Fake vs Genuine Shimano chain. How to spot the difference

[@RobertAdairWorkshop]

A dead giveaway with the fake is that if you look at them in bright sunlight, they have a very fine sanded appearance to them. The genuine chains don’t. I’m guessing it’s some kind of post manufacturing process that they use, maybe cleaning them, or using some sort of automatic grease applicator. I’m not sure. But all the fakes I’ve come across have it.

[@bikingchupei2447]

if it starts to rust on the outer links, it most likely is a genuine shimano chain, sad but true, my 12 speed M8100 chain rust so easily even if you don't expose it with water.

[@Desperado070]

I had the same, bought a chain for me mountain bike and paid €10.- for it. Found out that it would shift back or just pull the whole chain off when back pedaling. It wouldn't shift properly no matter how long you tried to fine tune it, like gearing up would work but down not, and vice versa. The new chain I got on right now costed me €17.- but that one was bought from a bike shop. (decathlon) Everything runs fine, you don't even hear him going up or down while shifting. Next time I need a new chain I be buying the €23.-, especially with these things expensive buy is cheap buy. They last way longer and you ride is way smoother, I will never try to safe money ever again on things like this.

[@lavithhcm]

@@Desperado070 same issue for me with back pedaling on the "fake and cheap" chain. It falls off at certain location but with the legit Shimano one, back pedaling issue is non existence...

[@benoitbvg2888]

Not to brag, but I guessed n°2, just by looking at the overall quality/"shinyness"(?) of the metal and the VIA marking.

[@lavithhcm]

No.2 is authentic genuine Shimano chain. Same with No.1

[@mortona42yt]

Solved a mystery for me. I had lots of metal shavings when I lubed my chain. I definitely have a fake chain, could tell by the box (and price), but I was wondering what the downsides are. The metal shavings are probably from the chamfer that's supposed to be there. They're a key part of the HG-X system, designed to interface with the gears.

[@lavithhcm]

To be honest, i have not got any issue with the fake one except if i back pedal too much the chain would drop on me while the genuine one doesnt do that. Besides that, since i am only 140lbs so I havent experince cracked links or broken chain. It is just my own experience with the fake chain thinking i got a good deal on it. 😂😂 Honestly for my shitty bike and i dont care about wearing all other parts, i would order a chinese made brand chain instead of fake Shimano.

[@lavithhcm]

If you have a lot of shavings coming out from your chain, it means the roller pins are not heat treated right (surface hardness of roller pin). The effect is that your chain will get elongated and streched too much! With that said if the roller pins are heat treated too hard they become brittle and might break on you. So there is a fine balance between soft vs hard pin. And most cheap chain dont bother with hard pins. 😅

[@mortona42yt]

@@lavithhcm I don't think it's from the roller pins, but maybe you're right. Looks to me like the teeth are grinding on the chain. There was a nearly alarming amount of shavings. Some say it happens when shifting under load, which I do sometimes.

[@Desperado070]

@@mortona42yt Shifting under load also depends on what kind of gearing you got, for example on a old mountain bike 3(front)x8(back). Shifting under load is forbidden, while if you got them city bikes with internal gear with for example 6/7/8 gears. You can shift under load just as fine as shifting while back pedaling... Even some new gears shifts better under load than without. What bike and what kind of shifting do you got? And are you sure it is not just one bad link? (if the chain gives while back pedaling at the same point, you do know.)

[@mortona42yt]

@@Desperado070 Kona cyclocross with 3x10 (I swapped from 2x). New cassette too, so it has to be this cheap chain?

[@jackronin4371]

Steel of original has greater luster.

[@lavithhcm]

@@jackronin4371 i totally agree!

[@conradpaterno3576]

compare side-by-side!