Though often overlooked as a contributor to your bike's ride quality, the bicycle chain is a beautifully efficient structure. While it's true that chains have maintained the same basic design and functionality for nearly a century, there's an immediately noticeable on-the-bike difference between a cheap chain and a well-developed one. Taking chain design into the future, KMC's X10SL demonstrates that chains have still been the subject of major innovation and advanced manufacturing technology. To aid in mud-shedding and to keep weight down, the X10SL uses hollow inner and outer plates between the chain pins. Both plates also incorporate chamfering for rotational and shifting smoothness, and the outer plates feature the model's namesake "X" engraving for quick shifting. At 252 grams for 116 links, the X10SL is also among the lightest chains on the market. The KMC X10SL Chain comes with 116 links, is compatible with Shimano, SRAM, and Campagnolo 10-speed drivetrains, and comes in Silver and Gold finishes. The gold finish is achieved with a titanium nitride coating that further reduces friction and also helps the chain retain lubrication longer without affecting weight.

• B00K7X8J7G
• Park Tool MLP-1.2 Chain Link Pliers
• KMC Opener Missing Link
• B007BWR21K
• Race Face 104mm Single Chain Ring