Regina Low Maintenance (HPE) 520 pitch chain
Say goodbye to everyday chain maintenance! In a world first, Italian manufacturer Regina has developed a revolutionary new High Performance Endurance (HPE) chain. The surfaces of the rollers and bushes in this rather special chain are coated with hydrogen-free, tetrahedral amorphous carbon, also referred to as "industrial diamond”. This coating reduces power loss and increases efficiency. What's more, the HPE chain requires almost no cleaning or lubrication. Extensive lab and street testing show the life of the new HPE chain is as good, if not greater, than a traditional regularly re-lubricated Z-Ring chain.
Regina HPE chain has a Tetrahedral Amorphous Carbon (ta-C) coating, currently considered as the most advanced among DLC (Diamond Like Carbon) coatings, applied on the surfaces of the bushings and the rollers, combining high hardness with a low coefficient of friction:
- eliminates the need of periodic re-lubrication, while ensuring at least the same mileage obtained with a normal chain regularly lubricated every 500 km
- reduces energy dissipation and increases efficiency in the chain drive
- eliminates lubricant spatter during operation, minimizing environmental impact.
ta-C: The carbon coating closest to diamond
Pure Carbon is present in nature only in two crystalline physical states: Diamond (atoms in Tetrahedral bonding arrangement) and graphite (atoms in Hexagonal Planar bonding arrangement). ta-C is a synthetic state of pure Amorphous Carbon in which up to 80% of the atoms are bonded to each other with a Tetrahedral arrangement, in the same way of pure Diamond. For this reason, among all so called “DLC” (Diamond Like Carbon) coatings, the physical properties of ta-C (such as hardness & coefficient of friction) are the closest to pure Diamond, which is the hardest material on Earth.
HPE Chain installation
A chain drive using an HPE Chain does not require ta-C coated front and rear sprockets. When installing a new HPE Chain, it is strongly recommended to replace front and rear sprockets with new ones. Sprockets must be made of steel.
HPE Chain maintenance, cleaning and tensioning
To guarantee its best functionality and aesthetics over time, follow 3 simple rules:
- clean and re-lubricate the chain after washing your bike, after using your bike in wet conditions and /or in salty or dusty environments and before storing your bike at the end of the riding season (winter season)
- re-lubricate the chain once a year
- check correct chain tensioning every 3,000km. See www.reginachain.net - Chain Maintenance section, for detailed instructions.
Z-RING
An evolution of previous X-Ring and Z-Ring designs, the new generation Z-Ring seal has been patented since 2003 and features a specially-designed conical shape on the inner side. The Z-Ring flexes when assembled, creating a spring effect that guarantees the seal will not decrease over time. The special Z-Ring section provides enhanced chain flexibility while the conical section enhances assembly on the bushing. The lubricant trapped between the plates and the lobes of the Z-Ring keeps the ring lubricated and increases its life.
Regina HPE chain is only available in 520 or 525 pitch, pre-cut at 120 links and supplied with a Type 19 rivet link. Not available as bulk chain.
