I had been using Shimano chains on my bikes. Usually I would use the ones that the manufacturer recommended for use with the chainsets I had fitted. I had only ever bought two or three chains, mainly because when fitting a new derailleur or cassette, the chain I had fitted still had a good few miles to go. But, about a year or so ago I noticed an e-bay listing for KMC DLC-10 chains. These were at a discount of nearly 60% and the reduced price was about the same as I had paid for the last Shimano chain I bought. I did a bit of research and found a lot of positive reviews. The majority of opinions were that these were of superior quality to Shimano. They were lighter, and stronger as well as being longer lasting. They also come in various colours.
I bought two. One in red for my MTB and one in green for the ALICE to match each bike’s colour schemes. I had them for almost a year before the chain on my MTB snapped and as I was fitting a double chain-ring to the tourer I decided it was time to fit them both. As winter is approaching, I’ve not had much chance to use them but so far they seem to perform at least as well as the Shimano ones. I also like the two quick-links that are included. These are reusable but it is good to have a spare.
The lightness comes from the open construction of the links but I’m not so sure that for my style of riding, a few grams saved on the chain makes much difference. The strength and longevity are more important to me and with about a year’s use I am pleased with the performance.
As I always like to have spares parts handy, I decided to buy a couple more chains. I bought all black ones as they are not as expensive as the coloured ones and the larger discounts I previously got are no longer available. I’ve also stayed with KMC when I converted my MTB to 12 speed and then to 11 speed. These are not the super light-weight ones that KMC make but are still great quality chains and are only slightly more expensive than shimano equivalents.
The biggest issue I have is with the packaging the DLC chains come in. They are packed in a cardboard box inside a cardboard sleeve. The inner box has a magnetic closure and is lined with a velvety moulded material and has a foam cover. This seems to me more suitable for jewellery and a simple cardboard box would be perfectly adequate and much more environmentally friendly. It would also cut the cost significantly. It’s not as if the chain is put back in the box once it has been fitted. It’s more likely to be binned. (suggestions for re-using the box are welcome). The 11 & 12 speed chains are supplied in a square plastic box similar to most other chain manufacturers. Still not recyclable but not as wasteful!
Just Me - On my bike 