I'm really jazzed over a new chain I got today!

Nashville Kat · Oct 20, 2011

It's a 415 chain- Tricycle/ Industrial from KMC corporation.

Pirates has some in silver I think- I queried there a couple weeks to make sure but didn't get an answer

He claims a quieter smoother running chain- I'm hoping for those and maybe less resistence to pedalling

At any rate- it's considerably LIGHTER in weight- I'm thinking maybe 20-25%
a substantial amount on one of the weightier items in a kit-

I tried a narrow 410 and sprocket a few years back and it derailled the first attempt- so I just went back to the kit chains

This chain makes up for that- it's just as WIDE- it's the same size otherwise- just a lot less metal on the links. It really just looks and feels a whole lot lighter- when I get the other off I'll compare the same length.

I got mine on e-bay- they have a ton of KMC 415 H chains- the H is for Heavy Duty- and while I think they are lighter and higher quality than kit chains- this Tricycle chain- listed as 415 only- no "H" behind it- is lighter still

I got basic gun metal grey for under $12 shipped. 110 links.
I was going to get a silver one from the Pirate and paint it anno- but since I never use a motor tensioner- I still have a bit of chainstay rub now and then
so I'm NOT gonna jazz it in color

The silver one's a little more at Pirates
http://www.piratecycles1.com/kmcin415ch.html

can't wait to get it on and try it out- I'll report back here then.

here's some pictures next to a kit chain

rohmell · Oct 20, 2011

Good Luck with your chain.

I try not to use the tensioner as a tensioner in my builds, I use it more as an idler or guide. I usually end up using a half-link to make the chain an exact fit.

I wish I could find 415 half-link chain, it would end my chain length problems forever.

Nashville Kat · Oct 20, 2011

I got a 415 half link from the Pirate- I'd ordered it before I saw these chains- one of my questions was- Is the half link advertised with the chain the same one they sell otherwise?

i don't know- no answer-

but this one that arrived a few days ago looks really like neither chain- sort of a straight plate- but the size is really more like the smaller 415 trike chain I just got.

here's the plain black one on e-bay- delivery was a little slow, sending out, but not bad.
week and a half or two or something.
KMC 3/16" 415 TRIKE & INDUSTRIAL 110L BLACK | eBay

I'm just running it on China Girls with lightweight bikes and wheels on the street- don't know how it would hold up thrashing it off road-there's still the KMC 415 H, in between this and kit chain.

to me it bridges the gap between a motorcycle chain and a truer kind of bicycle motor chain- but the proof will be in how it works- It looks like it would pedal around the small motor sprocket especially, easier.

vincent713 · Oct 20, 2011

I have a question, the "Bell" chain breaker that is sold at Walmart; will it break my 415 chain?

alienboy366 · Oct 20, 2011

I want to run a BMX half link chain but hmm that would cost too much.

Nashville Kat · Oct 20, 2011

The Bell Chain Breaker- I was going to post a thread- and thought earlier I'd add it under here-

YES! It will is the good news-
But you have to BREAK IT is the bad news-

I found this out by accident- when I used one I had that had gotten the center allignment pieces of metal broken off-

THEN the 415 fits in it and it works reasonably well- I've used it several times now-

but it won't handle a 415 chain when it's new- only when the center pieces are gone.

I'll post pictures here in a few minutes
and an EXPENSIVE motorcycle breaker NOT TO BOTHER WITH.

Nashville Kat · Oct 20, 2011

Here's a modified bell breaker- the metal guides in the middle come off easily with a pair of needle nose pliers- so at 6 or 7 dollars it's a great deal- at Wal-Mart EVERYWHERE!

on the other hand I bought this expensive motorcycle chain breaker for almost $25 a couple years back- it breaks the chain, but wants to bend it sideways- and it doesn't seem to hold the back plate to push the chain pin back in again- I had to hammer it and it doesn't want to finish it-

am I doing something wrong?- I've worked in bike shops aplenty over the years- and could break my racing chain at the right length on sight. But this thing is screwy-

the old Cyclo breakers back in the day looked like the Bells, but always came with an extra pin- cause those bend easily, especially if you haven't done it before

Don't force the pin- sometimes you can get it started better with pliers. I think you may have to get the pin in slightly to use the Bell to push it back in - the threads on the tool are very carefully of a length as to NOT WORK with the wider width-

DON'T PUSH THE PIN OUT THE FAR SIDE! I hate that!

this newer chain is actually slimmer looking from side to side- but just as wide inside- not as sloppy as the kit chains

vincent713 · Oct 21, 2011

Thanks for the post, I found a Bell chain breaker at a store here called Alco it's sold for only $3.49. I read the cover on it and it said it works only with chain width of some size I can't remember. So I didn't know if it could break my 415 chain. It looks very similar to the one you post, of course with the center piece attached.

Nashville Kat · Oct 22, 2011

The vendor on ebay lists this new chain at 440 grams of weight- and that's with 110 links

The same vendor also sells the KMC 415H chain and lists the weight as 800 grams- and that's for only 98 links.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/KMC-K415H-3...Cycling_Parts_Accessories&hash=item415a8ef8c2

I'm sure the 415H is still even lighter than a kit chain- I'm thinking maybe 1000 grams for 110 links possibly of a normal China girl kit chain-

at any rate, it appears that this chain is about half the weight of a kit chain- it feels like it too.

and look at the center part in the picture in the O.P.- theres a gap and a lot more slop-

the proof will be in use- unfortunately I'm pretty burned out and riding a lot oitherwise- it may take a couple of weeks to get this on and try it-

I really don't think it's going to be anything but BETTER!

