KMC Digital Chain Checker

[splat]

Detail

Accurately measuring your chain's wear and replacing chains at the appropriate time is an important preventative maintenance step which results in longer life of expensive drivetrain components.

 

 

 

Most manufacturers' chain wear indicators use crude mechanical gauges or simple go/no go indicators. But this digital wear indicator from chain manufacturer KMC allows precise and repeatable quantification of chain elongation. This durable stainless steel digital gauge is equipped with a large LCD display, on/off switch, mm/inch unit switch, and zero button. Chain elongation can be measured up to 2.5mm (0.1"). Included is an extra 1.5V battery and a micro screwdriver for removal of the battery cover. Along with the Digital Chain Checker, these are housed in a durable, foam filled plastic case. This tool is protected from defects in materials and manufacturing by a 1-year warranty.

 

Use

The KMC Digital Chain Checker operates with a stationary arm and a spring loaded, movable arm. To check chain wear, simply turn on the indicator, press the zero button, and insert tool between four links of the chain. The elongation will be clearly displayed on the unit. New, acceptable, and unacceptable wear levels are printed on the face of the tool for quick wear diagnosis.

 

Price: $85.00

Edited January 13, 2011 by splat

[N0madADV]

nice

[Johan Bornman]

Just like ordinary chain checkers, it still relies on a measurement from the rollers. This is a poor place to measure from since a diry roller will make the chain look a whole lot newer than when it is clean.

 

Further, the overall measuring distance is too small to give an accurate measurement of the less than 0.5% elongation you're after. A longer distance will dilute the error better.

 

Fake bling. Stay away.

[Guest Big H]

Just like ordinary chain checkers, it still relies on a measurement from the rollers. This is a poor place to measure from since a diry roller will make the chain look a whole lot newer than when it is clean.

 

Further, the overall measuring distance is too small to give an accurate measurement of the less than 0.5% elongation you're after. A longer distance will dilute the error better.

 

Fake bling. Stay away.

 

......... pheeeew!!!! ..... now I can breathe out again!!!!!!!

[swoosh1973]

As a matter of interest. I have a story regarding "stretched chains". Firs I must give a story. I have ridden the same bike for the last 4 years. I never change the chain, neither the rear cluster. I have however changed the middle 32 hain ring 2wice and the 22 chain ring once. I have done a few thousand km worth of riding in very hilly terain (mtb) and NEVER CHANGED THE CHAIN.

 

YES I KNOW BAD MAINTENANCE

 

Now I have moved my whole drivetrain and all compnents to my old HT MTB whilst I have the dualie prepared for spraying and I have ordered a brand new X9 Group set and wheels.

 

Since I have moved my old components to the HT I decided to replace the chain, brake pads service shocks bla bla bla.

 

NOW I PUT A BRAND NEW CHAIN ON THE HT WITH NY OLD DRIVE TRAIN AND IT DOES NOT WORK!!!! After setting both front abnd rear deraileuers the chain shifts perectly in front and rear FD. However when I get on the bike and start pedeling hard I find that on all but 3 gears in the rear cluster the chain "slips over the teeth" without jumping gear.

 

So i battled and battled. Put my old chain on and No slipping. The old chain is very very badly worn yet works perfect with the old cluster compared to the new identical 9 speed chain. How badly worn? Lets just say that for the same number of links for the whole chain compared to the new chain it is about 12mm longer! Please explain.

 

I now have a new theory regarding "stretched" chains which arn actualy stretched just worn. The chain and rear cluster wear at a rate in relatio n to each other. Only the worn front chain rings need to be replaced because as the teeth start "shark fining the chain slip and skips"

 

SO THIS WHOLE STORY OF REPLACING CHAINS MEASURING BLA BLA IS WHOLE LOT OF MARKETING CRAP!!! ONLY REPLACE THE CHAIN RINGS AS REQUIRED. By the time the rear cluster is stuffed well then you might be in to year 10 so forget about chain checkers and other gadgets for robbing you of your hard earned cash.

