New chains focused to ebike use with 5000Km durability

would be interested by results.

Currently I'm using cheap 4GBP chain that last between 500-1000km. It doesn't worth it for me to get a 5000km chain if it cost 10 times the amount. Changing chain is quite straightforward anyway.

But for 15-20GBP if I can have a chain that last 3000-5000km it should worth it.
 
Kiriakos GR said:
And definably I ended up with one Win Win Deal.
Click to expand...

I'd say it's a little premature. You should check back in @ 5000 Km ;)
 
When you wear a chain out past 1% elongation, you have also worn out the sprockets. If you don't replace worn-out sprockets when you replace the chain, shifting will suffer and the new chain will quickly wear to match the old one.

The best things you can do to increase chain and sprocket longevity in a heavily loaded bicycle drivetrain are to avoid 11t and 12t sprockets, and switch from 9-speed to 7- or 6-speed chains and freewheels. Lower gear counts not only last longer due to thicker sprockets and wider chain bushings, but they are much cheaper to replace when worn. You can get the same overall gear range with 7-speed as with 8, 9, or 10.

Bicycle chains are mature technology, and the market for them is large. Any cost-effective legitimate improvements will be independent of e-bikes. Any claimed improvements must be regarded with a healthy skepticism.
 
My £4 chain was just changed at 3000km because my new cassette is bigger, so it wouldn't reach round it. My old cassette was indeed old and high mileage, so the chain shouldn't last long. Still, 3000 later it's come off and will be going on another bike soon. I really don't see anything that special about a 5000km chain. What it actually is, is 25% harder. What this will bring is higher wear rates for the sprockets the chain passes over. I like my chain to wear, not my sprockets. If I designed this stuff, sprockets would be hard and last, while chains were softer and wore. So I keep buying new chains, eaten by my sprockets. Sprockets that last a long time. With a hardened chain, your in to that sports bike category where everything is hard, to be small, and it all gets changed together. This is all wrong for our use.
 
cwah said:
What chain are you using?
Click to expand...
Just HG or IG. Shimano. Nothing special. I can't really be arsed to get up right now and see. It's just chain.

Without opening the google search results, I'm seeing highlights of 1500-2500km if your chain is abused. A chap at 13,000km wondering if it might be due. Servicing and load are so variable between users, it is hard to know what to expect. Another guy at 3000km thinks his is fine, but his shop wants him to change it.

My bike came with an old kinked chain. I laid it and the replacement side by side, to get the length right. The elongation was laughable. At each pin there was slop where the chain had gained an unfathomable amount of movement. Like an 1/8th. It was paired with the gear cassette I have since put the 3000km on.

What are you getting from a chain?
 
I'm currently using this chain:
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/clarks-anti-rust-7-8-speed-chain/rp-prod56336

I think I put around 500km before I need to change chain. But it's also because I was changing gear on load.

I'm considering this one:
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/kmc-z8s-7-8-speed-chain/rp-prod46601

A bit more expensive but hopefully it should worth it
 
I'm normally a fan of buying a quality item once and looking after it. However, with chains I just can't be doing with the hassle of regularly removing, cleaning and lubricating a chain, so I put on a cheap one, give the occasional blast of lube and getting ~1000 miles from it.

I removed the first one after around 3000 miles. I tried the tried of holding it out straight from one end to assess the wear - I reckon I could almost have bent it into a complete circle it was that bad :D
 
I bought 4 Clarkes rustproof chains from Halfords for £3 each and after 1600km the first one is still in great condition.
 
KINNINVIEKID said:
I bought 4 Clarkes rustproof chains from Halfords for £3 each and after 1600km the first one is still in great condition.
Click to expand...

how come my one dies after 500km? Are you using it at low power? I use throttle only and always at full power
 
With a mid drive, no bicycle chain will let you feed high power. Buying a better chain may let you feed some more, or longer, for that it may be worth the cost. Best is to double the chain, higher cost in building cash and time, but making it possible to feed much higher power.

With a hub build, it is not relevant. Else, if you are willing to pay big bucks for lighter weight, buy a Ti chain. It will not last longer but it is much lighter and keeps clean.

The most important factor of reliability for a chain, is its proper setting: Straight chain line, adequate length, even tensioning and precise guiding. Then, lubrication comes next. Chain quality is coming behind all previous factors.
 
Kiriakos GR said:
I am ready to conquer the universe !! 8)
This chain starts it life today and my KIT has 340Km recorded up to date.

What I was not aware was that in case that you have to remove the master link of this ( No tools design) you have always to replace it by a new.

At this chain carton box, at the low end there is a small almost hidden compartment, and there is and a second master link in there, shielded in a small bag.
The chain comes with two master links !

I did a mistake about length calculation and the chain end up longer, and so at correcting this I did wasted the first included master link.
My older chain was 107 links with out master link, and the new has 116.
Gears shifting is great, tomorrow I will lubricate it with SAE 90 and I will do my test run, it was raining here all day (stormy weather) .


.
Click to expand...

To paraphrase Sheldon brown, keep the factory lubricant on your chain for as long as possible, it's much better than anything you can put on yourself and oiling it immediately will likely reduce the effectiveness of the factory lubricant. But I guess you know that as you're an industrial electrician with all those 340km on your single motor.

Fwiw, you can pick up reusable kmc missing links for peanuts.
 
IIRC motorcycle chains normally use sealed links - the lubrication requirements might be different to a bicycle chain...
 
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