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EB18: Shiny (and colorful) new 12-speed chains from KMC, Connex & Taya

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Taya was showing off colorful new coatings for their 11-speed chains, which adds a bit of variety to the nickel-coated outer links, leaving the stainless steel inner links to contrast the color. Shown above and directly below, the blue Galaxy finish is the top level of their DHT (Diamond Hard Tech) chains that promise extended durability and quiet performance. And, now, 12-speed SRAM Eagle compatibility!

The12-speed versions bring all of the hollow pin, four-corner ramped shaping and other features as their 11s chains. This Ti-Black Gold uses a highly corrosion resistant coating that they’ve proven in industrial settings, but it’s environmentally friendly to produce! Check them out at TayaChain.com.

(Update: We originally mistakenly listed the above products as Connex, but they are from Taya and available now)

Connex goes green

The new CKS chain lube if biodegradable and comes with a thin dropper to make application easy and avoid overuse. When it comes time to wash it off, the formula won’t pollute the water supply, either. Now you just have to find an equally clean degreaser…

Check them out at ConnexChain.com.

2019 KMC 12-speed & eBike chains

KMC has also moved to a 12-speed design, which also gets their top-level “X” plate shaping for crisp, quiet shifts.

It’ll come in the gold version shown up top and with DLC-coated inner links and pins in your choice of blue, red, green or yellow. Outer links remain black to keep the color hit subdued, but visible.

We’re seeing more and more e-bike specific drivetrain products now that the market is becoming so big and brands are seeing the downsides of using people-powered parts for bikes with motor assistance. KMC is solving the problem by making their first sprockets, available for front and rear, along with a chain specifically for them.

What’s unique about them is the width…they use a wider tooth profile and chain, along with much larger diameter pins and rollers, to handle the increased torque. Check them out at KMCchain.com.

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Hexsense
Hexsense
6 years ago

I don’t know why do i really want to try 12 speed chain on my 11 speed groupset…

Sanchez
Sanchez
6 years ago
Reply to  Hexsense

Dude, do you really want to tear a hole in the space time continuum?

Jason Etter
Jason Etter
6 years ago
Reply to  Sanchez

Cats and dogs living together…..MASS HYSTERIA!

seraph
seraph
6 years ago
Reply to  Hexsense

I use a 12-speed Eagle chain on both my 11-speed road bike and 11-speed mountain bike. It shifts so much smoother than an 11-speed chain, especially on a wide-range cassette.

Maus Haus
Maus Haus
6 years ago
Reply to  seraph

I’ve had the opposite experience. I have an 11s SRAM mtb group and tried a SRAM 12s chain with terrible shifting… had to remove ASAP.

Val
Val
6 years ago

Are these for 12 speed MTB or Campagnolo 12? Both?

Fred Gravelly
Fred Gravelly
6 years ago

Riveting reporting on chains… and their color

dl
dl
6 years ago
Reply to  Fred Gravelly

Any update on chain closures is…riveting.

TheKaiser
TheKaiser
6 years ago

So, from the sounds of that last product announcement, e-bikes aren’t actually putting out the same power as a fit cyclist…if they need special chains and sprockets.

Bryan
Bryan
6 years ago
Reply to  TheKaiser

I don’t think that is necesdneces a fair assessment. People who can produce the type of power that an e bike can naturally are probably professional or closer to it than you and I… People riding at that level replace drivetrain components much more often than normal riders. I think these components are just more robust so they don’t need to be replaced as often.

FFM
FFM
6 years ago
Reply to  TheKaiser

I’d imagine it has a lot more to do with the constant load on e-bike drivetrains. Riders who have put in the pedal time to get strong have also (hopefully) learned to shift correctly by varying their output just enough and timing the shift accordingly. E-bike users have their normal output supplemented with a constant output from the bike which means it’s pretty much always shifting under some kind of load, even when done correctly.

Nash
Nash
6 years ago

You want see the chain on my 90s BMX bike, straight off a 50cc Honda, was all the rage

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