#41 or the 415 chain.... which one is best?

[Carl Walichnowski]

I think a picture is worth, well you know. So I went and grabbed a hand-full of new sprockets from various suppliers off of my stack, and popped the cover off a new grubee gt5a "which I will be returning to motorized bikes usa". I'll share that with the forum later. Note only the two top sprockets are narrow enough to accept a 410. Most of the suppliers sprockets will not, and while the sprocket for the rear wheel supplied in the grubee kit will accept 410 the sprocket on the engine will not. It is to thick. Check the gear on the engine Carl before you go buying chain. I would love to be able to use bmx 410 and I do on the secondary chains of the jack shaft, but it's not gona work for you on the engine sprocket. Sorry about the repeat pics.. I'm kinda computer stupid so I can't figure out how to get them off.

SAM_0484

• gary55
• Aug 18, 2016

SAM_0485

• gary55
• Aug 18, 2016
• 9

SAM_0485

• gary55
• Aug 18, 2016
• 9

Thanks for the input & the pics Gary. I have the sproket/hub adapter for the rear sproket so with that would you still go with the 415 chain? Even though the 41 chain may be the more expensive chain & I happen to just have 10 foot of it laying around I was unsure if it'd be practical to use, would it be overkill due to its thickness, especially considering I'm only riding a couple of miles a day on level streets?? So with the Grubee GT5A SkyHawk the engine sprocket will only fit the 415 adequately? You mentioned the engine sprocket is to wide for a 410 but that sproket is okay to fit the 41 right? After reading all this feedback & from what I've read elsewhere I'll probably go with the stock 415 chain that came with the kit, at least initially anyway.

 

[KCvale]

Yep, just keep the #41 around for a spare.

 

[Deleted member 26224]

Stick with whatever chain fits your sprockets best. wider chain doesn't always mean better. I just went to 420 chain from 41. It's the same width but 420 has much thicker side plates and thicker pins and rollers like 40 chain. Look at the plate thicknesses, roller and pin diameters and use the chain with the bigger numbers. now with that said I think the big thing is to just stick with motorcycle chain, basically 3 digit number chains instead of industrial chain which is all two digits. I personally have had a lot of problems with 41 chain but I do have a lot more power and I put at least 100mi on my bike every week. Last week I put probably 300mi at least and the 41 chains stretched and sheared, went to the 420 have around 200 maybe 300mi on em and no issues at all.

 

[Steve Best]

I can easily agree with Gary, KC Vale and Tony. Get the chain that fits the width of your sprocket.
All is plenty strong so lighter is better.

Extra width does not mean extra strength and an aligned, clean, properly lubed bicycle chain (410) will last the life of the bike.
Too wide a chain on a sprocket is not good too, but the difference between 410, 41, and 415 is very small.
I like the analogy of ship anchor on a dingy. Bigger is not needed here.
I use 410 "BMX", also called single speed bicycle chain. (check it fits your sprockets for width)
I like the $10-$15 price tag and ready availability at any bike shop.
"Giant" brand has been good to me.

An early no-name black 66cc motor I have has a wide motor sprocket andwill not take 410 chain.
All my back sprockets will fit 410 chain, as will the Sick Bike Parts shifter.

Steve

 

[fattire jack]

I prefer the #41 chain, might be a little overkill. Have over 2k miles on my current chain. #415 only lasted around 500 miles. I am pushing fat tires which puts more stress on the chain.

 

[FurryOnTheInside]

I can confirm that the 10t sprockets on eBay UK, listed as Grubee / Skyhawk narrow sprocket is a good fit for 410 1/8" BMX/track chain. Measured at .120" (up to .125" but it still has burrs on it). Hopefully those are available direct from Grubee or their dealers in USA.

 

[w3af]

i use 41, and like it, still using same chain after 2 years and many miles, in all kinds of weather , daily driver eastern Montana (i ride all year)

 

[gary55]

Hats off to ya Bakken. Riding in snow makes me edgy as hell, and we don't see nothing compared to up there.

 

[Nate888]

My kit came w/ a 415 chain & it seems good. in my limited experience, I'd recommend the 415, though chainbreakers for 415 are impossible to find at brick & mortar stores, IME. (A friend broke my chain w/ a hammer, small sockets & a little hardened steel bolt while I carefully held it in position. results were good, but he's done it lots of times before)

 

[Carl Walichnowski]

My kit came w/ a 415 chain & it seems good. in my limited experience, I'd recommend the 415, though chainbreakers for 415 are impossible to find at brick & mortar stores, IME. (A friend broke my chain w/ a hammer, small sockets & a little hardened steel bolt while I carefully held it in position. results were good, but he's done it lots of times before)

Can you use a 41 chain breaker on a 415 chain?