Bustedknuckle said:
Best idea is use a 105 level 10s chain. less shiny but functions/wears the same as bigger buck chains. it is a consumable, afterall.
Here's a little secret to save you some money on chains: The 105, Ultegra, and Dura Ace chains are all identical except for the plating. Dura Ace has both inner and outer links nickel plated, while Ultegra only has the outer links plated and the 105 has no nickel plating at all. Functionally they are the same, you'll never be able to tell the difference in a blind test, so skip the $50 DA bling for winter training.
I should clarify that this only applies to the 7800/6600/5600 series of chains, the 7900/6700/5600 (no new 105 yet) do have some differences beyond just the finish.