Which chain?

[onrbikes]

Will be needing a new chain and I think the highly recommended KMC X1 is a bit over the top at $45.

Has anyone tried and tested any other chains?

I think as soon as someone places the label Rohloff on something the price automatically becomes inflated.

[Peddrov]

I don't have any recommendation for you unfortunately, but I can vouch for the KMC chain. My Raven has done over 2,000 km by now, some of that in winter conditions and I still did not have to touch the eccentric BB. Some of the chains I had on derailleur bikes had to be replaced not far beyond this point.

[JimK]

I think I have a KMC Z610HX on my bike now. Seems to be lasting very well.

[mickeg]

I do not recall which low cost KMC chain I used last spring when I built up the Nomad, maybe the Z51?  I did not pay much for it.

[triaesthete]

SRAM PC850 for around £8 with a quicklink.

Ian

[John Saxby]

I think the highly recommended KMC X1 is a bit over the top at $45

On the recommendation of several contributors to this forum, I've just purchased a KMC 8.99 (for 8-spd cassettes and Rohloffs) via starbike.com in Germany. That will go into the build of my Thorn Raven in January.  The narrow chain will mate with a Surly 38T stainless chainring, and hence accept a Hebie chainglider.

Cost was €15 less 19% VAT, plus an SRAM powerlink for an 8-spd chain.  I think the KMC 8.93 will also work, and is (if I recall) slightly cheaper still.  Price worked out to about half that of the X1.

I've had very good dealings with starbike, BTW -- very prompt and clear replies, good P & P rates to Canada as well.

[Andre Jute]

KMC is the right brand to buy for Rohloff-equipped touring bike. But for the price of a KMC-X1 you can get a three-pack of the X8-93 or X8-99, and probably four of the Z8. I'd like to see an X1 outlast two or three or four of those before I splash out that much money on a chain, and haven't yet. We're waiting for members of this forum with the X1 to rack up experience and report what mileage, in comparison to the chains they used before, they made on the X1.

FYI. The Z8 is the best single speed chain from KMC, short of possibly the X1. The X8 is KMC's best eight speed derailleur chain. In theory, the Z8 is cheaper. In practice the X8 is more common and thus more often discounted, so most of us buy it. Since the X8 gives impressive mileages on Rohloff installations (I more than doubled the distance I went on a single chain when I switched to KMC), a suspicion arises that its extra flexibility is actually an advantage on a faux "single-speed" installation like the Rohloff. Also, as has already been mentioned above, the X8 fits the Hebie Chainglider and the Surly stainless steel chainring, very desirable components towards a zero/very, very low maintenance bike.

[onrbikes]

Just had a look at some receipts, and see I did use the X1. I bought them in a 3 pack from chain reaction and had them on China earlier this year.
My BB is already adjusted to maximum length, so think I'll try one of the recommended ones above.

[JimK]

I think you can remove a link and move the BB back to the other extreme and that works. It probably depends on the chainring and sprocket. If they're pretty worn, then letting the chain lengthen a bit more should be ok. If they're less worn, you'll want more newish chains on there. That's my understanding, anyway.

[Andre Jute]

Just had a look at some receipts, and see I did use the X1. I bought them in a 3 pack from chain reaction and had them on China earlier this year.
My BB is already adjusted to maximum length, so think I'll try one of the recommended ones above.

I don't get this. If you bought 3x KMC X1, you shouldn't need to buy any new chains for several years, even if you have three bikes each fitted with an X1.

[NZPeterG]

Hi All,
The only way to go is to use a KMC X1 Chain!

2014 is going good so far 

Pete   

[onrbikes]

The long story.

I built 2 bikes so used 2 chains, which left 1 chain. I may put that one on before we fly out.

One got stolen and now have another (2nd hand ) waiting in the UK that will need the rear cog replacing, making the existing chain too short.
I'd like to have both bikes with the same gear configuration.

Also because I like to travel with a spare chain am looking into just buying a couple.

[Andre Jute]

Right, got it. It seems to me that you might want to have all your chains the same too, and if you still have two X1 chains...

[triaesthete]

Check both bikes have the same chainstay length before you cut down the spare 

Ian

[il padrone]

Been using three KMC X8 chains on mine, rotating them. Much cheaper than the X1 and they've been fine. Just about to rotate the third one on for the last time (to do another 3-400kms) at the 19,000km mark for the bike.

When I bought them from Wiggle I think they cost me $A11 each