Which chain do I need?

[Gareth1974]

My bike could do with a new cassette, so i think should also get a new chain at the same time.
The cassette I need is a Shimano CS-R8000 11-30t, how do I work out which chain I should buy? I suspect I need a Shimano HG701 chain, but they seem to come with differing numbers of links? Do I need to attempt to count the links on the existing chain?!

I have a 52/36-tooth semi-compact chainset and a short cage Ultegra rear derailleur if it’s relevant.

Edited by Gareth1974 on Sunday 23 July 15:14

[magpie215]

Chain sold in speed so 9 speed 9 cogs on cassette 10 speed 10 cogs etc etc.

Length of chain is usually worked out by putting chain on big big...largest chain wheel and cassette sprocket bypassing the derailier where the chain overlaps add 2 links and you should be in the right area.

[Your Dad]

KMC 11spd chain from Decathlon is 118 links and will cost under £18. Remove old chain, measure up against new and remove any additional links from the new chain using chain splitter.

[Master Bean]

What are the options?

[Gareth1974]

Master Bean said:

What are the options?

This appears to the be the one for my groupset https://www.merlincycles.com/shimano-ultegra-xt-cn...

Says it has 114 links - others seem to have more. The ad also says this "Please note this chain is supplied without a Quick Link. It does have a connecting pin installed though for joining"

Or the KMC one mentioned also sounds fine.

[Rob_125]

Never been a fan of shimano chains. I'd go for sram, from that link you're 11 speed (2x11). So go for the best sram chain that fits your budget. Sram chains come with a quick link. 114 links should be enough, infact you'll likely have to remove a link or two.

[Gareth1974]

Rob_125 said:

Never been a fan of shimano chains. I'd go for sram, from that link you're 11 speed (2x11). So go for the best sram chain that fits your budget. Sram chains come with a quick link. 114 links should be enough, infact you'll likely have to remove a link or two.

I had thought that this would be a job I should be able to undertake myself - but looking at quick links, seems I'd then need to buy a special tool? - the Shimano chain I linked to says it has a connecting pin. I saw someone change a chain a few years ago and then there was a pink they snapped off once fitted - is this what's being referred to? (I do have a chain tool on a cycling multitool).

[Your Dad]

Gareth1974 said:

I had thought that this would be a job I should be able to undertake myself - but looking at quick links, seems I'd then need to buy a special tool? - the Shimano chain I linked to says it has a connecting pin. I saw someone change a chain a few years ago and then there was a pink they snapped off once fitted - is this what's being referred to? (I do have a chain tool on a cycling multitool).

No tool necessary for joining a quick link, although you can buy one.

[addey]

Your Dad said:

Gareth1974 said:

I had thought that this would be a job I should be able to undertake myself - but looking at quick links, seems I'd then need to buy a special tool? - the Shimano chain I linked to says it has a connecting pin. I saw someone change a chain a few years ago and then there was a pink they snapped off once fitted - is this what's being referred to? (I do have a chain tool on a cycling multitool).

No tool necessary for joining a quick link, although you can buy one.

......but you'll need one if you ever want to undo the quick link!

[Gareth1974]

addey said:

Your Dad said:

Gareth1974 said:

I had thought that this would be a job I should be able to undertake myself - but looking at quick links, seems I'd then need to buy a special tool? - the Shimano chain I linked to says it has a connecting pin. I saw someone change a chain a few years ago and then there was a pink they snapped off once fitted - is this what's being referred to? (I do have a chain tool on a cycling multitool).

No tool necessary for joining a quick link, although you can buy one.

......but you'll need one if you ever want to undo the quick link!

Thanks - so if I get the one with the connecting pin, I'd be able to remove it with the chain tool I already have?

[WPA]

Just avoid Shimano chains.

Sram: https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/chains/sram-pc1130-11-...

Kmc: https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/chains/kmc-x11-11128-i...

Put the new chain around the smallest sprocket and chainring, pull just tight enough that the mech cage is just off it is stop, remove the necessary links and join with the supplied connector pin.

Dead easy

[Master Bean]

Just avoid Sram chains.

Shimano are more efficient and just better.

