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SOC16: KMC optimizes X11 chains for 1x drivetrains

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KMC X11-1 1x single chainring optimized bicycle chains for 10 and 11 speeds

The KMC X11 chain series is getting a few tweaks to optimize it for 1×11 drivetrains. The upgrades come in the way of additional chamfering and shaping, much like SRAM has done with their Eagle chains, to improve durability and smoothness across the ever expanding range of gears on the back of the bike.

Going from one end of the cassette to the other puts a real strain on the links, particularly the inner links, as they come onto the chainring and off of the cogs at an extreme angle. Here’s how KMC is making that process a little smoother…

KMC X11-1 1x single chainring optimized bicycle chains for 10 and 11 speeds

Chamfering one one side of the outside of the outer chain plates helps with shifting (A), but it’s not on the opposite side, which helps the chain get picked up to shift.

To reduce friction at cross chaining, they added a small notch (B) to clear teeth and used more drastic and extended chamfering on the inner face (C, below) that wraps farther around the ends of each plate.

KMC X11-1 1x single chainring optimized bicycle chains for 10 and 11 speeds

The “X” in the name comes from the X-shaped recess (D) on the inside and outside faces of the outer chain plates, and those X bridge shapes get more pronounced. As shaped as everything is, the chain is non-directional, making installation much simpler.

KMC X11-1 1x single chainring optimized bicycle chains for 10 and 11 speeds

The design will work just as well as their regular chains on a 2x system, but it should work better on a 1x system. As such, it’ll replace all if their chains for the North American market, offering different levels of chain to more or less mimic the current collection’s tiers. So, you’ll have the X11SL (hollow pins, cut out plates), X11EL (cut out plates) and X11 (solid pins and plates). They’ll also have a 1×10 optimized versions (X10…), something they say will help all the riders that are modifying their current setups to be wide-range 1×10.

When they hit production, retail packaging won’t have the “-1” on them, it’ll just be the X11SL, etc, but distributor and sales literature may note them as X11SL-1, etc., since the old version may remain in the line for some markets. Expect to see DLC coated versions, too.

Available mid summer. Also check out their new Klick Link quick connector introduced at Taipei Show earlier this year.

KMCchain.com

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JBikes
JBikes
7 years ago

Personally I’d like to see a reuseable 11 spd missing link. Or at the least, limited reuseability. Help those that wax our chains.

boom
boom
7 years ago
Reply to  JBikes

OMG YES PLEASE

Aaron
Aaron
7 years ago
Reply to  boom

I’ve re-used my missing link about 6 or 7 times now without issue. Don’t listen to the man!

tommy
tommy
7 years ago

how much of this really does something and how much is marketing?

messy
messy
7 years ago

Unless you a referring to a link that does not need tools, then I suspect there are a many like myself who have been re-using the ones supplied with KMC’s X11 chains since they were introduced.

JBikes
JBikes
7 years ago
Reply to  messy

Yeah, I know many re-use them, but even the ones supplied with the chain are single use on 11 spd chains. According to KMC, the locking mechanism gets damaged, and there are significant differences in the outer plates between 11 spd and the reusable 10 spd link.
I’ve broken a chain sprinting…I don’t want to experience that again so many a little gun shy on my part.

Groghunter
Groghunter
7 years ago

I have used Wipperman links on every chain I’ve used since probably 2003, regardless of brand. http://www.amazon.com/Wippermann-Connex-11-Speed-Link/dp/B014LZBG98

The only problem myself, or anyone else I know of, has ever had with them is putting them on upside-down(one side has bigger lobes, & will cause skipping if it’s oriented toward the inside of the chain.)

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