# gold colored chains



## mmbuckwa (Dec 27, 2008)

Do gold colored chains lose their color as they wear on the bike or do they retain their color for their entire life. I think a gold chain on my black bike would look sharp but not if the gold color starts wearing off after use.


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## ridesmasterx (Aug 3, 2013)

Mine haven't. They're KMC


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## bigbill (Feb 15, 2005)

I ran a KMC 11 for 3000 miles and it was still gold. Titanium Nitride is the reason for the color. It adds hardness and wear resistance to the side plates but overall it doesn't add to the life of the chain over a silver chain because the rollers still wear the same. KMC makes a good chain. The 11 speed link has a caution for single use only and I found that removing one requires the special pliers. My ten speed bikes were always KMC or Wipperman and I could install/remove those links by hand.

After my KMC trial, I went back to Campy 11 chains. I bought the campy chain tool in late 2008 and believe that the campy chains shift better and are more quiet. The Shimano chains are excellent quality as well.


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## No Time Toulouse (Sep 7, 2016)

mmbuckwa said:


> Do gold colored chains lose their color as they wear on the bike or do they retain their color for their entire life. I think a gold chain on my black bike would look sharp but not if the gold color starts wearing off after use.


Yeah, I suppose that gold chains lose their lustre after a while; look at Andrew Dice Clay.......


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## ghettocop (Apr 19, 2014)

Don't usually care for gold chains, but I built this C60 Tricolore for a customer just yesterday, and thought the gold campy chain complimented the bike.
View attachment 317511


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## DrSmile (Jul 22, 2006)

I'm going to disagree. Both my gold X11 SL chains have lost their color on the edge surfaces where they contact the gears or shifter surfaces. I only buy the silver ones now. The pic below is after maybe 3000 miles. They are genuine chains, either from PBK or Ribble can't remember which.

View attachment 317514


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## aclinjury (Sep 12, 2011)

my gold KMC chain has about a few thousand miles, and as such of course there will be many spots that have the gold rubbed off, but the chain still makes my black bike looks sharp. Hell, by the time the gold has worn to the point that it just makes the bike look ghetto, then it's time to replace the chain anyway because it will have already been stretched too much.

But let's put things in perspective:

1. KMC SL gold chain cost $34 shipped on ebay, Shimano Dura Ace chain cost about $8-$10 more on ebay

2. KMC chain shifts very well with Shimano drivetrain (at least on my shimano 10 speed drivetrain)

3. KMC chains wear very well (at least for me, but then i'm a lightweight so I don't abuse chains).

4. KMC is in fact the OEM supplier to Shimano. So, KMC is up there in quality and compatibility with Shimano.

5. in my experience, the gold color will last long enough to make your bike look aesthetic enough until it's time to replace the chain due to chain stretch.

So, if you want to get a gold ti nitride chain, go get one, no need to over think too much, it's $34 shipped on ebay. Look at it as getting a "gold Dura Ace" chain at a cheaper price than the OEM dura ace chain and put some bling bling on that steed


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## spdntrxi (Jul 25, 2013)

I change the chain before the color changes.. I got 4500miles out of the last one.. was still golden and I changed it just because (was still in spec)


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## mmbuckwa (Dec 27, 2008)

Thanks for all the replies. I bought one off ebay yesterday and about 5 minutes after placing the order, the seller cancels the order and says it's out of stock. I used a $15 off coupon to buy it and now it won't work on another order. I'll end up getting one eventually but in the mean time, screw ebay.


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## OldChipper (May 15, 2011)

I gotta say, I installed one of the gold KMC chains on my bike and one on my wife's and so far they are ridiculously durable. I've got at least a couple thousand miles on mine and have literally zero wear (can barely fit the Park measuring tool between the links). They aren't cheap, but from what I've seen so far, I'm expecting to get at least double the wear out of them (they're both still nice and gold in color too FWIW).


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## FeltF75rider (Feb 10, 2012)

Titanium Nitride is the same coating used on carbide cutter inserts. It's probably overkill on a chain but works nice for machining. My chain has not lost any gold.


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