BMX 1/2" x 1/8" chain (410)

[Steve Best]

I just switched both bikes over to 1/2" x 1/8" "Giant" brand BMX chain.

About 100 miles (160kms) on the single speed 66cc and 40 miles (50 kms) on the 48cc shifter bike.
So far I like the BMX chain much better.
Very quiet and less friction when I have to pedal. It fits the sprockets well, including my well worn (1000 kms) 66cc sprocket. The 48cc sprocket is new and is 0.120" wide, proper for this chain. Not much stretch so far.

Anyone have more experience with this?

Steve

 

[FurryOnTheInside]

No I don't, not built yet lol, but I agree with you. Chain speed is lower for the same road speed on a shifter's final chain (so higher load) and that is only a 3/32" 8 or 9 speed chain, therefore a 1/8" BMX/fixie/track chain (of quality) must be sufficiently strong for a fixed left side drive (or the first two chains on a shifter) and 3/16" doesn't appear to have any advantages except for possibly forgiving some mis-alignment of the 1/8" (0.120") sprockets.
Giant also manufactures Trek and Specialised and other brands too. I didn't know that they were making their own chains though.
I am very interested in your sprocket. Is it concentric or at least more so than the stock, thick, sprockets on the 66? Do you have a source for them, or do I need to buy the whole engine? I thought SBP were going to do them (would make sense) but it hasn't happened.

 

[crassius]

5 or 6 years ago, one of the kits used that chain - had some breakage and went to 415, but in those days the sprockets were fatter and could have easily been misaligned to break chains

 

[Steve Best]

I ordered a special slim sprocket off Ebay, only to find all of my motors have 0.120" sprockets on them.
Had the shifter out this morning again, no problems yet. All sprockets seem concentric but didn't look closely.
No variation in chain tension.

Steve