[dontlookdown]

Shimano chains are fine. So are SRAM. So are KMC. It's like the tyre brand debate for cars;). None of the big brands are ditchfinders.

Shimano chains are joined with a pin that you drive in (and remove) a with a chain tool.

SRAM and KMC chains use a quick link. You will need quick link pliers to remove these but they are a better choice if you take your chain off - to clean it for example.

The main thing with chains is to get the right speed chain for your chain set. 8/9/10/11 speed chains are not all the same, they get progressively narrower as the number of gears increases.

As far as length goes, if you are concerned about buying a chain that is too short then yes, count your links. Absolute precision not required, if you are a link or two out it doesn't matter.

Changing a chain is a five min job once you have got the hang of it, and is definitely something you can do yourself.

[dave123456]

dontlookdown said:

….. if you are a link or two out it doesn't matter.

Changing a chain is a five min job once you have got the hang of it, and is definitely something you can do yourself.

It does matter if you are a link too short and go for a ratio that needs more. I wouldn’t want to be 20 miles from home when it happens.

Wrapping it round large : large and adding a link is not hard so I’m not sure why you would suggest otherwise.

I’d go kmc myself, as others have said easier to remove. Shimano can only be rejoined with a master pin when split.

[dontlookdown]

dave123456 said:

It does matter if you are a link too short and go for a ratio that needs more. I wouldn’t want to be 20 miles from home when it happens.

Wrapping it round large : large and adding a link is not hard so I’m not sure why you would suggest otherwise.

I’d go kmc myself, as others have said easier to remove. Shimano can only be rejoined with a master pin when split.

Prob not being clear. What I meant was it doesn't matter if you don't count the links on the old chain perfectly, because it's only to make sure the new chain won't be too short. Which is one of the things OP was worried about.

You size it when you fit the new one, big ring to big ring plus two as you say.

OP the Park Tools YouTube videos on sizing and fitting a chain are good. In fact their bike maintenance videos generally are great if you want to do more DIY bike stuff.

[Your Dad]

OP is replacing an existing chain, which can be used to confirm required length of new chain. Suggesting the big-big+2 links method to ascertain required chain length isn't necessary is this situation.

[ukbabz]

dontlookdown said:

Shimano chains are fine. So are SRAM. So are KMC. It's like the tyre brand debate for cars;). None of the big brands are ditchfinders.

Shimano chains are joined with a pin that you drive in (and remove) a with a chain tool.

The ultegra and dura ace ones come with a quick link, my last 3 chains have been shimano and had a Quick Link

[bobbo89]

KMC. As someone else has said you can get them from Decathlon pretty cheap.

Can also use the gear cable trick if you don't have a pair of split link pliers.

[catso]

addey said:

Your Dad said:

Gareth1974 said:

I had thought that this would be a job I should be able to undertake myself - but looking at quick links, seems I'd then need to buy a special tool? - the Shimano chain I linked to says it has a connecting pin. I saw someone change a chain a few years ago and then there was a pink they snapped off once fitted - is this what's being referred to? (I do have a chain tool on a cycling multitool).

No tool necessary for joining a quick link, although you can buy one.

......but you'll need one if you ever want to undo the quick link!

I've got several bikes with quick link chains and have removed them many times using just pliers & fingers, no special tool required.

As for new chains, I always buy longer than required and remove the excess, saves counting it wrong and potentially ending up with too short a chain.

[JagYouAre]

Never had a problem with a Shimano chain myself. At the end of the day it's a consumable part, all the big brands will be fine.

Re. the quicklink, last time I got a chain was the first quicklink one, and I bought a quicklink tool at the same time for about 5 quid. As people above have said it's not required, but it does make the job very very easy (to be fair the old school chain link tools are not massively difficult but it is more of a faff).

Plenty of good YouTube videos for the process of fitting a new chain (Park Tools ones usually very good) but yes, buy the right one for number of rear cogs, so 11 speed Shimano one will do the job (you can decide whether the Ultegra version is worth the extra £). Put it around large front and large rear (not through the jockeys) and where they meet, add a couple of links and lose the rest (this video explains it well: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O0YibMDWBAw)