Chains &
drivetrain.
Chains, cassettes, derailleurs, cranksets, shifters, and chainrings.
How to pick the right pack.
A 4-step shortlist that gets you out of the shop with the right battery. Skip steps and you'll be back in a week.
Count your gears.
Look at the rear cassette and count the cogs. 7, 8, 9 or 10 — that's the magic number. Chain, cassette, derailleur and shifter all have to match the count.
Speed count guide ↓Check chain wear first.
Chain wear is sneaky and trashes cassettes if you ignore it. A $15 chain checker tool reveals it in 5 seconds; we do it for free every visit. Don't replace a $55 cassette because you skipped a $29 chain.
Chain wear chart ↓Match brand families.
Mixing Shimano shifter with SRAM derailleur shifts badly. Stay within Shimano-or-SRAM and within roughly the same series tier (Altus / Acera / Alivio / Deore).
Compatibility matrix ↓eBike chains earn the premium.
Bafang and Bosch motors put 60–80 Nm through the chain — more than your legs ever did. eBike-rated chains have stronger pins and last 2× longer than standard chains in this load. KMC e8 / e9 / e10 are the bench picks.
Why eBike chains ↓Tell us your bike — we'll match the drivetrain.
Drivetrain is brand-and-speed-specific. Pick your bike and we'll filter the catalog to only the chains, cassettes, derailleurs and shifters that we've confirmed run together.
Not sure what shifts on your bike? Free 5-minute drivetrain diagnosis at the bench. Walk-in welcome.
Everything we stock.
36 SKUs across the collection. Click any cell for full specs, fit notes and install booking.
What we get asked
every week.
Three years of phone calls boiled down. If your question isn't here, text us — we read every message.
- When should I replace my chain?
- When a chain checker tool reads 0.75% wear (for 10-speed) or 1.0% (for 7–9 speed). A worn chain wears the cassette teeth and the shifting goes to hell. Free chain check at the shop. Replace the chain at 0.75%; replace chain + cassette at 1.0%.
- Why do eBike chains cost more?
- Standard chains are designed for ~250 W of rider input. eBike motors add 250–500 W on top through the same chain. eBike chains use reinforced pins and stronger plates to handle the load. KMC e-series and Shimano CN-E-series are the standard.
- Can I mix Shimano and SRAM?
- Generally no. Shimano and SRAM pull cable at different ratios per shift, so the indexing won't line up. You can use a Shimano chain on a SRAM cassette (and vice versa), but shifter-derailleur pairings must stay within one brand.
- How many gears do I actually need?
- Flat Calgary commuting — 7-8 is plenty. Hilly routes (Edworthy, North Hill) — 9-10 makes climbing easier. eMTB / fat-tire — 10+ for low gear range on technical terrain. The motor does most of the work, so don't over-spec.
- What's a 'clutched' derailleur?
- A friction clutch in the derailleur cage that keeps tension on the chain when you hit bumps. Stops chain slap and reduces dropped chains by 90% on rough terrain. Shimano calls it Shadow+; SRAM calls it Type 2. Worth it on any eBike that sees gravel or trail.
- Do I need a special tool to change a chain?
- Yes — a chain breaker. ~$25 from Park Tool. Or bring it in: $25 install when you buy the chain from us, $40 if you bring your own.
Rather we did it?
Free chain-wear check on any visit. $25 chain swap with your chain from us; $40 if you bring your own. Full drivetrain refresh (chain + cassette + cable) runs $90 + parts.
- Free chain-wear check
- Chain swap — $25 (free with purchase)
- Cassette swap — $30
- Full drivetrain refresh — $90+
