i seem to have a problem with breaking chains, regularly! i am just jinxed with bikes! so i was wondering what is the strongest chain around? im sick of breaking them and would just like a strong more bombproof one

thanks

KMC X9SL with the gold nitride coating. 255g and I've yet to break one in 5 years.

Expensive but problem solved. There's a heavier X9L at half the price which is probably just as strong.

how much is is, and will it be alot stronger that chains like XT?

Wiggle and CRC do them. 50 quid for the bling or 25 for the X9L.

Can't speak for Shimano, but I've snapped some top of the range SRAM and Wippermann. Not any more though.

I'd look at your setup if I were you, standard chains are pretty bloody strong

I'm sure I'm missing other bits but, in reverse order: chainline, maintenance, JOINS

chainline, maintenance, JOINS

true, and gear change technique is in there too.

Wiggle and CRC do them. 50 quid for the bling or 25 for the X9L.

Merlin currently doing 2 KMC X9SL for £50.

Merlin currently doing 2 KMC X9SL for £50.

Well spotted JP

Shows the mark-up 🙁

Just bought 2. No fancy packing or box. Comes in a small plastic bag with connector. But that's all you need.

Buy the cheapest, heaviest nine speed KMC or SRAM and that won't fail. Around £10-11 from Parkers or eBay.

Surely the pricier, lighter ones will not be any stronger but possibly weaker?

Broken 6 Shimano Chains in last 18 months but not a single KMC or SRAM

How much weight could you hang off a normal chain before it broke?

about a tonne. give or take!

but.. (while I'm still here..) have you broken said chain at all?

Broke a KMC X9 SL a couple of weeks ago which was quite disapointing as these buggers are expensive, also broke a SRAM and a Shimano during the puffer 😥 (SLX cass, Middleburn rings and new xt rear der fitted at the same time too).

I've been using KMC X9-93's after breaking a SRAM chain. Cheap but none of them have broken so far. Got mine from Parker Int for just over a tenner.

How on earth do people snap chains so much? I regularly see people on trail sides fixing chains… is it poor shifting / chainline or more likely crap joining? not a rant – just genuiinely interested…

Ok i am a 11 stone xc rider and I use shimano chains = xt/xtr with a sram or connex joining link – I honestly cannot remember the last time I snapped a chain – must be about 8 years ago and that wasnt a shimano…I used to get bent side plates now and then on cheap sram chains but thats it…

paul

I have no idea how folk can break chains – bad shifting / under load shifting is the only explanation I can think of other than using worn out chains. I have broken one chain in decades of riding – and that was a bad shift under load on the tandem.

Its not an issue on tandems so I cannot understand why it seems to be for some on solos.

Used to break them all the time riding trials. Sram had the best rep back then (tho they were called sachs back then iirc). Nowadays i always use sram or kmc with powerlinks to join. Haven't broken one for years.

I'm an 11 stone XC rider and I've broken a number of chains in my time, including 2 X9SLs, definitely wouldn't get them on the merit of being strong. They also wear very fast, and I don't think they shift as well.

I've personally found PC991s to be the strongest chains, had a lot of bad experiences with Shimano chains, snapped every XTR chain I've ever put on an MTB, including one after 200 yards (not at the joining pin, broke a link in half).

I like to think it's because of my incredible power output!

well it was a brand new xt chain on brand new xt cassette brand new xt rear mech and front mech and chain rings! was the fourth ride on it and i broke it just riding up a hill on road – wasnt shifting – wasnt standing up or laying any power down jsut snapped on me!! rubish. i wont be using shimano again. i also snapped a cheapo chain on my old cheapo bike so i dont rate them either. i just want a super strong one! dont know which to choose!

Mid range sram ones seem to work for me.

We loaded the drivetrain on the tandem to the point the freehub ripped in the Hope big un. 22/34 granny gear and both of us standing on the pedals virtually stationary on a very steep slope well over a tonne of force I would think. Chain was fine

I broke a chain 3 times around Brechfa – was due to me having performed 3 shoddy joins the week previously!
A chain with 3 powerlinks in it has so many length possibilities…

DrP

i seem to remember the static breaking strain of a bicycle chain is about 1.5 tonnes

Just worked ou the force we put thru a chain is around 500 – 600 kg max with two of us jumping on it.

Never had a Shimano chain break in 21 years of serious biking.

So either;
I have been very lucky
I am a bike maintainance god
Easing off power when changing gear does pay off
Shimano chains are the strongest ever

Thats torn it! All my chains will now self destruct

My maintainance is pretty good as is shifting technique.

Most chains have snapped when I'm in a big gear, come to a small rise and think "I can't be bothered changing down, I'll just power up….."

I am around 15 stone to btw…

I brole my KMC X9.73 chain the other week, granted it was probably fecked along with the jockey wheels 😆

Just swapped over to KMC X9.93 after having them on my FS for the last couple of years, only got the X9.73 as I was skinted and had a tenner in my pocket and needed a new chain.

namastebuzz

so you put more torque thru a chain in a high gear than two of us can in a low gear? 😕

2nd SRAM PC991 , merlin do 3 for £60.
IMO faultless.

KMC X9-93.

Unless SRAM have changed recently I find them the worst and especially the top end chains.
KMC SL chains keep getting heavier and its to do with durability. I would imagine they are stronger now, although I never had a problem even when they were 230g (more like 260g now).

KMC SL chains keep getting heavier…
…they were 230g (more like 260g now)

Are you trolling…?

I use Rohloff chains. Never had one break at all on me.