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KMC

Chains and cassettes, cross-compatible by design

KMC makes chains for a great many other companies as well as under its own name, and it appears twice on this site.

Where it appears here

The e10 10-speed chain, which is the best-selling chain in this catalog, and a wide-range 10-speed cassette.

What it is genuinely good at

Stating cross-brand compatibility explicitly. The e10 lists Shimano, SRAM and Campagnolo. Chains at the same speed count are frequently interchangeable between brands, and a manufacturer saying so removes a real hesitation.

Including the connector. The MissingLink ships with the chain, so joining it needs no tool at all. That also means a chain that breaks on a ride is a five-minute stop rather than a walk home, provided you carry a spare link.

Where it is ordinary

The cassette listing is thin — a speed count, a tooth range and a material, with no weight and no freehub standard stated. On a cassette, the freehub standard is the specification that decides whether it fits at all.

What to know before buying

Speed count is the only number that has to match on a chain: count the sprockets on your rear wheel. For the wide-range cassette, check your rear derailleur’s published maximum sprocket size — 42 teeth exceeds what many standard derailleurs are rated for.

Every KMC part we have reviewed

  • KMC e10 silver bicycle chain with its MissingLink connector

    KMC e10 Silver chain, 10-speed, 122 links

    The best-selling chain here: a 10-speed chain with reinforced pins and minimized tolerances, supplied at 122 links with a MissingLink connector.

    Speed
    10-speed, 1/2" × 11/128"
    Link count
    122
    Connector
    MissingLink included
    Compatibility
    Shimano, SRAM, Campagnolo
    Amazon reference
    B07J361ZN7 (identical on 6 markets)
    EAN
    4715575890043
    • Rank 1,677, the best-selling chain in this hub
    • A MissingLink connector included, so no chain tool is needed to join it
    • The most expensive chain here

    Best for: A 10-speed drivetrain, whichever brand made it — this is the chain that fits all three.

    ≈ $62
    Check price on Amazon
  • KMC 10-speed wide range cassette in black

    KMC Cassette, 10-speed, 11–42T, steel

    A wide-range 10-speed steel cassette from 11 to 42 teeth, from a manufacturer better known for its chains.

    Speed
    10-speed
    Tooth range
    11–42T
    Material
    Steel
    Amazon reference
    B0CDQCTBNL (identical on 6 markets)
    EAN
    4715575885100
    • A 42-tooth largest sprocket, which is a substantially easier climbing gear than a 32
    • From KMC, a specialist drivetrain manufacturer
    • Forty-two teeth exceeds many standard rear derailleurs' published maximum

    Best for: Adding a genuinely low climbing gear to a 10-speed bike, where the derailleur can take it.

    ≈ $73
    Check price on Amazon
  • KMC K1 black and silver single-speed BMX bicycle chain

    KMC K1 BMX chain, single speed, 100 links

    KMC’s heavy-duty single-speed chain for BMX and track: 100 links, 411 g (14.5 oz), tall inner plates and reinforced riveting.

    Speed
    Single speed — BMX, track, fixed, internal hub gears
    Size
    1/2" × 1/8" (3.18 mm (0.13 in))
    Links
    100
    Weight
    411 g (14.5 oz) — published
    Pin length
    9.5 mm (0.37 in)
    Plates
    Oversize outer, tall inner
    Riveting
    Mushroomed, reinforced
    Finish
    Nickel plated, black and silver
    Reference
    BK1WNB110
    Quick link
    Not stated — expect to need a chain tool
    Derailleur use
    No — too wide for a cassette
    Amazon reference
    B07JVC7HB7
    EAN
    4715575898117
    • The only chain in this group to publish a weight and a pin length
    • Tall inner plates and reinforced riveting, which is what resists pitch growth
    • 100 links — the shortest here, with no spare length to shorten

    Best for: A BMX or track bike where the drivetrain takes standing loads

    Check price on Amazon