Nashville Kat · Nov 2, 2011

Here's another Trike Industrial 415 on Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/KMC-TRIKE-IND...=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1320211835&sr=1-3

richirich · Nov 2, 2011

if money is not a concern , i research alot of chains and i have found the stongest lightweight 415 chain i could find available. I have one and id say ,i dont think our bikes could break this one. Its the D.I.D 415ER. Heres the link..
D.I.D 415 ER Series High-Performance Road Racing Motorcycle Chain

vincent713 · Nov 2, 2011

Nashville Kat said:
Here's a modified bell breaker- the metal guides in the middle come off easily with a pair of needle nose pliers- so at 6 or 7 dollars it's a great deal- at Wal-Mart EVERYWHERE!

on the other hand I bought this expensive motorcycle chain breaker for almost $25 a couple years back- it breaks the chain, but wants to bend it sideways- and it doesn't seem to hold the back plate to push the chain pin back in again- I had to hammer it and it doesn't want to finish it-

am I doing something wrong?- I've worked in bike shops aplenty over the years- and could break my racing chain at the right length on sight. But this thing is screwy-

the old Cyclo breakers back in the day looked like the Bells, but always came with an extra pin- cause those bend easily, especially if you haven't done it before

Don't force the pin- sometimes you can get it started better with pliers. I think you may have to get the pin in slightly to use the Bell to push it back in - the threads on the tool are very carefully of a length as to NOT WORK with the wider width-

DON'T PUSH THE PIN OUT THE FAR SIDE! I hate that!

this newer chain is actually slimmer looking from side to side- but just as wide inside- not as sloppy as the kit chains

Hey Nash,

I bought the Bell chain breaker like the one you have and broke off the center pieces. When I tried to break the chain, the needle kept slipping off of the chain and cannot push the rod through the chain. Is there a trick to getting the rod out using this cheap tool?

Cyclin · Nov 3, 2011

I really like those K415H chains made by KMC too. I bought a 98 link last week and my second one (needed more chain to lengthen) will be here in a day or two both priced at $11-$12 shipped. I have never had one of these chains break. I snapped my original chain breaker which was meant for less heavy duty bicycle chains. I found that at Harbor Freight you can get a beast of a chain breaker for like $9 but the pin is the same size as the chain pins. A little bit of filing with an inexpensive metal file and the pin is just right on the chain breaker. Just thought I'd add my 2 cents

vincent713 · Nov 3, 2011

$9 includes shipping?

Cyclin · Nov 4, 2011

Actually there's a harbor freight store in town do I just picked it up locally

Nashville Kat · Nov 4, 2011

Well the KMC 415 is shipped with 110 links while the 415H only comes with 98- I never use a motor chain tensioner so 98 would probably be enough- I'm sure the 110 links will be plenty- and its lighter weight-

Don't know what to tell you about the pin- they are all the same basically there- you have to get it positioned correctly- they used to include extra pins- they do bend easily, especially if you haven;t done it much- don't force it- the pin has to be right on the chain stud- it should give without too much force.

DuctTapedGoat · Nov 4, 2011

I run the 415H KMC. It's really awesome stuff, unless I ever make the dive into #41, I'll always be running 415H. Though, I do want to find someone who makes annodized 415H.

Nashville Kat · Nov 10, 2011

OK- WARNING WARNIUNG-

I'm going to amend some of this- I just installed the 415 Trike chain on one cruiser-
It looks great- seemed to weigh maybe 1/2 to 2/3 for the same length of kit chain-

BUT CAREFUL OF THE NUMBER OF LINKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The 415 trike/industrial like mine ships with 110 links- I think I have 9 links left over after cutting the chain- AND I don't use any tensioner- The 415 Trike chain MAY be long enough for your application- not sure how many links usually in kit chain-

But the 415H heavy duty chain usually only ships with 98 links- probably not enough for most people here.

And I DON'T RECOMMEND the Bell breaker except in a pinch- I used it again tonight- but got the initial part of the split going with that expensive thing pictured above and then used the Bell after the pin was off one side plate-
the expensive tool just bends the back plate backwards with the pin stuck in it, because it doesn't have a backing plate to hold it

To put the other chain back together, I used CHANNEL LOCKS to push the pin through the middle of the chain and THEN it fits in the Bell breaker for final push-
Large pliers may get it started enough, but the channel locks push the chain back in square.

Gonna test it out in the next couple days- report back then.

Nashville Kat · Nov 11, 2011

OK- Got it out today- the 415 trike/industrial on my 50cc huffy cruiser-

Results: very satisfactory- it's a little loose when I pull the pedal chain tight, and I'm now going to install that 3 piece alloy crank I've had for awhile- so that's all another issue- no problems though I took it easy for that reason

It DOES SEEM QUIETER

Is there less rolling resistence- I could tell peddling, but I have a REALLY light granny gear- 36 x 22 on the pedals- so I can't tell- the bike rolls just as good or better with the 700C wheels

If it's quieter though, I think there's less resistence- so the dif is mostly as far as the motor's concerned I guess- It purred along today in 60 degree weather.

So for less than $12 dollars I'm glad to save half the weight of the kit chain and have a quieter bike. I'd say it's worth it.

I'm really jazzed over a new chain I got today!

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