Bike Chains: Longevity & Quality

[MRC01]

IMHO, off road moto chain lube should better than boutique lubes.. they claim non sticky and made for dirt. For example motul off road, 9€ 0.4L..
I'm not into the boutique bull

Warning: chain maintenance is a whole 'nuther subject!
Wanna start a thread on that?

 

[buck91]

How many miles did you get on the Xx1? What type of maintenance and what’s your riding style (masher, spin out etc)? I’ve had good results with sram myself, and I much prefer their quick link setup to the shimano single use pin…. Can’t believe an 11spd chain saw thousands of miles without excessive stretch causing cog wear though.

 

[MRC01]

The original XX1 chain lasted about 5 years and at least 3,000 miles before reaching 1/16" of stretch over the top span. My chain maintenance is described in the other thread. I clean and lube it after every MTB ride. The Shimano chain lasted about 1 year and less than 1,000 miles under the same conditions and maintenance. My riding is a mix of mud, dust, sand, from WA to OR to CO to UT with lots of steep climbing. I tend to spin rather than mash most of the time, but riding up 20-25% grades on a 30-42 gear you can't help but mash.
Overall, the XX1 chain is about 4 times more durable than the Shimano. And costs about the same ($40). Retail price is twice that but most places sell it for half price.

 

[Gillsy]

Shimano chains don't last. It's not just you.

I averaged 210 lbs over the years, and got ten years out of my Shimano 105 chain. I broke a side plate, but no stretch. I was happy with it, but think the Sram replacement might shift a bit better.