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Submitted by
Mark Munro
a Cross Country Rider
from Bozeman, MT, USADate Reviewed: June 17, 2000
Strengths: Extreamly durable, cleanable, and EASY to use, not counting the recalled ones of course.Weaknesses: SRAMS stupid idea to mess with them and cause a recall before getting there act together.Bottom Line: I believe that most products last and work well if maintained and installed correctly. I have had excellent success with sachs/srams chains. I like the pc61 the best, had to settle for a pc51 this time though because I am poor right now. I recommend this chain to all riders who use their equipment correctly(clean, and damnit, shift enough, do not ride arround in one gear all the time, or in your BIG ring!!!).
Favorite Trail: Dry creek, ID
Duration Product Used: 1 Year
Similar Products Used: Shimano of all types, sachs pc 51
Bike Setup: DBR WCF XT drive train
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Derek Hughes
a Cross Country Rider
from Mississauga, OntarioDate Reviewed: June 6, 2000
Strengths: Power LinkWeaknesses: Weak sideplatesBottom Line: I have had very inconsistent results with Sachs chains. I started with PC51s three years ago, and they were great! I switched to the PC61, and my first chain broke three times in 300 Km by cracking where the pin is pushed through the sideplate... I got no comment from Sram, but my dealer replaced the chain. I think others must be having the same problem...
Favorite Trail: Mansfield
Duration Product Used: 2 Years
Similar Products Used: Shimano IG50, PC51
Bike Setup: KHS Alite 4000, LX/XT
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Alex
a Cross-Country Rider
from HawaiiDate Reviewed: December 11, 1999
Strengths:
Strong
Cheap
Very easy to removeWeaknesses:
? none i guess!Bottom Line: This is a very good chain, I can reccomend it wholeheartedly. It is fully compatible with 8 speed Shimano drivetrains. Of course the most important feature of any chain is how strong it is...at 170 lbs I have had no trouble it. Second feature of this particular chain, which not all chains (ie Shimano) have, is that you can remove it without a chain breaker tool. It has a special link that allows it to be removed by hand. At first it will seem impossible, but believe me, it is possible, you just have to learn the trick to it. After that it will be very easy and fast to remove. It makes trailside repairs much, much easier. And don't worry about this link allowing the chain to come apart while riding, its not going to happen.
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Similar Products Used:
Shimano IG90
Bike Setup:
Jamis Hardtail
Full XT drivetrain w/ -LX rear deraileur; & XT w/ XTR rear deraileur & casette
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Nick
a Cross-Country Rider
from SeattleDate Reviewed: November 15, 1999
Strengths:
Easy to remove and clean and lube properly.Weaknesses:
None.Bottom Line: Easy to clean. The wet muddy riding here trashes your lube job every ride. With the power link I get an easy solution, I just keep two chains and swap them back and forth. Cleaning was never this simple b4. Just some Simple Green in the sink and I'm spiffy clean and shifting like new. I have never broken one yet. Just watch you shifting.... No Big ring to Granny Combos!Ride On!
Favorite Trail:
Skookum Flats
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Similar Products Used:
Shimano
Bike Setup:
Klein Mantra. Shimano.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Milan Hojdar
a Cross-Country Rider
from PrahaDate Reviewed: October 11, 1999
Strengths:
Power chain linkWeaknesses:
weak and soft materialBottom Line: After reading some reviews from MTBR I bought PC61 chain. Now after 3 months I have realized Sachs chain shifts worse than Shimano. It is also much less durable. For the Shimano cassettes are Shimano chains better!
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Similar Products Used:
Shimano, KMC
Bike Setup:
KHS Team, Marzzochi, Shimano LX/XT
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
rick chittick
a Racer
from littleton, coDate Reviewed: September 25, 1999
Strengths:
good solid shifting performance w/o wasting $30 on the pc91Weaknesses:
the power link. don't use it on the install, simply carry it with you to make emergency chain repair simpler.also, good luck finding it for the $15 listed above. it's usually more like $25.Bottom Line: this is the best chain available for the serious rider. it's not mega-pricey like the pc91, and it will get the job done. for those of you in serious training, you should be replacing the chain nearly once a month, and this is the ticket.
Favorite Trail:
the lynn trail, harrisonburg, va
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Similar Products Used:
shimano (what a pain in the ass)
Bike Setup:
xt drivetrain
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Miles
a Racer
from VADate Reviewed: September 19, 1999
Strengths:
The powerlink is very convenient for those of us who are anal about cleaning our chain.Weaknesses:
Two of the links were about to break when I took it off one time, after only two months of use.Bottom Line: I replace my chains whenever they show the least signs of wear, and this chain had only been on for two months when I noticed the not one, but two links about to break. Completely unacceptable- had I not happened to see them, I know they would have broken at my next race and I would have been SOL (fortunately I still had my last PC-61 which was not too far worn). These chains have sketchy QC since SRAM took over. A lot of empty promises from SRAM have only served to further piss me off at them, and I wouldn't buy their chains any more but I'm addicted to powerlink! Aside from disintegrating for no apparent reason, the chains are pretty durable and shift alright, but what good is that if they're lying on the ground because of a broken link? BTW, these were not the powerlinks that were breaking, but two ordinary links of the chain.
