Cycling UK Forum

Does anyone have any recommendations for rust resistant/free chains. Commuting in wet conditions and storing my bike in a damp garage plays havoc esp with my waxed chain. Ideally I should be trying to dry off the chain after a ride but it's not always possible. I also don't want to start a debate over whether waxing is a good idea or not or why I've gone down that route, because that's a slippery slope!!

Anyways it would be great to hear from anyone using something like the KMC X12 EPT chain or any alternatives and how hard wearing it is.

Muchos Gracias

I'm sorry that I don't have a recommendation for you. I am admittedly a chain cheapskate mostly using the very cheap kmc b1s which I think is nickel plated but like you I wax the chain (putoline wax) and I've also tried zinc plated chains in the past.

I think unless you get a full stainless steel chain (where every part is stainless, not just the links) all the coatings and platings wear away, especially where the parts of the chain bear against each other. Therefore, once the wax is no longer filling the gaps enough so that water can't get in the inside bearing surfaces of the chain will rust. I find you either tolerate that or maybe add some more liquid or spray oil/lube to prevent this rust. I don't do that but I do switch to the second and third freshly waxed chains in my rotation fairly often in the wet and salty months, maybe running each for a month or less before they're all redone.

If also be very keen to hear from people using more expensive chains.

I got a new bike with gears in a can last August. The chain recommended was a KMC E1 EPC coated chain which I was happy to go along with. I'm rotating two chains of those chains and have ridden about 2500km since last August, including some rather wet rides through road width and deep 'puddles'. The chains have been lubricated from day 1 using Molten Speedwax and are rewaxed and rotated every 2-300 km. I have not observed any rust over this period.

I have been very impressed with the Speedwax thus far. I have been measuring chain wear since new using a Park Tools CC-2 chain wear indicator. I'm afraid I can't report on what wear there has been because I still can't get the prongs of the chain checker between the links (negative wear??).

In terms of lubrication, the Speedwax is a doddle to use. Its a much simpler process that I was previously using with Purple extreme, removing and washing chains in White spirit.

For context I'm a 110kg rider and ride in the undulating regions about 15 miles South of Cambridge..

The recent weather with snow and ice has meant lots of gritting around my way and that has meant in turn paying close attention to the household's bikes all of which, despite regular lubrication, went rusty in no time. I think if you use a good lubrication regime then wet weather isn't a huge issue. Salt is!

I hot wax mine. Motorcycle stuff. If the chain come home wet I give it a quick spray of cheapo WD40 copy stuff. It's greasier than WD 40 or the big names and prevents rust on the rollers where the wax has won away.

90W gear oil might work, won't be pretty though but would be hard to wash off and should protect from corrosion.

It's amazing I've posted this question on other forums and some people here and there still feel the need to tell me what they put on their chains or how rubbish THEY think my method of chain lubrication is.

The question was:

Does anyone have any recommendations for rust resistant/free chains?

The question wasn't what do you put on your chain to prevent rust?

I don't wish to offend but if you haven't used a rust free chain and/or have no experience of the current crop of rust free chains then you are not helping me at all.

RecumbentRide wrote:It's amazing I've posted this question on other forums and some people here and there still feel the need to tell me what they put on their chains or how rubbish THEY think my method of chain lubrication is.

The question was:

Does anyone have any recommendations for rust resistant/free chains?

The question wasn't what do you put on your chain to prevent rust?

I don't wish to offend but if you haven't used a rust free chain and/or have no experience of the current crop of rust free chains then you are not helping me at all.

What you want doesn't exist. Platings and coatings wear off. Even stainless steel chains are only partly stainless because stainless on stainless galls.

Belt drive

RecumbentRide wrote:It's amazing I've posted this question on other forums and some people here and there still feel the need to tell me what they put on their chains or how rubbish THEY think my method of chain lubrication is.

The question was:

Does anyone have any recommendations for rust resistant/free chains?

The question wasn't what do you put on your chain to prevent rust?

I don't wish to offend but if you haven't used a rust free chain and/or have no experience of the current crop of rust free chains then you are not helping me at all.

To be fair none here have criticised your choice of lubrication, it being recognised as an ecumenical matter here.

I think Mikedee is correct (and as I said my first answer) any coating or plating is worn away by the movement of the chain against itself, exacerbated by grit, and there is no all stainless chain available. Even if there were it would still rust in wet salt gritted conditions.

There are no 'rust free chains' just a variety of anti rust coatings.

iandusud wrote:Belt drive

I think that's about it, isn't it - do away with a chain completely.

OP hope that helps.

alexnharvey wrote:There are no 'rust free chains' just a variety of anti rust coatings.

Stainless?
Are there any fully SS?

What grade of SS are they?
Low grade will rust to some degree.

Don't think there is any easy solutions, you need to get the salt off and the chain dried.

If I have had a long ride on wet salty roads I take the chain off and rinse it n the sink before drying and re-oiling takes less than 15 minutes.

I don't think many people realise that hot air / paint stripper guns come with a chain drying tool



It is quite good for warming the chain up before and after oiling, lets the oil flow inside to where it is needed.

chain corrosion is not something which can be entirely divorced from the matter of chain lubrication. Anyone's 'experience' with different types of chain is arguably completely meaningless without some reference to how the chain is lubricated/maintained too.

Lubes act as barriers (of various efficacies) but all such barriers (including the expensive ones applied in a factory) can be breached and definitely will be in the bushings. Some lubes additionally contain chemical corrosion inhibitors. If you use the right lube a chain (any chain pretty much) can sit out in the rain for years (literally) and not suffer corrosion damage. By contrast a single ride (with a chain that is not suitably protected/lubricated) on freshly gritted roads followed by storage (uncleaned) will make mincemeat out of any chain, coated, stainless, whatever.

FWIW many 12s chains are built using harder materials in the bushings and therefore have a higher cost and longer life than you might expect. EPT coatings help, but if you are expected to pay more than ~+30% more for the same chain with an EPT coating, I'd say 'probably not worth it'.

cheers

If it is a specific chain recommendation you are after, I second those advocating carbon belt drives.
I’ve run various conventional chain/cassette gearing over the years for all year commuting. I usually replace the chain every 11-12 months/2500 miles as it wears to 1/16 inch. Never found a chain or strategy to improve on this. I found that the narrower chains on 10/11 speed group sets wear faster than on my older 7 or single speed.
This winter, I bought a carbon belt drive/hub gear bike. It is a real revelation as far as drive train wear/maintenance goes. I have done absolutely nothing to it in 2 months/500 miles riding in wet, salted, muddy & flooded roads. Although the bike weighs about 3 kg more than my old conventional commuter, the lack of hassle more than makes up for it.