Review: road.cc - Birzman Chain Wear Indicator II

Road.cc has reviewed the Birzman Chain Wear Indicator II. Here is what they had to say:

The Birzman Chain Wear Indicator II is designed to measure wear in traditional 3/32in chains across the board, from singlespeed to 12-speed. This caters for most scenarios, save for track and some hub transmissions. It's nicely engineered and pleasant to use, and though digital gauges may have the last word in accuracy and precision, they're a good bit more expensive, too.

Birzman has gone for CNC machined 6061 aluminium for this model. The anodised finish and laser-etched graphics are beautifully applied, and will protect the aluminium from oxidisation.

Look closely and you'll see a dial integrated within the head, with increments of .25, .5, .7, .8 and 1; this is the wear indicator, which gives a very precise account of chain health. Some have just three figures, .5, .75 and 1.

There's plenty of debate about pensioning times for chains. I've traditionally replaced 9/10-speed chains at the 0.75 point, and left 6/7-speeds a little longer (depending on whether I was using stainless steel rings, quality of cassette/freewheel and so on). According to Birzman's chart, 11/12-speeds should be switched at 0.5; 9/10-speeds at .7; 5 to 8-speeds (yes, a few of us still run these) at .8; and singlespeeds at 1.0.

You can use a cheap and simple gauge to check chain wear, but it's a more approximate guide and could be costing you money in the long run if you're scrapping a chain prematurely. Likewise if you just go by average mileage.

In many respects, this is preferable to allowing a chain to chomp through expensive components, but costs can mount up, especially if you're running an already pricey 11 or 12-speed groupset.

Accuracy

I'm told that the Birzman measures a combination of pin and roller wear. To use it, simply drop the pins into the chain and gently rotate the top-mounted dial anti-clockwise until the figures align. Gently is key here; you don't want to force anything – it's bad practice and will also give a false reading.

Top-mounting the dial might seem a simple thing, but it makes a world of difference ergonomically. Sure, reading a gauge side-on is neither here nor there if you've got the bike in a workstand, but it's a pain if you're just in 'while I'm thinking about it' mode. Besides, if something's nice and user friendly, we're more likely to use it.

I've tested the Birzman on 11, 10, 7 and 6-speed chains, some nigh-on packet fresh, some closer to the knacker's yard. Cross-referenced with a digital KMC unit, it seemed perfectly accurate.

None of my chains needed replacing, although a 6-speed Sachs, fitted to my 1991 road bike (a quaint, but much-loved sunny days plaything), was creeping close to .6; by contrast, a cheap and cheerful nickel-plated gauge suggested it was nearer to .7. Okay, hardly the biggest thing in the world, but it illustrates my earlier point about otherwise serviceable parts being scrapped prematurely.

Value

I'll preface this by saying much will depend upon how many bikes you have and their drivetrains. If you're running 5 to 10-speed setups then something simple like the £5.99 Torque Chain Checker will suffice.

Comparing like with like, though, the Birzman is well priced.

Of the more traditional gauges, the Pedro's Chain Checker Plus II (link is external) is a three-point model featuring a laser-cut design, and capable of isolating pin and roller wear. The chain hook and chainring wrench are nice touches, and it's also a little cheaper than the Birzman at £22, but won't be as pleasant or convenient to use as the Birzman with its top-mounted dial.

Conclusion

Ultimately, the Birzman Chain Wear Indicator II is an effective and accurate tool that's pleasant to use. Don't lose it, drop it or lend it to casual acquaintances and it should repay its investment many times over, especially if you have a fleet of bikes, with 11 or 12-speeds among them.

Verdict

User-friendly precision tool for checking chain health.