[Jm_]

So up to like 2002, SRAM chains were great compared to their shimano counterparts. I'd ocassionaly break them, but nothing like the ~3 runs that a shimano chain would last on a DH bike...

After 2002 I've put a few shimano CN7701 duraace/xtr mushroom-pin chains on my bikes. These things were amazing, I actually wrapped one like 2.5 times around my hub and it destroyed my rear wheel, I had to rebuild it from scratch pretty much, but amazingly the chain didn't even break, it was all twisted up but still well intact. I had a few of these, and I never took one off because it broke, only after it had stretched and was time to replace.

So as of late, I put a PC69 on my bike cause it was "fairly cheap" and the local bike shop didn't have a CN7701 (naturally).

Put it on my bike about a month ago.

Climbing today in the granny and POP, it spit out a pin and broke. It had been so long since I actually "broke" a chain it came as a shock. I know the 69 was a little cheaper, but I was hoping for "heavy and strong", in line with the "3 truths" of components. I took off the bad links, and put a KMC "missing link" thingie in there and was on my way...

Oh well, SRAM was a failed expirment, back to SHIMANO chains for me. Unfortunatly shimano has a bad rep for chains, due to the older designs, but there is new stuff out there that is different (the mushroom pin) that has worked awesome for me, I've been through phases where I was replacing a chain every month, sometimes shimanos, sometimes srams, etc, but in 2004, shimano seems to be on top of it.

Oh yeah, the point of this post is not just to distrub the SRAM Nazis, but to raise some awareness about a good product, the CN7701.

 

[Tweek]

But the title of your post was "Damn SRAM."

 

[Jm_]

Originally posted by Tweek
But the title of your post was "Damn SRAM."

but it rhymes.

 

[Rik]

I'm going to order myself a few SRAM hollowpin chains soon... am I right in thinking that by having a hollow pin, it'll make for stronger joins by "mushrooming" out more when rivetted?

 

[Universe]

Wipperman

 

[Fulton]

Originally posted by Rik
I'm going to order myself a few SRAM hollowpin chains soon... am I right in thinking that by having a hollow pin, it'll make for stronger joins by "mushrooming" out more when rivetted?

i've been riding one for a year with no problems

 

[BMXman]

I'm suprised one break since you switched back and you're ready to throw in the towel? I don't know the particulars of what happened but I've been running SRAM chains for almost 2 years without a single break...but I also buy a new chain every 4 months

 

[Jm_]

Originally posted by BMXman
I'm suprised one break since you switched back and you're ready to throw in the towel? I don't know the particulars of what happened but I've been running SRAM chains for almost 2 years without a single break...but I also buy a new chain every 4 months

I've had 3 of the shimano CN7701s now that i think about it, none failed, two were replaced for just normal "wear" and the one got twisted up in my hub (could say that it was "too" strong). So with the 3 chains of the same kind that I used, I didn't have any real "failures" at all. I've overwhelmingly found them to be stronger, I've used a lot more SRAM chains then the one that I just broke, and I've also broken other SRAM chains, and yes they were "ok" and lasted longer than the older Shimano chains that I'd used, but I am by no means "easy" on chains, and the new shimanos lulled me into a pretty secure-type of feeling, because of their strength, and I switch back to SRAM and find out that they are "same old-same old" while Shimano chains have dramatically improved.

I'll be ordering another CN7701, even though it is effectively "repaired", I have some serious doubts now about my sram chain putting up with me standing on a climb and climbing out of the saddle.

Then again, there is something to be said about SRAM "break-away" parts like derailers and chains Yep, I'm downright eeeeeeeeeeeevil.

 

[Rip]

Might just be a bad chain, I have broken many chains, have not broken a Sram chain yet. Change them every 6 months.

 

[narlus]

i've been on SRAM stuff since my 7 sp suntour rear hub blew up on me in '95 or so and i was forced to change the drivetrain. sure i've broken chains but it's very infrequent, the powerlink makes cleaning the chain a snap, and not having to carry spare pins a la shimano is very nice indeed. they have worked very well for me, no reason to change.

aside from a front der, xtr cranks, and an xt rear hub, i think that's all of the big S components i have on the bikes.

 

[UiUiUiUi]

the PC 69 are bad chains, i hab better luck with the PC99 and PC89 (roadie chain).
maybe you should give the rohloff chains a try!

 

[YETI187]

wippermann stainless steel
for those xc weight weenies, or dh weight weenies, i think wipperman makes titanium chain for like $300

never knew rholof (sp?) made chains


i've tried both, shimano lasted longer, though that was when i didn't ride as much or as aggressively. switched to sram cause they're on stock at the shop, and the gold-link thingy fascinated me (though now i know that i torque my chains enough that that special link never seems to work anyways) probably for my next chain i'll order that shimano one. is that the xtr/durace level one or the xt level one? there's no way i'll remember the parts number

 

[bibs]

Originally posted by Acadian
SRAM chain user for over 3 years...never had any problems.

