Fully nickel plated with radically shaped outer plates for smoother shifts and soundless performance. Compatible with all road and off road drive systems. 303g.
Submitted by
jrahm
a Cross Country Rider
from Sisters OR
Date Reviewed: November 9, 2008
Strengths: quick link
Weaknesses: price and performance
Bottom Line:
repeated development of sticking links, with a terrible ghost shifting problem. link loosening was not easy, set out on the next outing with the chain ok, then more sticking and worsening shifting. expensive but problematic item is now landfill. new sram 991 works perfectly, end of story. not sure how to account for this as i know people who love these things and ride them problem free for ages. personally, never again. I am 190#, is that it?
Submitted by
Tony
a Weekend Warrior
from Boulder, CO, USA
Date Reviewed: April 23, 2007
Bottom Line:
I love this chain. While it is true that it does not shift quite as smoothly as the Shimano, it shifts very well and is removable. The key thing about the 908 chain is that it is very strong and relatively stiff so it does not get bent or twisted under load... I've always prematurely twisted Shimano and SRAM chains, but never a Wipperman.
Submitted by
Rod
a Cross Country Rider
from Gainesville, FL, USA
Date Reviewed: March 22, 2006
Strengths: Quick link.Looks like quality.
Bottom Line:
This chain was better than the KMC X9( not so good ), but it did not shift smoothly at all, no matter how I adjusted the der etc I could not get it to shift well. It would ride the side of the cassette and drop with a clunk, load/no load. Took it off and installed HG 93, immediate improvement. The shimano chain likes the shimano cassette, and they lived happily ever after.
Weaknesses: Snaps, snaps & snaps, worn after only about 300kms of use. Expensive for the short time it lasted.
Bottom Line:
People raved about the connex and the quick link, so I decided to give it a go. After only about 300kms the chain snaps multiple times in one ride. Always in another place, the quick link is still holding strong. I clean my drive-train regularly, my cassette & chain ring are in good condition. I inspected the chain after that major failure and I could see that some of the links where very loose and most of the rest of the links where still very thight. Shouldn't every link have about the same amount of wear? A defect or just bad product? I have no idea. Shimano chains are cheaper an are lasting longer. I hope that the Wipperman 808 on my commuter is goin to last a bit longer.
Similar Products Used: Shimano for 15 years. Wippermann 808.
Bike Setup: Kona Dawg
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Vance Payne
a Racer
from Montreal qc. Canada
Date Reviewed: October 13, 2005
Strengths: Silent and shifts flawlessly, at first
Weaknesses: Well I have to tell you I was lured in by the hype of these chains, but after having my first one break on me four times in a month (after only two months I might add)I wasn`t very impressed. I thought it was just maybe fluke so I bought another one, this time in pimpin blue. I was forced to change my cassette (wich I found odd after such a short amount of milege). its been a month and 400km later, the blue is gone and the chain is starting to do funny things in normal conditions on the new cassette. I had also recomende it to clients were I work and one of them have come back after not even a months riding. Aren`t these suppoed to be bionic chains made to the highest german standards?
Bottom Line:
should have stuck with sram, the old sachs. They had never failed me in 14 yrs, Rode them until they skipped then replaced them and I usually go through two drive trains a year- DON`T BELEIVE THE HYPE!!
Similar Products Used: no other wipperman or connex product but switched to sachs when I was 18, and was still using them (I`m 32yrs now)
Bike Setup: specialized enduro Sram/race face gearing
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Eric
a Cross Country Rider
from Black Mountain, NC, USA
Date Reviewed: October 13, 2005
Strengths: good, solid chain. quick link is easy to use.
Weaknesses: quick link is easy to install incorrectly
Bottom Line:
I've had a connex stainless chain on my road bike for years and love it. I got the nickel version for my mtb and it drove me nuts for well over a month. it would always skip in the 11-t cog. I tried changing my chainline, putting on a different cassette, everything.
Finally, I saw that an earlier reviewer had the same experience, and that I just had the quick link on upside down. This wouldn't be too big of a deal except that I never found any instructions on their website to avoid this, and I never saw anything on which side goes up or down anywhere else... maybe if I read the instructions more thoroughly...
This is a good chain if it's installed correctly... just make SURE it's installed correctly or it will make your life hell.
Submitted by
Kahuna3
a Cross Country Rider
from Ottawa
Date Reviewed: September 12, 2005
Strengths: This Wipperman 908 is pretty well bomb proof. I've ridden Wippermans on my VT2 for 2 years and I've never had a proble, no stretching, no breaks. I'm over 200lbs and a hard driver, I put lots of strain on chains, I've broken Shimanos and SRAMS, but the Wipperman just hangs in there. I took a 10 day off-road trip to Switzerland and that chain hauled me all the way with no complaints. Last weekened I did a knarly, mud-packed, water filled, sandy 75 kilometer enduro with lots of vertical and that 908 performed! Just like I knew it would.
I also love the quick release link, I can get my chain off.on in a minute. Its great for keeping the chain clean - I take it off with the link, its a snap, clean it real good (varsol in a plastic peanut butter jar) oil it and snap it back on.
The Wipperman is also a good, consistent, reliable shifter.
I can't say enough about these chains, I love 'em. My buddy has popped a SRAM and a Shimano when riding with me this season. Last wee he said "I gotta get myself a Wipperman!"
Weaknesses: None - nada, nothing.
Bottom Line:
If you are a hard driver who is serious about a reliable drive train, Get one, you will love it. Give up on Shimano and SRAM chains.
