How to choose a chain for a bicycle

Modern bicycles, regardless of their functional purpose, are complex mechanisms whose performance is directly dependent on engineering solutions and technologies that are implemented by the manufacturer at all stages of development. Take, for example, the chain - the main element that transmits torque from the pedals to the rear wheel. However, modern bikes are two orders of magnitude more technological than their predecessors, and therefore special attention must be paid to the quality and key features of the chain.

We repair and tune the bike. Top Chain Manufacturers

If you consider any brand bike, the name of which is widely known, it will be a collection of technical elements, many of which are made by third-party companies. That is, in fact, the final manufacturers are exclusively assemblers using off-the-shelf components. It is for this reason that there is no point in searching for branded parts, the best chain producers today are:

1. Shimano;

2. SRAM;

3. Wipermann;

4. SunRace;

5. Trek;

Main selection criteria

When choosing a chain for a bicycle, you should remember that it is impossible to go to the store and buy the first chain that came to hand. There are a lot of criteria that you should pay attention to when choosing a chain:

1. The number of stars on the drive shaft. Currently, there are a variety of bicycles on sale, the design of which includes from 1-2 to 5-6 leading stars. As a rule, the applicability of a chain is indicated by the appropriate marking on the package. For example, the inscription Narrow says that the chain is intended for mechanisms equipped with 5-8 leading stars, Super Narrow indicates the applicability of the chain with a mechanism equipped with 9-10 stars. If nothing is indicated on the package, such a chain is suitable for a mechanism with a smaller number of stars;

2. The design, mechanical characteristics and type of metal used are the criteria that have the greatest impact on the durability of the chain, its total resource directly depends on them. Experienced cyclists note that judging by the quality of the metal is possible by the color of the chain: low-end models almost always have yellow or olive color, white chains are typical of the middle class, and if you have a gray or graphite color chain, you can be sure of its quality . As for the design, almost all bicycle chains have a pitch of 1/2 inches, regardless of what type of bike is mounted on one or another chain;

3. The thickness of the chain links and the number of walls. Everything is quite simple here - the thicker the link - the stronger it is. An important role is played by the design of the link itself: double and even triple links, widely used in those places where maximum reliability is required and a guarantee of absence of problems, much more durable and resource than their single counterparts;

4. Check the chain for wear is not difficult. To do this, it is necessary to apply force to the chain at an equal distance from both stars.If the deviation from the initial position exceeds 3.5–4 centimeters, this means that the chain has significant wear and requires replacement. If to ignore this circumstance, the worn out chain will “eat” the stars themselves and break the mechanism of the cassette.

In the following articles, our experts tell how to choose wheels for a bicyclesecrets mountain bike selection and features road bike selection.