The humble chain is one of the most overlooked parts of your bike, yet it's one of the most elegant and efficient. While it's true that bicycle chains have maintained the same basic design and functionality for nearly a century, there's an immediately noticeable on-the-bike difference between a cheap chain and a well-developed one. Taking chain design into the future, KMC's flagship X11SL demonstrates that chains have still been the subject of major innovation and advanced manufacturing technology. To aid in mud-shedding and to keep weight down, the X11SL uses hollow inner and outer plates between the chain pins. Both plates also incorporate chamfering for rotational and shifting smoothness, and the outer plates feature the model's namesake "X" engraving for quick shifting. At 235 grams for 116 links, the X11SL is also among the lightest chains on the market. The KMC X11SL chain comes with 116 links, is compatible with Shimano, SRAM, and Campagnolo 11-speed drivetrains, and comes in Silver, Gold, and Black finishes.