 

 

 

I am b

[The_Break]

As a matter of interest. I have a story regarding "stretched chains". Firs I must give a story. I have ridden the same bike for the last 4 years. I never change the chain, neither the rear cluster. I have however changed the middle 32 hain ring 2wice and the 22 chain ring once. I have done a few thousand km worth of riding in very hilly terain (mtb) and NEVER CHANGED THE CHAIN.

 

YES I KNOW BAD MAINTENANCE

 

Now I have moved my whole drivetrain and all compnents to my old HT MTB whilst I have the dualie prepared for spraying and I have ordered a brand new X9 Group set and wheels.

 

Since I have moved my old components to the HT I decided to replace the chain, brake pads service shocks bla bla bla.

 

NOW I PUT A BRAND NEW CHAIN ON THE HT WITH NY OLD DRIVE TRAIN AND IT DOES NOT WORK!!!! After setting both front abnd rear deraileuers the chain shifts perectly in front and rear FD. However when I get on the bike and start pedeling hard I find that on all but 3 gears in the rear cluster the chain "slips over the teeth" without jumping gear.

 

So i battled and battled. Put my old chain on and No slipping. The old chain is very very badly worn yet works perfect with the old cluster compared to the new identical 9 speed chain. How badly worn? Lets just say that for the same number of links for the whole chain compared to the new chain it is about 12mm longer! Please explain.

 

I now have a new theory regarding "stretched" chains which arn actualy stretched just worn. The chain and rear cluster wear at a rate in relatio n to each other. Only the worn front chain rings need to be replaced because as the teeth start "shark fining the chain slip and skips"

 

SO THIS WHOLE STORY OF REPLACING CHAINS MEASURING BLA BLA IS WHOLE LOT OF MARKETING CRAP!!! ONLY REPLACE THE CHAIN RINGS AS REQUIRED. By the time the rear cluster is stuffed well then you might be in to year 10 so forget about chain checkers and other gadgets for robbing you of your hard earned cash.

 

 

 

I am b

 

Sorry to say, but this theory and the advice it carries is really not good at all. Even though your chain and sprockets lasted, it is not just about good or bad shifting. You replace a chain due to chain wear which occurs between the pins and linkage holes. This wear means that there is play and play means that there is a greater risk of chain failure and we all know what that could spell.

 

Chains break for two main reasons:

 

Incorrect installation.

Failure of a link due to wear.

 

So no, it is not marketing. It is good engineering practice that recommends you maintain your equipment to prevent failure and injury.

 

It is like saying, well my car ran 90000km on the same set of spark plugs and I never needs to change my fuel filter or my oil or oil filter so don't waste your money.

 

Companies like Shimano, Campy, etc run extensive endurance tests developed over decades to come up with solid designs that include good practice maintenance procedures. I can tell you that I would be very surprized if any of the large companies in the world would try and sell more product by BSittiing the public about maintenance procedures. Owner manuals are developed by the engineering departments and not marketing.

[splat]

Just like ordinary chain checkers, it still relies on a measurement from the rollers. This is a poor place to measure from since a diry roller will make the chain look a whole lot newer than when it is clean.

 

Further, the overall measuring distance is too small to give an accurate measurement of the less than 0.5% elongation you're after. A longer distance will dilute the error better.

 

Fake bling. Stay away.

 

This is the analogue version for $12.00

[splat]

And what we should all be using:

Also about $12.00

[kosmonooit]

I'll stick with the 'Go / No Go' gage. It's either beyond wear limits or not.

[AndreZA]

And what we should all be using:

Also about $12.00

 

Very close but at CNA you can get a steel ruler with mm on one side and inches on the other for R30.

[Guest Big H]

This is the analogue version for $12.00

 

Same trash as the digital version...... Read again what was written and also search for it...... But wait..... The search engine seems to be stuffed ...... It ALWAYS gives you 1000 hits...... Wonder if ADMIN has noticed it yet????????