[KrusteeButt]

I was getting a new chain this weekend and as I looked over the different 9-speed varieties and their differences in price I wondered "If I'm changing my chain at least once a year, why should I bother getting the 'high-end' PC-99 (SRAM) at nearly $40, when the 'low-end' PC-59 is only $20?"
The tech. at the shop said their close to being the same in strength, that it really comes down to weight...higher end chains are typically 20 to 30 grams lighter.

Seriously, does that constitute doubling in price? Here's from SRAM's site:

PC-59
Technology: Power Chain™ w/Shift Enhancing Plate™ for a long, smooth life
Weight: 300g
Body: PowerLink™ Gold connectors, steel w/chrome hardened pins, step riveting & nickel plated outer plates/polished inner plates
Compatibility: 9-speed SRAM®, Shimano® & Campagnolo® cassette
Coolness: smooth in all conditions

PC-99
Technology: Power Chain™ w/Shift Enhancing Plate™ for a long, smooth life
Weight: 300g
Body: PowerLink™ Gold connectors, steel w/chrome hardened pins, cross step riveting & fully nickel plated finish
Compatibility: 9-speed SRAM®, Shimano® & Campagnolo® cassette
Coolness: the ultimate 9-speed chain, ready for the highest levels of competition

Uhhhh....no weight savings here....same kind of pins...I have no idea what the different kind of riveting means, something to do with smoothness? I'm also assuming that the nickel plating has to do with smoothness as well?
Their newest PC-99 (or -89 for roadies) has a "hollow pin" design that drops it to 280g. I don't know, but I've always gone by the thought of dropping weight usually means dropping some amount of strength...is it worth 20g? And I didn't see a price, but I'll guarantee that's probably going to be well over $40, right?
Just curious about other people's thoughts on chains and how much $ you'll put into them.

 

[sub6]

I run SRAM PC-48s on just about all my bikes, they're $9 mail-order and I've never broken one.

 

[oldfart]

Fancier chains are only lighter if they are drilled or have hollow pins and the weight savings isn't great anyway. If you are hard on chains and have broken them often, the better chains are held together more strongly. Better rivetting. I rarely break chains and I find the PC59 works as well as the PC99. Keepint the drivetrain clean and luber with a good lube like Pro-link will do a lot to extend the life of the chain and drivetrain.

 

[ohio]

Originally posted by KrusteeButt
The tech. at the shop said their close to being the same in strength, that it really comes down to weight...higher end chains are typically 20 to 30 grams lighter.

Your shop tech is on crack and old fart is right. The 99 uses a much stronger and more expensive rivet stamping, which makes the chainmuch less likely to break if you're the type of person who shifts hard while mashing the cranks.

If you shift smoothly and thoughtfully, you'll be fine with the cheap chains. Both will wear the same.

 

[Westy]

Originally posted by ohio
Your shop tech is on crack and old fart is right. The 99 uses a much stronger and more expensive rivet stamping, which makes the chainmuch less likely to break if you're the type of person who shifts hard while mashing the cranks.

If you shift smoothly and thoughtfully, you'll be fine with the cheap chains. Both will wear the same.

Yep the PC99 uses a double or cross rivet stamping where as the PC69 only has a single rivet stamping. The difference is obvious if you compare the two side by side.

If you ride in muddy/sandy conditions where you wear out chains quicky go for the cheap ones. If you only replace your chain once or twice a year get the PC99, it will be more reliable.

 

[bomberz1qr20]

BTW nickel plated chains and cassettes resist wear a bit longer.

Ex: XT cassettes.



I use a 1/8" bmx street chain. I oil it once a month. Maybe.

Go single speed, or lie down in a sissy's grave.

 

[KrusteeButt]

Originally posted by Westy
Yep the PC99 uses a double or cross rivet stamping where as the PC69 only has a single rivet stamping. The difference is obvious if you compare the two side by side.

What does that mean? I'm just curious how one riveting type is better than another and/or how it affects the strength/reliability of a chain.

 

[KrusteeButt]

Originally posted by ohio
Your shop tech is on crack ...

hmmmmm...come to think of it, his lips were all dry with gooey saliva at the sides, and everyone kept calling him Pookie....could it be?....

 

[SwisSlesS]

I've never thought it was worth it to buy an expensive chain...or cassette for that matter. As long as you take care of them, cheaper ones will work just fine.

 

[ohio]

Originally posted by KrusteeButt
What does that mean? I'm just curious how one riveting type is better than another and/or how it affects the strength/reliability of a chain.

When a chain "breaks", it's not like a link actually snaps in half... it's that the link slides off the end of the pin. When they rivet a good chain, they "mushroom" or stamp the end of the pin to prevent this from happening. The better the mushrooming the less likey a chain is to fail. The Sachs chains use progessively better and more expensive stamping methods on their chains...

So if you break a lot of chains, it's worth spending more. But if you're chains wear out or "stretch" (they don't actually stretch, but that's a seperate discussion) before they break, thanexpensive chains are a waste of your time.

 

[ohio]

Originally posted by KrusteeButt
hmmmmm...come to think of it, his lips were all dry with gooey saliva at the sides, and everyone kept calling him Pookie....could it be?....

:vomit:

you sicko.

 

[Westy]

Originally posted by KrusteeButt
What does that mean? I'm just curious how one riveting type is better than another and/or how it affects the strength/reliability of a chain.

The cross riveting provides twice as much rivet overlap on the links. This makes it harder for the link to pull out of the pin, which is how most chains break.

 

[KrusteeButt]

Ok...now, for the chains that use PowerLinks this may not apply...but for Shimano chains, is there a specific link that's used when connecting? Just curious really. I'm just thinking about the fact that you usually need to shorten a chain by some number of lengths, depending on the bike you have, right? So aren't you "breaking" a link when you do that? Again, I'm using SRAM chains, so this is a moot question really...just for education's sake now.

 

[oldfart]

Shimano have special pins for reconnecting the chain. They're double the length of normal pins. Once installed you snap off the excess and never remove that pin again. But I've heard of people using Connex or SRAM removable links on Shimano chains too.