The chain has a thankless job. As long as it runs quietly and smoothly over the sprockets and chainrings, it goes largely unnoticed. For most cyclists, the most important thing is that it shines cleanly. But if it rattles, rattles, jams or jumps - then everyone suddenly realises how important the chain is for the function of the bike.
Two things make chain life gruelling in the literal sense of the word. Firstly, the chain is exposed to the weather and is maltreated by water, dirt and sand. Secondly, it is subjected to high torques, often exacerbated by the fact that the chain runs at an angle through the gearbox - for example from the small chainring to small sprockets. This skewed running in particular is rare in the world of chains, which are normally designed to run exactly straight, often even rotate in an oil bath or are sealed with O-rings. In the modern derailleur chain, on the other hand, the so-called bearing collar chain, the joints are more or less open.
The test field of 24 candidates includes 21 models for ten-speed gears and three eleven-speed chains. All major manufacturers are represented, from BBB to Campagnolo, KMC, Shimano, SRAM and Wippermann. For comparison purposes, we have included the current SRAM and Shimano chains and their longstanding predecessors in the test.
You can find the test results in the PDF download below.
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