Cheap chain and sprocket.

[Brik]

I'd be interested in people's views as to using this cheap chain and rear freewheel with a relatively expensive aluminium front chain wheel.
The chain has Shimano stamped into it, is it a fake?
I paid just £17 for chain, freewheel and a removal tool, all came in a box branded 1 pz

[Jupestar]

i would use it but check it before and regularly for stretch. as soon as its showing stretch i'd bin it to save the chain ring.

[Cyclewala]

Unfortunately, the old adage ‘if it’s too good to be true’ applies.

I bought some authentic looking Shimano chains off a certain auction site. The tell tale sign was the master link. Shimano use pins to join the chain, not master link. I tried to persuade myself that it was possibly oversupply at one of Shimano’s contractors, old new stock, etc, etc.

First chain broke after about 650 miles. Fixed with a new quick link and broke again about two weeks later while powering up a steepish hill (different link). This was on a hub geared bike so the chain had an easy life. Binned it.

Second chain installed and monitored closely. It was stretched past the 1/8th inch mark on a ruler, after circa 350 miles. Binned it and three remaining chains I had.

By all means, install yours and keep an eye on the stretch. Also, have the means to repair broken link whilst on the road.

[Brucey]

the cheapest chains are very often a false economy because they [and everything else] wear so quickly

cheers
Brucey

[Brik]

Thanks for the replies and advice.

I bought some authentic looking Shimano chains off a certain auction site. The tell tale sign was the master link. Shimano use pins to join the chain, not master link.

So the chain in the picture is fake?

I've decided against using the cheap parts for now, I've ordered a Shimano chain and freewheel from Halfords £36.11 including a chain wear tool, I'll compare the two different chains when the parts arrive in-store next Tuesday.

[gregoryoftours]

Thanks for the replies and advice.

I bought some authentic looking Shimano chains off a certain auction site. The tell tale sign was the master link. Shimano use pins to join the chain, not master link.

So the chain in the picture is fake?

I've decided against using the cheap parts for now, I've ordered a Shimano chain and freewheel from Halfords £36.11 including a chain wear tool, I'll compare the two different chains when the parts arrive in-store next Tuesday.

I can't tell by looking at it but considering how it was delivered common sense says that the chances are high that it's fake. The inclusion of a quick link doesn't pay a part - many Shimano chains including this model now come supplied with a quick link. It's a shame that you didn't order this chain from a legitimate source as the real one is only £8, although at that price I doubt that even a real one will have a great lifespan

[Brucey]

^^I agree

[531colin]

It’s second hand, isn’t it?
Magic link looks like it’s been used, and what’s going on with the top sprocket?

[cycle tramp]

That looks like a sram link (I might be wrong) and yes, I have used both sram and clarks links to join shimano chain... indeed at one point one of my drive chains were made up of a bit of Clark's, shimano and sram...
If you were using an alloy chain ring as a single chain ring, then I would still use the chain and sprocket - but I would turn the chain ring very few months or so...

[Cyclewala]

Thanks for the replies and advice.

I bought some authentic looking Shimano chains off a certain auction site. The tell tale sign was the master link. Shimano use pins to join the chain, not master link.

So the chain in the picture is fake?

I've decided against using the cheap parts for now, I've ordered a Shimano chain and freewheel from Halfords £36.11 including a chain wear tool, I'll compare the two different chains when the parts arrive in-store next Tuesday.

I’m no chain expert, so wouldn’t like to say your chains are fake. The ones I bought had all the Shimano stampings like yours. Even came in a Shimano branded packet. Mine were branded HG73 which are supposedly higher up the Shimano range than yours.

Merlin have some pretty good offers on KMC chains.

[AndyK]

The chain is probably a fake. Ironically, genuine CN-HG40 chain links don't have the word "SHIMANO" stamped on them. For historical reasons they have the word "NARROW" instead. See the image below from the Shimano website. https://bike.shimano.com/en-EU/product/ ... -HG40.html

[slowster]

Below is a photograph from SJS and a link to another from Bankrupt Bike Parts, which I think are their own photographs. They show some outer plates with 'Shimano' as well, and also a small number with two letters, 'IC' or 'GH', which might be codes denoting the batch or date of production. I imagine the mixture of different outer plates might be an anti-counterfeiting measure, and if the outer plates of the OP's chain were all identical, I would think it was likely fake.

I might not have been quite so suspicious to begin with if the chain etc. had been in plastic bags instead of a branded box, since I think Shimano often supply OEM parts to manufacturers in plain packaging (plastic bags and cardboard boxes). I think the sellers of OEM parts are typically big online retailers who want to move stock as quickly as possible, and who would not waste time and money on packaging to repackage OEM parts.

https://bankruptbikeparts.co.uk/cdn/sho ... 1632371337

[Brik]

Again, thanks for the replies.

It’s second hand, isn’t it?
Magic link looks like it’s been used....

The parts were purchased as brand new and I certainly haven't fitted them.

If you were using an alloy chain ring as a single chain ring, then I would still use the chain and sprocket - but I would turn the chain ring very few months or so...

It is a single chain ring but it's offset so can only work one way round.

I might not have been quite so suspicious to begin with if the chain etc. had been in plastic bags instead of a branded box....

The chain did come in plain sealed cellophane.

[cycle tramp]

Again, thanks for the replies.

If you were using an alloy chain ring as a single chain ring, then I would still use the chain and sprocket - but I would turn the chain ring very few months or so...

It is a single chain ring but it's offset so can only work one way round.

Most of the wear on the chainset teeth are concentrated on the 3 or 4 teeth which are 90 degrees to the crank. Despite the chain ring off set- if the chain ring/crank mounts are symmetrical then every two or three months, take the chain ring off, advance it to the next hole and remount it again, thus equalising the wear over all the teeth....

[Brik]

I would turn the chain ring very few months or so...

It is a single chain ring but it's offset so can only work one way round.

Most of the wear on the chainset teeth are concentrated on the 3 or 4 teeth which are 90 degrees to the crank. Despite the chain ring off set- if the chain ring/crank mounts are symmetrical then every two or three months, take the chain ring off, advance it to the next....

Thanks for that, makes more sense now!
I guess the wear is the result of legs 'piston-ing' up and down? To be honest I'm usually ghost pedaling and the motor is providing most of the (continuous) torque so I don't think the wear will be so concentrated in those certain spots.