KMC Chain Industrial

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KMC Chain Industrial Co., Ltd.
Industry roller chain, bicycle chain
Founded1977;46 years ago (1977), Taiwan
Products Roller chains for bicycles, motorcycles, and industry
Revenue250 million USD [1]
unknown
unknown
Number of employees
4,500 [1]
Website www.kmcchain.com
A small section of KMC bicycle chain KMC Bicycle Chain.jpg
A small section of KMC bicycle chain

KMC Chain Industrial Co., Ltd. is a roller chain manufacturer headquartered in Taiwan, R.O.C. with corporate entities in the US, Continental Chain Company, and Europe, KMC Chain Europe BV. [2] They make cam driving chains, balance driving chains, oil pump chains, motorcycle chains, and industrial chains. [3] They manufacture and market bicycle chains and master links under their own KMC brand and supply them to others, including Shimano. [4] KMC chains are used in the Tour de France by riders such as Gustav Larsson, Swedish time trial champion. [5] KMC was founded by Charles Wu in 1977, [1] and was the largest bicycle chain manufacturer in the world in 2011. [6]

Contents

Compatibility

They are known for working well with Shimano, SRAM, and Campagnolo drivetrains. [7] [8] [9] [10] Bicycle manufacturers, such as Specialized Bicycle Components provide KMC chains on new bicycles with SRAM and Shimano components. [11] 2013 Bianchi team bicycles include a KMC X11SL chain on a Campagnolo Super Record EPS electronic transmission. [12]

Varieties

KMC makes bicycle chains with roller widths of 3/16, 1/8, 3/32, 11/128 inches and with external widths compatible with single-speed, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12-speed drivetrains. They offer chains with hollow pins and with cut-outs in the links and made of stainless steel, with a titanium nitride coating, or painted in a variety of colors. [2] In 2012, KMC launched a chain model specifically for electric bicycles. [13] In 2010, KMC won the iF Product Design Gold Award for its BMX ‘Kool Knight Chain’. [14]

See also

Other notable bicycle chain manufacturers include:

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Derailleur</span> Variable-ratio transmission system commonly used on bicycles

A derailleur is a variable-ratio bicycle gearing system consisting of a chain, multiple sprockets of different sizes, and a mechanism to move the chain from one sprocket to another.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hub gear</span> Device for changing gear ratio on bikes

A hub gear, internal-gear hub, internally geared hub or just gear hub is a gear ratio changing system commonly used on bicycles that is implemented with planetary or epicyclic gears. The gears and lubricants are sealed within the shell of the hub gear, in contrast with derailleur gears where the gears and mechanism are exposed to the elements. Changing the gear ratio was traditionally accomplished by a shift lever connected to the hub with a Bowden cable, and twist-grip style shifters have become common.

Shimano, Inc., originally Shimano Iron Works (島野鐵工所) and later Shimano Industries, Inc. (島野工業株式会社), is a Japanese multinational manufacturing company for cycling components, fishing tackle and rowing equipment, who also produced golf supplies until 2005 and snowboarding gear until 2008. Named after founder Shozaburo Shimano and headquartered in Sakai, Osaka Prefecture, the company has 32 consolidated and 11 unconsolidated subsidiaries, with the primary manufacturing plants based in Kunshan (China), Malaysia and Singapore.

Campagnolo is an Italian manufacturer of high-end bicycle components with headquarters in Vicenza, Italy. The components are organised as groupsets (gruppi), and are a near-complete collection of a bicycle's mechanical parts. Campagnolo's flagship components are the Super Record, Record, and Chorus groupsets with all three representing their recent shift to 12-speed drivetrains. Super Record and Record are the top groupsets, followed by Chorus, Potenza, Centaur and Veloce. Campagnolo also produces aluminum and carbon wheels, as well as other components.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Crankset</span> Bicycle part

The crankset or chainset is the component of a bicycle drivetrain that converts the reciprocating motion of the rider's legs into rotational motion used to drive the chain or belt, which in turn drives the rear wheel. It consists of one or more sprockets, also called chainrings or chainwheels attached to the cranks, arms, or crankarms to which the pedals attach. It is connected to the rider by the pedals, to the bicycle frame by the bottom bracket, and to the rear sprocket, cassette or freewheel via the chain.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bicycle chain</span> Roller chain that transfers power from the pedals to the drive-wheel of a bicycle

