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The chain on my commuter exploded this morning with a tinkling of metal on tarmac and an instant loss of drive. It's an old bike with a Sturmey archer 3 speed hub and a single ring front and I did have a stainless KMC chain on there which I got very cheaply from Planet X many years ago. It's done may thousands of miles so I can't begrudge it giving up at all.
But what to replace it with? I can't find the same chain on PX any more and have no idea what the current equivalent is. Most chains seem to be advertised on number of speeds or lightness or whatever and the stainless aspect doesn't seem to feature so they're hard to find. So anyone know any decent stainless steel singlespeed chains - preferably under £15 or so.
Cheers
G
You probably want an 3/32 inch chain, or a 1/8th would be fine also. They are the ones that look like they could drive a tracton engine,
They're not made of stainless, just get a not-the-cheapest KMC.
They're not made of stainless,
Pretty sure this one is and it's not shown a bit of rust in the many years its been on there and that includes being left outside 24/7 Dutch style.
You're possibly thinking of the EPT chains?
https://planetx.co.uk/products/kmc-z1-narrow-3-32-chain
You'll probably want a new sprocket and chainring as well, even though you can tension it until it stops slipping on old cogs, it'll be noisy and probably wear quickly.
I think KMC call it anti-rust rather than stainless.
My Alfine commuter is running a KMC Z1eHX (available in narrow and wide) which is quite burly and hub gear ebike rated. It has very flat side plates and no chamfering so very disinclined to derail off the sprocket. The EPT models are their anti-rust plating.
Huh, looks like I stand corrected. Merlin have them for 6 quid.
https://www.merlincycles.com/kmc-z1-wide-single-speed-chain-112-links-272771.html
Edit - had them. 🙄
You're possibly thinking of the EPT chains?
PLANETX.CO.UK
You'll probably want a new sprocket and chainring as well, even though you can tension it until it stops slipping on old cogs, it'll be noisy and probably wear quickly.
Thanks tinas it may well be EPT - I have to admit I don't really care so long as it doesn't rust.
I doubt the rings will care much about a new chain the front is an old TA track ring and the rear is a thick steel 60's S/A thing. The front is in more danger of failing as it looks to have gone narrow/wide with the non chamfered side plates but the profile is ok - for now. There's no shifting to be done and there's no way the chain is getting over the top of the teeth.
Flip the ring / sprocket over so you wear the reverse side of the teeth. Rotate the chainring one set of bolt holes as the current wear will be concentrated in two quadrants.
I had a thick Surly steel sprocket that looked ok but made nasty noises with a new chain - you'll know quite quickly if it is unhappy with the new chain.