Best bike chains

Best bike chains
(Image credit: Zonkie)

Your chain is the essential link between the front part of your drivetrain (the pedals, cranks and chainrings) and the rear (the gear sprockets and hub). It’s vital to keep this part of your bike clean and happy to keep everything else in working order.

They’re also a consumable component, meaning that they wear down after time and need to be replaced. Failing to keep on top of this can result in the rest of the drivetrain wearing down, which becomes very expensive to replace. It’s most cost-effective to replace your chain when it’s half-worn to extend the lifespan of your drivetrain. You can also extend the life of your chain through regular cleaning and oiling.

Mildred Locke

Mildred joined as Reviews Writer for Cyclingnews and BikePerfect in December 2020. She loves all forms of cycling from long-distance audax to daily errand-running by bike, and does almost everything on two wheels, including moving house, and started out her cycling career working in a bike shop. For the past five years she's volunteered at The Bristol Bike Project as a mechanic and session coordinator, and now sits on its board of directors.

Since then she's gone on to write for a multitude of cycling publications, including Bikeradar, Cycling Plus, Singletrack, Red Bull, Cycling UK and Total Women's Cycling. She's dedicated to providing more coverage of women's specific cycling tech, elevating under-represented voices in the sport, and making cycling more accessible overall. 

Height: 156cm (5'2")

Weight: 75kg

Rides: Stayer Groadinger UG, Triban RC520 Women's Disc, Genesis Flyer, Marin Larkspur, Cotic BFe 26, Clandestine custom bike