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Similar Products Used:
Sachs M-55 (awesome)
Sachs PC-91 (same problem of links breaking)
Bike Setup:
Cannondale CAAD 4 w/ XT/XTR drivetrain
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Mike
a Weekend Warrior
from Trenton, Ontario, CANADADate Reviewed: August 8, 1999
Strengths:
Very Tough Chains!!! Durability will amaze you!!!!Weaknesses:
None!!Bottom Line: Had some problems with these chains but after contacting Sachs they replaced three chains I had due to a recall on them, since I had the new chains I have only used one and it is still just like new. I weigh 240 lbs and am hard on stuff and never broke one of thess guys!! My 130 pound buddy snaps Shimano like Spaghetti!!! Stay away from Shimano Chains!! Go with Sachs you wont get any better!!!
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Similar Products Used:
Shitmano HG 92
(Garbage!!!!!!!!!)
Bike Setup:
Specialized FSR Extreme
Manitou X-Vert
Stratos Helix Pro
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
ben florie
a Cross-Country Rider
from reisterstown, marylandDate Reviewed: July 17, 1999
Strengths:
powerlinkWeaknesses:
it ain't cheapBottom Line: i've had two pc-61 chains, and they've both lasted about a year each. i never lubed the first one, save for some wd-40 (crappy). they've both broken at bad times, but all the chains i've ever used have done that. i've used shimano chains, and they wear out in about 3 months. at least my last on broke while i was practicing before a race. 4 stars cuz i don't have $25 to blow all the time
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Similar Products Used:
everything
Bike Setup:
real rings, LX cassette, ESP 9.0
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Nick
a Racer
from Calgary, CanadaDate Reviewed: June 22, 1999
Strengths:
PowerlinkWeaknesses:
PowerlinkBottom Line: This chain was great for over a thousand km but 4 hours into a 5 1/2 hour ride it snapped on me on the final major climb followed by a descent. I'm not sure if I even shifted but I went over a log then *boom* the powerlink exploded. Luckily I got it fixed and survived the wicked descent and the 10 km ride home once I got dropped off. I love the ultilitarinism of the Powerlink. It's much better than dealing with rivets whenever you want to clean your chain. But I think from now on I'm gonna carry a spare Master Link and kevlar spoke along with the good old multitool, pump and patches. If the powerlink never exploded 5 stars. Since it did and I'm still bitter 3 cus I'm generous. I feel like giving it 2.
Favorite Trail:
Powder face
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Similar Products Used:
Shimano and Sachs 51(speced on bike originally)
Bike Setup:
98 1/2 Cannondale F3000 blah blah Coda chainrings HG 8 speed cogs XTR derailleurs
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Seano
a Cross-Country Rider
from Watertown, MADate Reviewed: April 19, 1999
Bottom Line: Sachs chains suck! Actually, all chains suck since they eventually break at the worst possible time as mine just did. This chain did run much better than the previous chain I had which was a really bad wearing Shimano that was completely stretched and useless after 9 months. The Sachs chain did break in the middle of the woods and piss me off, but it has lasted more than 1200 miles and it is still usable after the repair. The only thing that worries me is that the metal actually broke in half instead of just separating. So, not a bad chain, not an indestructible chain so 3 stars.
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
dex
a racer
from AustraliaDate Reviewed: February 4, 1999
Bottom Line:
Installed a PC-61 after years of Shimano and Wipperman chains. The power link is just great. Wippermann also has a powerlink. The PC-61 has shifted the best of any chain so far followed by Wipperman then Shimano. Haven't heard of any breakages down here. Excellent chain though expensive down here AUS $45.00.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
fluffy
a cross-country rider
from birmingham, englandDate Reviewed: December 2, 1998
Bottom Line:
Don't buy one. The powerlink, masterlink, whatever you want to call it is bollocks.I did britains first 24hr race on mine. The powerlink just gave up and exploded into the night sky. Arse. Why Sachs think its necessary to have this link I don't know. Anyone who wants to take a chain apart should have the tools, anyone without the tools probably wouldn't want to have to install, maintain or take off their chain anyway.Don't buy one.I do however like Sachs chains very much indeed. They're heaps better than Mr big S's. I've got a PC91, with the cut away plates. It's cool. Shifts like a dream, looks good and it makes you feel better by saving you a few grams.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Daniel M.
a cross-country rider
from NYCDate Reviewed: December 1, 1998
Bottom Line:
Very disappointed. After about 200miles with a new cassette (IG50) and relatively unworn chainrings (96XT), the thing broke. What's weird is that one of the outer link plates cracked where the pin inserted. I've never seen a chain fail this way. There was no external trauma to this area (I did not bash the chain on a rock or anything). The thing just failed-smack dab in the middle of midtown traffic-sketchy to say the least. After getting it back together, I'm riding like an old lady to the shop-don't want to break the delicate piece of crap. I paid $25 for it. I've used shimano IG90's until this-overall they work pretty well for me. The last one did-however-peel apart like a banana. As an added bonus, this bogus sachs chain prematurely wore out my cogs. What a waste. One plus-the masterlink is kickass.Negative chillies for almost getting me killed.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Karkus
a weekend warrior
from Boulder, CODate Reviewed: November 18, 1998
Bottom Line:
I have ridden my Sachs PC-61 for about 7 months now with no problems. The assembly and disassembly is easy (once you figure out that you have to squeeze the plates together), and it has not broken like other Shimano chains. I would recommend against paying more for the PC-91 chain. They claim weight savings, but the PC-91 is only about 6 grams lighter (yes, I weighed them) for chains of equal length. That's about $2 per gram saved, and not even a weight freak like me is willing to pay that much.
Five chilles for the PC-61, minus one for the PC-91 weight scam = four
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