27 February 2022

Fresh Goods Sunday - KMC X11 DLC SL 11 speed chain

 


Well this has to be the most expensive chain I have ever bought in my 40 years of cycling by a long way. I know the rrp of bike parts has gone through the roof over the last couple of years but this is just a totally bling item. To be honest I don't really keep my chains that clean on my mtb and gravel bikes so would have been a waste as you would have never seen the red colour after the first ride of cleaning the chain ever 3 months or so. I don't use my road bike as much and on a whole does not get that dirty so was a good excuse to bling it up a little. The standard chain that come with the bike was a Shimano 105 model, nothing wrong with it, smooth and quiet but just looked dull and boring. I have standard using KMC since SRAM bought out Sedis. Again I have never had any problems with Sram chains and normally last a fair while. 
I don't ride to the extremes where I would notice any difference in such a high spec chain. It runs just as smooth and quiet as other chains that I have bought for a quarter of the price. To me the money is for the aesthetics of the bike, not that anyone would notice when you are riding past them. Time will tell how long it lasts / stretches on my e bike. Fitting is like any other Sram / KMC, it comes with a power / missing link for connecting the two ends. Once I reduced the chain down to length the missing link was tight and I had to use my chain link stretchers (see photo below, black handled ones), he opposite to my chain link removers (blue handled ones). The chain comes in lovely little presentation box and so it should with an rrp of £100! 

RRP £99.99 and I paid £77.50 from Merlin Cycles - 22% Discount inc 48hr p&p. 
Manufacturers blurb - 

Features
  • 1/2" X 11/128"
  • Pin Length: 5.65 mm
  • 116 Links
  • Weight: Super Light, 243 grams
  • Various Colours Available
  • Non Directional
  • Diamond Like Coating for top Performance
  • For Shimano, Campagnolo and SRAM 11-speed derailleur systems














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