Anyone ever measured chain wear on a new chain?

Yes, quite often actually.
After a handful of miles (once the grease has squidged out of the way, literally 2 or 3 miles...).
Massive variation depending on the chain model and manufacturer.
Only way you can (generally) get zero is if you measure straight out of the packet. (have even seen negative wear doing that!)

Cheers mate, I thought that was the case but nice to hear a first hand account.👍

How you measure it makes a difference as some methods involve roller clearance.

I used a Rolloff tool for a quick check but that includes one rollers worth of clearances. I have a more accurate Shimano tool which eliminates that clearance and a 600mm steel rule if I want a proper measure.

I degrease new chains before waxing and the three different tools give a different measure.

I use a park cc2 and I don't think a new chain has ever measured less than 0.5% wear

Try the Park CC4, that removes the roller tolerance from the equation

Chain wear when new varies greatly between brands and even models. The only chains that consistently measured as zero wear are YBN SLA chains. The ones I find showing the most initial wear are actually dura-ace/xtr however that ties in with increased efficiency.

The wear rates are very small when new and not really worth considering. If you are consistently measuring 0.5 wear on new chains it’s time for a new tool, the park CC2 is the least accurate I have and is always indicating much more wear than reality. I use a KMC digital chain checker. For normal checking I recommend the park CC4.

Change your chains at 0.5 wear, you are accelerating wear in your chainrings and cassette otherwise. I have 3 chains I use in rotation and I’ll be bored of the bike before anything needs changed

I use a park cc2 and I don’t think a new chain has ever measured less than 0.5% wear

If you get that reading on a new chain then you're probably squeezing too hard. You're only supposed to squeeze it until you feel light resistance.

Absolutely, every time. They do vary, even among different examples of what should be the same chain. The difference is sometimes not small. Have been trying some cheaper alternatives to reduce drivetrain costs but noticed that they seem to be not made to the same tolerances, ie: XX1 chains have always been good, last well- for first time tried X1 and it exhibits .5 elongation out of the pack and doesn't shift as well. Maybe it is fake, but it was bought from a reputable source. On the other end of the extreme I always use KMC X10sl on the road bike, last one I had the Park CC-2 wouldn't even drop in from new, so it was super tight - and it skipped on the block when I was sure there was more wear to be had out of that...but being tight it shifts superb, and I'll tell you in a few thousand miles if it lasts longer...

Yes, but mainly to check my chain tool could tell the difference between old and new chains.

I changed one last night on greaser #1 s bike. Over 117 links the old chain was about 1/4 of a link longer (as in pin to pin)

Chains measuring 0.5 out of the pack just isn’t right, I’ve never seen this and I’ve measured so many chains. Either the chains are fake or your chain tool isn’t accurate

To be sure, without the digital chain tool, just measure them with a 12’ steel ruler. Not sure how to post links so here goes

Yes, am familiar with rulers. Am wondering if I picked up a fake during lockdown, the packaging was different but assumed they'd just changed it- seen some stuff on fakes doing the rounds and now not so sure, otherwise it looks right but so hard to tell. It doesn't shift right, X1 is much cheaper than XX1 but it can't be that much worse can it? - will report back if it snaps and leaves face imprinted in floor...

There are loads of fake chains doing the rounds I’m afraid, Amazon and eBay are full of them, particularly shimano ones and I’m sure Sram are no different, I’m just not as familiar with them as they aren’t as big a seller for me.

I have seen chains on eBay for a significant amount less than I can buy them through a distributor, and given the eBay fees are about 15% there is no way these are genuine.

Unfortunately it hurts those of us who are trying to do things right and honest. Why buy a chain off me when you can get the ‘same’ on eBay for £25 less?

Sram chains from new normally measure less than 0.05 on the digital scale after a full degrease, with factory grease it’s not worth measuring as I’d need to force the vernier into place.

I think Adam at zero friction cycling has test data on XX1 and X1 on his website, that will show his initial wear measurements, he uses the same digital verniers I use.

Mine would have come from CRC or Merlin, never bought bike parts on the 'Zon or the "Bay... any stories of the fakes making it into the regular distribution networks?