what might be going on?

Anyway, assuming the Eco and I just don't get along, I'm jumping on the bandwagon and have a KMC K710SL on order.

bmwjoe

I use the KMC-K710SL with the nickle plate. It has worked well for me. ~6k miles and no problems.

hardboiled718

i use an izumi eco chain and mine's ninja quiet. Sometimes if you pair a new chain with slightly worn chainring/cog it will be loud until the chain stretches to match the space between the teeth. Also make sure you don't run it too tight. i've seen a lot of people grinding on tight chains, some slack is necessary as long as it's not so much it'll get thrown.

p.s. no need to lube a new chain, i remember that being a point of contention around here but i stand by it

drlogik 

That brings up something I've been thinking about for a long time. That lube that they saturate the chain with in the factory is great lube indeed. Why then, do the manufacturer's not sell that lubricant? I thought that maybe because they want chains to wear out so they can sell more of them but that only goes so far. Any other ideas?

KMC does sell a lubricant through their web site but I don't think it is the same as they put on in the factory...could be wrong about that though.

This stuff:
https://store.kmcchain.us/p/chain-lube-pro

scoho

Yeah, when my first one was freshly lubed and running smooth it was a delight to ride. But I couldn't deal with lubing it every couple of days.

I do like to ride with as little slack as possible without being too tight, but I've loosened this second chain significantly to stop the grinding. No luck.

As for factory lube/wax, I guess the debate continues. I've tried it both ways, and cleaning + fresh lube seems to work better for me. I know others disagree.

johnnytheboy

i soak the chain in degreaser everytime i buy a new one. i hate that packing grease everyone uses. i then re-lubricate it with my preferred lube at the time.

hardboiled718

another thing you might wanna check is chain line. it seems extreme that you'd feel the rattling vibrate through the cranks and seatpost with a new chain. also, you shouldn't have to relube every few days unless you're riding in the rain or rough terrain and washing your bike frequently. anyway try the KMC chain and see if it's any quieter.

scoho

Yep, just got the delivery notification and will swap in the KMC as soon as I get home from work!

If that doesn't work, I'll have to examine the drivetrain even more closely. But for the life of me everything seems fine.

daryldeal

if that doest work, try my chain man, its the teflon coated taya 410h its really quiet and I dont even lube it anymore

bmwjoe

The factory lubes new chains by running them through a vat of hot grease. (Think deep fat fryer.) The grease is very thin at temperature and flow into the rollers. The warm grease runs off the outside leaving a light coating. The thick grease remains in the rollers for a long time to lubricate. This would be a difficult technique to duplicate at home. I guess one could go to the thrift store and get a cheap crock pot and fill it with grease.

I wash my chains in a part washer with OMS and wash until the solvent runs clean. I then dry the chain with air. I then spray it with motorcycle racing chain lube. This lube has grease and a light solvent. The lube flows into the rollers and then the solvent evaporates and leaves the grease. I do this about every month or 500 miles. I touch up every week or so with regular bike chain lube.

I get about 5000 miles on my 10 speed and the cassette lasts ~10k miles. I use racing lube because it is for non O-ring chains and is designed to lubricate the rollers. I don't know how well this routine works on a fixed gear as I have yet to wear out a chain in ~6k miles.

Ride Safe,

Joe

TimothyH

This really isn't a lube thread but...

Nickel, titanium nitride and and other coated chains often come with no lube from the factory. These need to be lubed. The KMC 710 falls into this category.


-Tim-

nightfly

KMC 810 because everything on my drivetrain is 3/32. Great chain. Looks good, runs quiet. Replace it every so often.

franswa

I don't think that's the reason^^

Could it be that they use a different type from the factory for improved shelf life?

Of allllll the different types of chain lubes I've tried, nothing has been as good as Chain-L. A 40z bottle will last a significantly long time(years) even with multiple bikes.

TimothyH

They don't sell the "factory lube" because it's primary function is not lubrication but rust prevention.

That's why nickel and ti nitride coated chains come without it. Coated chains don't rust so they don't need the "factory lube".

Everyone says that it is great lube and the manufacturers are not going to argue. It does lube and it does last, but if the primary function were lubrication then manufacturers would apply it to all their chains, especially the more expensive ones. As it is they only apply it to bare steel chains, chains which rust.


-Tim-

SquidPuppet

I don't know about other brands, but KMC Ti-Ni and nickel chains come wet from the factory. I don't claim to know their reasons, but the chains are lubed. Even their painted chains are lubed.

Another reason to use KMC.