A bicycle chain is a roller chain that transfers power from the pedals to the drive-wheel of a bicycle, thus propelling it. Most bicycle chains are made from plain carbon or alloy steel, but some are nickel-plated to prevent rust, or simply for aesthetics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bottom bracket</span> Bicycle component

The bottom bracket on a bicycle connects the crankset (chainset) to the bicycle and allows the crankset to rotate freely. It contains a spindle to which the crankset attaches, and the bearings that allow the spindle and crankset to rotate. The chainrings and pedals attach to the cranks. Bottom bracket bearings fit inside the bottom bracket shell, which connects the seat tube, down tube and chain stays as part of the bicycle frame.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Groupset</span>

A groupset or gruppo is a bicycle component manufacturer's organized collection of mechanical parts. It generally refers to all of the components that make up a bicycle excluding the bicycle frame, fork, stem, wheels, tires, and rider contact points, such as the saddle and handlebars.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Racing bicycle</span> Bicycle designed for competitive road cycling

A racing bicycle, also known as a road bike is a bicycle designed for competitive road cycling, a sport governed by and according to the rules of the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI).

SRAM LLC is a privately owned bicycle component manufacturer based in Chicago, Illinois, United States, founded in 1987. SRAM is an acronym comprising the names of its founders, Scott, Ray, sAM,. The company produces a range of internally developed cycling components, including Grip Shift, separate gravel, road, and mountain drivetrains from 7 to 12 speed. SRAM developed the eagle line of mountain bike specific drivetrain components intended to improve shifting performance. SRAM was also the first to release a dedicated "one by" drivetrain with a single front chain-ring.

SR Suntour is a Taiwanese manufacturer of bicycle components, formed in 1988 when Osaka based SunTour (Maeda) went bankrupt and was purchased by Sakae Ringyo Company, a major Japanese maker of aluminum parts, particularly cranks and seat posts. SunTour's sales and commercial success peaked from the late 1970s to the mid-1980s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cogset</span> Set of sprockets attached to the rear wheel hub of a bicycle

On a bicycle, the cassette or cluster is the set of multiple sprockets that attaches to the hub on the rear wheel. A cogset works with a rear derailleur to provide multiple gear ratios to the rider. Cassettes come in two varieties, freewheels or cassettes, of which cassettes are a newer development. Although cassettes and freewheels perform the same function and look almost the same when installed, they have important mechanical differences and are not interchangeable.

Univega is a bicycle brand created during the bike boom of the 1970s by Ben Lawee (1926–2002), who founded Lawee Inc. to design, specify, and import bicycles initially manufactured in Italy by Italvega, and subsequently in Japan by Miyata.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Electronic gear-shifting system</span> Method of changing gears on a bicycle

An electronic gear-shifting system is a method of changing gears on a bicycle, which enables riders to shift with electronic switches instead of using conventional control levers and mechanical cables. The switches are connected by wire or wirelessly to a battery pack and to a small electric motor that drives the derailleur, switching the chain from cog to cog. An electronic system can switch gears faster and, because the system does not use Bowden cables and can calibrate itself, it may require less maintenance.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">SRAM Double Tap</span>

SRAM Double Tap is an integrated gearshift and brake lever system designed by SRAM Corporation for racing bicycles. It allows shifting gears without having to remove a hand from the bars, unlike previous down tube shifting systems. It was launched in late 2005 to compete with Shimano Total Integration and Campagnolo ErgoPower. It is characterized by having a single shift lever per unit that the rider moves inward a short distance for upshifts and a longer distance for downshifts. It is lighter and smaller than competitors because it has few parts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Campagnolo ErgoPower</span>

Campagnolo ErgoPower is an integrated gearshift and brake lever system designed by Campagnolo for racing bicycles. It allows shifting gears without having to remove a hand from the bars, unlike previous down tube shifting systems. It was launched in 1992 to compete with Shimano Total Integration (STI). It is characterized by having three separate levers per unit: one each for braking, upshifts, and downshifts. Ergopower levers may be disassembled for servicing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wippermann</span> German roller chain manufacturer