I've been running hollowpin on my DH bike for a while and it's holding up..

yea, me too..great chain

 

[Jm_]

Originally posted by YETI187
wippermann stainless steel
for those xc weight weenies, or dh weight weenies, i think wipperman makes titanium chain for like $300

never knew rholof (sp?) made chains


i've tried both, shimano lasted longer, though that was when i didn't ride as much or as aggressively. switched to sram cause they're on stock at the shop, and the gold-link thingy fascinated me (though now i know that i torque my chains enough that that special link never seems to work anyways) probably for my next chain i'll order that shimano one. is that the xtr/durace level one or the xt level one? there's no way i'll remember the parts number

yeah, it's the dura-ace/XTR, but the reason the part number is important is that sometimes the bike shops are confused and sometimes they may even have the "old" XTR in stock, even though the CN7701 has been out for a year or two, you still find the old ones around.

 

[JSB]

I've had my best luck with my PC-99. I broke a wipperman ss last week. I don't think it was the chains fault though I took a bit of damage on the chain ring side that binded the chain. When I was climbing a hill that crimped piece cracked. So to my point go with a wipperman ss or a pc-99.

 

[Alloy]

I'm surprised you guys have had good luck the pc 99. The one I got is terrible, Its broken three time and each one of those fcked me. The first time the power link just fell off on a downhill run and left me with long walk back to my car. The second time the power link fell off again at North Star, I thought I just droped the chain so I continued to pedal and it sucked up through my derailer and gave it a good twisting. The third time the thing broke well I was pedaling up to a double I ended up smashing my knees and bucking through the double. It sucked, and so does that chain, So I'm done with sram as well.

 

[zedro]

did you use a powerlink, or did you re-push in the pin from the chain when you installed it? because you cannot do that with SRAM chains, unlike Shimano. You can only use Powerlinks to tie the chain.

Also all SRAM chains are rated for the same strength, regardless of the model level.

I've broken Shimanos whatever-race models, but not SRAMs, well unless i didnt use a powerlink, then it always broke :

 

[Curb Hucker]

Also all SRAM chains are rated for the same strength, regardless of the model level.

I've broken Shimanos whatever-race models, but not SRAMs, well unless i didnt use a powerlink, then it always broke :

ive had the same exact experiences, im running PC-99 Hollowpins on the HT and DH bikes

 

[kidwoo]

Yeah, I'm with the not installed correctly posse. I've gotten rid of every shimano chain I've ever owned because it KEPT breaking. The last one came oem on my enduro last year. And like zed, the only time I've ever had an issue with sram chains, regardless of model was when I didn't have a powerlink and pressed the chain back together.

 

[Str8OutaBallard]

I run the old sram/sachs 8 sp chains... that is carry over from urban riding and 9 sp chains; some shimano some sram pc chains, breaking on manuals...
I've heard that other 8spd chaings are good but since I founds 3 old sram/sachs 8 spd chains I havn't had a break or had them rust out on me...

 

[Monkeybidnezz]

the PC 69 are bad chains, i hab better luck with the PC99 and PC89 (roadie chain).
maybe you should give the rohloff chains a try!

I don't know about the 69, but I've wrecked havoc on my 99s and not had any issues. I've torqued the heck out of one in my cogset on several occasions, but it is still going strong. In all honesty they are pretty reasonable on sale...seen them for sale for 20 bones online so price shouldn't be an issue.

 

[MikeD]

The best fork ever is a boxxer filled with PC69s.

 

[dante]

I've actually been really impressed with SRAM so far, they shift better on a bent der. hanger than shimano does on a straight one. then again, I haven't temporarily used a low-end product and been disappointed so I guess I can't summarily write-off all of the products by that particular company...

:nuts:

 

[Jm_]

did you use a powerlink, or did you re-push in the pin from the chain when you installed it? because you cannot do that with SRAM chains, unlike Shimano. You can only use Powerlinks to tie the chain.

Also all SRAM chains are rated for the same strength, regardless of the model level.

I've broken Shimanos whatever-race models, but not SRAMs, well unless i didnt use a powerlink, then it always broke :

of course i use powerlinks, heck sometimes I wonder if i have more powerlinks than regular chain links.

 

[bighitfsr]

Same expirience with SRAM chains here.
I've broken both the 7701 and pc99 but i found the pc99 was a lot worse than the shimano.
It wasnt the hollow pin pc99 either.

I had a brand new SRAM chain break and get caught between my back tyre and the road. Mangled half the new chain.

I've also noticed that when you join a shimano chain the joined links arent stiff like most chains.

Lesson learned mushroom pins rock.