Kalkhoff Chain Not Kalkhoff Chain

[Cyclezee]

This week I ordered a replacement chain for my 7000 mile+ Agattu from 50cycles.

I thought the price reasonable at £11 including delivery. It is listed on their website as Kalkhoff chain and, perhaps naively, I expected it to be the correct type and length to fit my Agattu and save me having to buy 2 chains to get the correct length. However, I was about to fit it today and discovered it has only 112 links and is narrow 9 speed whereas the chain on my Agattu with Nexus hub gears has 122 links and is of the wider single speed variety.

I have emailed 50c and will see what they have to say. I guess the moral is always ask before you buy

J hn

 

[flecc]

That's actually KMC chain they are selling, the name to the left of the website illustration John, so it doesn't surprise me that it's normal bike length. Mid-battery e-bikes need much longer chains.

KMC are major chain manufacturers having a huge variety including coloured chains now to match bikes:

KMC Chain Industrial Co Ltd
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[Cyclezee]

That's actually KMC chain they are selling, the name to the left of the website illustration John, so it doesn't surprise me that it's normal bike length. Mid-battery e-bikes need much longer chains.

KMC are major chain manufacturers having a huge variety including coloured chains now to match bikes:

KMC Chain Industrial Co Ltd
.

I knew it was KMC chain Tony, I also knew that longer framed bikes have longer chains and have replaced them before, but by 50c calling it Kalkhoff chain, I assumed wrongly, that it would be the correct width and length to fit a Kalkhoff with a Nexus hub I also realise that if it were the correct length, it would have been suitable for a dérailleur equipped Kalkhoff, but is not compatible even if it were the correct length for hub gears.

What I was trying to do was to let others know and not be ever so slightly misled as I was

J hn

 

[flecc]

I see Tim has noted this thread in a post on another thread so I'm sure they'll sort the problem John. I'd got into the habit of always buying the same chain make/type, two of them at the outset so I could add the extra bit each time I fitted a new one.

With e-bikes selling in much larger numbers now it's time that the longer chain lengths became more widely available from such as KMC.
.

 

[Alex728]

With e-bikes selling in much larger numbers now it's time that the longer chain lengths became more widely available from such as KMC.
.

would there be any commercial incentive to do so?

I suspect that if anything the remaining shortened bit of chain left over from buying two is retained and more links taken off at subsequent replacements to add to another full length chain until there aren't enough left on the short one.

This provides a potential of repeat business (i.e supplier lock in) as most people would want to buy the same make of chain for aesthetic reasons..

 

[flecc]

would there be any commercial incentive to do so?

I believe so since bulk chain is available so the usual suppliers could lose out. Recumbent manufacturers use bulk chain for example and at least one of them is prepared to sell lengths to order.
.

 

[Alex728]

where do folk get bulk chain from? google shows chain for making bling and chain for chainsaws, but none for bikes.

that said ready made lengths of e-bike chain would be really handy as its slightly annoying having to put the extra bit on when you've bought chain with quick release links... if it was correct length out of the box it would such a simple job...

 

[Cyclezee]

I see Tim has noted this thread in a post on another thread so I'm sure they'll sort the problem John.

To their credit, 50cycles have always given me a 1st class service on the few occasions I have needed it over the last 3 years.
I think they just need to amend the website to make it more clear.

J hn

 

[Scimitar]

where do folk get bulk chain from? google shows chain for making bling and chain for chainsaws, but none for bikes.

that said ready made lengths of e-bike chain would be really handy as its slightly annoying having to put the extra bit on when you've bought chain with quick release links... if it was correct length out of the box it would such a simple job...

I used to buy bulk motorcycle chain from a place in Hertford, iirc. It was just a chain and transmission belt stockist, that's all it did, from bicycles to superbikes and lift trucks. They'd sell it to any length you needed. Looking at it from the chain specialist point of view, a chain's a device for tranferring power or load and it's just a thing to sell. You can find similar in the YPages.

 

[styx]

This week I ordered a replacement chain for my 7000 mile+ Agattu from 50cycles.

I thought the price reasonable at £11 including delivery. It is listed on their website as Kalkhoff chain and, perhaps naively, I expected it to be the correct type and length to fit my Agattu and save me having to buy 2 chains to get the correct length. However, I was about to fit it today and discovered it has only 112 links and is narrow 9 speed whereas the chain on my Agattu with Nexus hub gears has 122 links and is of the wider single speed variety.

I have emailed 50c and will see what they have to say. I guess the moral is always ask before you buy

J hn

Hi aldby.
I also ordered a replacement agattu chain from 50C some time ago.I had not got round to fitting it yet so after reading your post I went to check it.Mine has 122 links and looks to be the correct width so perhaps you were sent the wrong type in error.

 

[Cyclezee]

Hi aldby.
I also ordered a replacement agattu chain from 50C some time ago.I had not got round to fitting it yet so after reading your post I went to check it.Mine has 122 links and looks to be the correct width so perhaps you were sent the wrong type in error.

Thanks for that Styx. In hindsight, I should have asked 1st, but it was early evening when I placed the order online, so there was no one to ask.

J hn

 

[Cyclezee]

50cycles have been in touch this morning. They were sent a bag of wrong chains by their supplier and the correct type is being sent out today

J hn

 

[Cyclezee]

I received the correct chain today for my Agattu from 50cycles, KMC single speed, 122 links. No need to buy 2 standard chains to make up the longer length required.

Therefore if you need chain for a Pansonic powered bike, 50cycles offer a good deal. £11 including delivery. In comparision Onbike charge £20 plus £5 for delivery for the same chain.

J hn