Wippermann jr GmbH is a roller chain manufacturer located in Hagen, Germany, and founded by Wilhelm Wippermann in 1893. They make the Connex brand of bicycle chains and master links. Their bicycle chains include such high-end features as nickel-plating, hollow pins, stainless steel, titanium rollers, and cutout plates. In 2008, Wippermann published wear test results in which their bicycle chains performed well. Wippermann chains are used by professional cyclists in the Tour de France.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gravel bicycle</span> Type of bicycle made for both road and off-road

A gravel bicycle is a type of bicycle intended for gravel cycling, including gravel racing. They are also sometimes known as "adventure bicycles", particularly ones intended for harsher off-road terrain.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Doug McClellan (May 9, 2008). "A-Team Profile – Robert Wu". Bicycle Retailer and Industry News. Retrieved February 6, 2013. KMC makes more than 150 million meters of bicycle, motorcycle, industrial and automotive chains every year. It is one of the world's largest chain manufacturers.
  2. 1 2 "KMC Bike Chain Catalog" (PDF). Continental Chain Company. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 21, 2009. Retrieved July 12, 2012.
  3. "KMC Chain Industrial Co. Ltd". Focus Technology Co., Ltd. Retrieved July 12, 2012. Total output is 9 million sets with a sales of 100 million USD annually.
  4. Warren Rossiter (June 1, 2007). "KMC x10sl Gold road chain". BikeRadar. Archived from the original on March 23, 2013. Retrieved July 12, 2012. KMC have been making chains for many years and now produce over 80 million a year for a wide range of companies, including Shimano.
  5. Caley Fretz (June 30, 2012). "Tour Tech: Swedish time trial champ Gustav Larsson's Bianchi Pico Crono". VeloNews. Retrieved July 12, 2012. Gold KMC chain with Dura-Ace mechanical, which Larsson uses to get a bit of extra reach.
  6. Jack Oortwijn (January 14, 2011). "KMC Europe Expands Storage Capacity". Bike Europe. Retrieved February 6, 2013. The largest manufacturer of bicycle chains in the world, KMC, is expanding its storage capacity in Europe.
  7. Lennard Zinn (December 22, 2011). "KMC, Wippermann chain test". Buyer's Guide 2012. VeloNews. pp. 42–46. Retrieved February 6, 2013. If you're a Campagnolo 10-speed or SRAM user, both the Wippermann and KMC chains offer viable options over stock chains. The Wippermann far outlasted most other chains and the KMC actually improved shifting on Kappius' SRAM-equipped 'cross bike. Shimano users will want to give the KMC a look, but avoid the Wippermann.[ permanent dead link ]
  8. Caley Fretz (July 22, 2011). "Tour Pro Bike: Johnny Hoogerland's Ridley Helium, Drippin' KMC". VeloNews. Retrieved July 12, 2012. Vacansoleil uses KMC chains, which we have found work impressively well with both SRAM and Shimano drivetrains.
  9. Nick Legan (March 15, 2012). "Ask Nick: Should you wait for discs to buy a new frame?". VeloNews. Retrieved July 12, 2012. Lennard Zinn and Brady Kappius tested both KMC and Wippermann chains in this year's Buyer's Guide. I've also been very impressed with KMC's offerings. They work exceptionally well. I'm currently using KMC's 11-speed chain on a Campy bike.
  10. James Huang (July 25, 2011). "Tour de France tech: Time trial bike image gallery". CyclingNews. Retrieved July 12, 2012. A SRAM Red rear derailleur moves a KMC chain across the SRAM OG-1090 cassette on Vacansoleil-DCM's Ridley Dean time trial bikes.
  11. James Huang (March 22, 2011). "First Ride Review: Specialized Epic Comp Carbon 29". CyclingNews. Retrieved July 12, 2012. SRAM handles the lion's share of the spec. ... The lone exceptions are a KMC chain and smooth-shifting Shimano 12-36T cassette. The stock KMC chain runs reasonably quietly and shifts well.
  12. James Huang (January 30, 2013). "Pro bike: Wauters' Vacansoleil-DCM Bianchi Oltre XR". BikeRadar. Retrieved February 6, 2013.
  13. "KMC Launched Components for Bosch e-Bike Drive System". Bike Europe. January 27, 2012. Retrieved February 6, 2013.
  14. "KMC Stars Award Winning BMX Chain at Taipei Show". Bike Europe. March 11, 2010. Retrieved February 6, 2013.