Picked a Shimano 11-speed chain over SRAM on a road bike rebuild last Saturday

The SRAM chain felt stiffer out of the box but the Shimano one shifted smoother after 50 miles, has anyone else noticed that difference with Campagnolo groupsets?

3 comments

3 Comments

king.dakota1d ago

Campagnolo chains have their own quirks honestly... theyre really picky about cross compatibility so if you mix Shimano and Campagnolo on the same drivetrain itll shift like garbage. The Shimano chain on a Campy cassette might actually work ok if the spacing is close enough but you lose that precise feel Campy is known for. Ive heard the Shimano chains wear out faster when paired with Campagnolo rings cause the chain pins dont mesh right with the tooth profile. Your smooth shifting after 50 miles makes sense though cause the chain settled into the cassette over time...

felix48816h ago

Yeah honestly I feel like half the battle with Campagnolo is just convincing yourself the money was worth it. You pay extra for the name and then spend the next year wondering if your chain is actually pissed off at you. I tried a Shimano chain on a Campy cassette once and it shifted fine for about 30 miles then started acting like a toddler who didn't get a nap. The whole "settling in" thing is just bike parts gaslighting us into thinking we made a good choice. At the end of the day chains are basically fancy paperclips with extra steps anyway.

lily_sullivan8216h ago

That "settled in" feeling you mentioned is just the chain wearing down the cassette, not a magical fit.