Best Bike Chains

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When it comes to cycling, bike chains are your most important accessory for the simple fact that without a bike chain, you won’t be able to cycle. No matter how fancy or premium your other bike parts are, if there’s no quality chain that connects the cassette and the crank, what’s the point?

So, if you want to be able to cycle through your neighborhood, get to your destination, and even beat some tough trails along the way, you need the best bike chains for your ride.

7 Best Bike Chains in 2021

Check out these seven best bicycle chains in 2021:

How To Find The Best Bike Chains

Below is a list of the most important things you need to consider before buying bicycle chains, so you can be sure that you are getting the right accessory for your ride.

Riding Style

The first thing is your riding style or purpose. For example, do you prefer mountain biking, road biking, or BMX? These all tackle different terrains, and the bike chain needs to be designed in such a way that accommodates the nuances of the terrain.

Think of it this way: mountain bike chains need to withstand the rock grits, and must feature special coatings to prevent debris buildup and rusting, as well as make cleaning easier. BMX bike chains, on the other hand, are narrower and lighter, since the bike needs to easily navigate tough terrain. This typically means alloy construction with rust resistant coatings.

There are also heavy-duty bike chains for motorized e-bikes, specialized high-capacity chains for tandem bikes, and lightweight alloy chains for road bikes that match the bike’s speed.

Speed

Bike chains are designed and constructed for a specific number of rear cassette cogs, since more cogs make for smaller gaps, which necessitates a narrower bike chain.

While wider chains offer more contact area, narrower chains today are actually more evolved, so they last considerably longer. To give you an idea, a multi-speed would last longer than a single speed chain. For example, a 24 speed bike chain lasts better than, say, a 12 speed.

If you want to extend the wear of the bike chain even further, you can try going up one gear with the bike chain so that the links rub less on the neighboring cogs. Try it yourself and see the comparison of how different speed chains perform.

Shifting

One of the great things about the constant effort of bike part brands in improving their chains is that it doesn’t only make the bike chains more efficient, it also makes for smoother and faster shifting, since the chain plate shapes and the tooth profiles on cassettes and chainrings enable the chain to more efficiently transfer between gears.

That said, not all chains are equal in terms of shifting. Shimano makes better chains than KMC, for instance, and some chains are optimized for other things. Matching the chain brand to your drivetrain brand also makes for a more seamless performance.

Wear

Bike chains suffer from lots of micro-friction, regardless of whether they are in a clean environment or are exposed to lots of dust, grit, and debris. In fact, on average and at usual pedalling cadence, a 116-link bike chain produces more than 40,000 surface contact movements per minute.

It’s even worse if you go off-roading in the winter, in which case your chain can grind so much and breed corrosion within a single hour. In other words, your riding conditions greatly influence the longevity and wear of your bike chain.

Still, the quality, build, and construction of the bicycle chain and the effectiveness of its coating also affects how long the chain can last.

Watts

Different bike chain types and brands have different effects on saving watts when it comes to mechanical drag. Simply put, premium chains will outperform cheaper ones at any time, but you need to understand that the difference is only about 2% or 5 watts at 250 watts.

So, it’s up to you if you want to join the hype. Ultimately, what’s important, and what affects the watts more, is how well-maintained, cleaned, and cared for your bike chain is. This includes tucking on a wheel and using a good quality chain lube. Even the longevity of the chain is a lot more valuable than power loss.

Material and Durability

In terms of material or construction, this is one of the main determining factors for durability and overall quality. What you want here are high-quality models that withstand friction better, which is what makes the chain last longer.

Here are the most common bike chain materials:

• The most popular material for bike chains is alloy steel, which is durable yet inexpensive, and works for just about any riding type or purpose.
• Meanwhile, nickel plated bike chains are the most expensive options available, since they offer excellent rust protection, can be purchased in a variety of colors, and are a must for riding in style.
• There are also titanium chains that are stronger and harder, which means they can stand the test of time. The only downside is that this material is super expensive.

Ease of Installation

Installing new bike chains is fairly easy as long as you know what you are doing. But for some, the process can seem a little tricky, which is why it’s important to buy an easy-to-install kit which typically comes with a missing link that reduces replacement and usage time.

Brand

The truth of the matter is, some brands are better than others. Shimano and Sram, for example, are hallmarks in the cycling industry when it comes to producing quality, durable, and long lasting bike parts, and their bike chains live up to that standard.

That said, what’s more important is that you buy your bike chain from the same brand that your drivetrain is made from, since this will make for a smoother, more seamless performance. For instance, if you pair a Shimano ring or cassette with a Sram equipment, the difference in hardness will make the parts wear out quicker.

Of course, there are also chain brands that don’t really have matching transmissions, like KMC, for instance. These chains are good enough to work with any transmission brand.

Cost

Don’t fall for the temptation of buying the cheapest bike chain available, or grabbing the first thing you see bearing your favorite brand name. When it comes to bike chains, there’s a time for paying less, and a time for paying more.

If you want to save money, sure, go for a budget chain, but make sure that it’s still good quality like KMC chains instead of the obscure brand names. But if you want the best in terms of performance and longevity, you need to invest in a premium bike chain from a well-known brand.

Maintenance

Remember, once your chain wears, that directly translates to wear on your expensive chainrings and cassettes. It also leads to jamming, skipping, ripping off mechs, scarring the frame, or breaking spokes. Not to mention, a rusty bike chain, even when scrubbed and waxed, will never be able to offer the same smooth ride that it once did.

As such, it’s also important to spend time and effort on regular maintenance. Get yourself a good quality home bike repair stand, and buy the best bike chain cleaner like the Finish Line Shop Quality Bicycle Chain Cleaner to ensure that your ride always looks and works great.

Overview

At the end of the day, the best bike chain is one that works for your specific riding needs and lifestyle. But what’s more important than buying the right chain is keeping it clean and in perfect condition so it lasts longer and offers a better level of performance.

• Category: Buying Guide