Bike Setup: VT2, SRAM XO, Race Face, King/Mavic 819, Thomson, Crank Bros and WIPPERMAN!
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
K L
a Racer
from Bend, OR / Chicago, IL, USA
Date Reviewed: May 18, 2005
Strengths: Easy to clean, easy to install
Weaknesses: Stiff links. Shifting from small to big chainring requires very slow cadence compared to Shimano. Shifting performance comparable to Shimano. Colored chains let you pimp out your bike.
ALSO: VERY IMPORTANT: avoid mixing chain materials. The Wipperman 9x1 Stainless is extremely weak. Combining a 908 with a 9x1 will result in a broken chain as I've found out with two nearly new chains. The 9x1 Stainless is a total waste of money. Read for yourself. I'm not the only one.
This isn't a bad chain, but I've had a better overall experience with Shimano chains. The chain is very easy to clean, which can be a big plus for mtb'ers.
Bottom Line:
Not a bad chain, easy to clean, but Shimano will be more reliable in my opinion. Be sure to always carry a chain tool with Wippermans...
Bike Setup: Cervelo Soloist Full DA, Fisher Supercal 29er XT/XTR
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Elliott
a Cross Country Rider
from Apache Junction AZ
Date Reviewed: March 7, 2005
Strengths: tool free maintenance, strong, quick shifting, quiet (I use ATB brand lube out of Mesa AZ)
Weaknesses: none, so far... these chains don't seem to stretch, noticed a little daylight between the rollers and front gear teeth, so I measured the O.D.s with calipers and found that they were .005" smaller than those on the new 908 replacement. No missed shifts, just being on the safe side changing to a new one (1st new one since Oct.)
Bottom Line:
The only way to go is up...Next new chain will be a 9x1 for the stainless and harder rollers, but I really can't complain about the 908, as it has outlasted all the other chains listed above with riding in the sand and flooded washes 3 days a week consistently, 8 - 15 miles per day.
Similar Products Used: Sram 59,99 with allow pins and connex 9x1.
Bike Setup: Giant Escaper'92 with FSA chainrings and cassette XT
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
James
a Cross Country Rider
from Loveland,CO
Date Reviewed: February 10, 2005
Strengths: Connex link Light
Weaknesses: Broke too easily
Bottom Line:
This review is for the 9 speed hollow pin model. I've been a SRAM chain fan for years and decided to try the Wipperman on the shop's advice. The connex chain connector is the biggest plus. Much easier to install and remove when junked up compared with the SRAM powerlink, but one must be sure to install it correctly or it jumps on the cassette. shifting performance is no better or worse than other chains.
My big diasppointment is that this chain snapped under normal use on its 6th ride. I wasn't cross gearing or doing anything else unusual. I'm disappointed and will be going back to SRAM chains, but will keep the connex link.
Any chain can break, but because I haven't broken a SRAM since '01, I'm going to have to give this one a poor review.
Submitted by
Levi Bloom
a Racer
from Clearfield, PA, USA
Date Reviewed: July 30, 2004
Strengths: Price, Ease of use, Looks
Weaknesses: Durability
Bottom Line:
I got this chain last August since my old chain was definitely worn out. I installed it on a brand new XT cassette and Race Face rings. Everything seemed fine.
I only rode it for a month before I went to college, and that was mostly on the road. No mtb racing or even intense riding.
Then I did a week of road riding on it in December and a week in March. After a total of 6 weeks of riding it, maybe 250 miles, I noticed a few side plates were busted.
I just took those out and shortened the chain, not that big a deal.
But after another couple weeks of riding, I noticed that almost every plate was cracking around the pin!
The chain seemed like it would be great, but it had the worst durability of any chain I've seen. After this experience, I cannot recommend it to anyone.
I'm sticking to SRAM chains. Never had a problem with them.
Submitted by
Brown Teeth
a Cross Country Rider
from Morro Bay CA, USA
Date Reviewed: June 13, 2004
Strengths: Sexy out of the box, love the black rollers, but only lasts one ride. Compatible with all cassettes/rings and the connectx link easier to use than sram link but a bit larger.
Weaknesses: Average life span, nothing special, shifts like all other chains, if anything chain was more supple than sram 59/69. Lasts 800 miles in dusty dirty coastal riding conditions hauling my 210 lbs carcass and 30+ trail bike.
Bottom Line:
Good chain never had one break just wore out like any another other chain, occasionally can be found under 20$ and well worth it then. I did find after about half its life it was a bit more rough to shift, but hey everychain has that problem.
Similar Products Used: Shimano(old stuff) and sram PC59 (good deal at 14$) PC69 (not worth the extra 6$ for a shinny chain)
Bike Setup: Marin trail pro, fox on both ends, 04 XT hydros..
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Tony
a Cross Country Rider
from Boulder, CO
Date Reviewed: June 12, 2004
Strengths: Easy to install Strong Reliable Shifts well
Weaknesses: Master link has to be installed correctly or chain will hop on smallest cog
Bottom Line:
The 908 is strong and stiffer than SRAM chains. I am very hard on chains as I unwisely shift under power which has a tendancy to twist the links. The Wipperman is more resistant to being twisted than SRAM, but I've still managed to twist a link or two. They can be fixed by using 2 crescent wrenches to gently untwist the link(s). The Connex link is simpler to install than SRAM but you have to be careful to install it correctly or you'll end up with a click/hop when the master link passes over the 11 tooth cog. These seem to be a bit harder to find than SRAM or Shimano, but worth the search.
