KMC make extremely durable bike chains, and we've put this to the test ourselves! For a few years, staff here at Inspiral Cycles have used mixed chains on their bikes, with half being one make/model, and the other half being different. This is the only way to fairly test chains against each other, as it ensures that both chains endure the same riding conditions, get cleaned just as often and experience the same gear combos and rider weight.

 

Using a chain-wear gauge to measure stretch, we found that KMC’s chains were clearly the most durable. We also found that the higher level the KMC chain, the more durable it became –the Extra Light (EL) chain at the top of the range managed to be both lighter and more resistant to stretching than the model below!

 

Chain wear is a bad thing for your gears. Allowing your chain to become too stretched before you replace it can force you to replace the cassette and/or chainrings as well. Using good quality chains can save you a lot of money in the long-run, especially on 1x setups where the cassette can be the most expensive part of the drivetrain! This is why we always recommend KMC chains at Inspiral Cycles.