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Shimano IG-31 Chain

MSRP $ 9.00
# of Reviews 14
Average Rating 2.71/5
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Submitted by H3LlIoN a Cross Country Rider from Anytown, VA, USA
Date Reviewed: July 30, 2008
Duration Product Used:Less than 1 month
Purchased At:Came with bike
Strengths:Not many.
Weaknesses:This chain came stock on my bike, and lasted less than a month before I snapped it and upgraded, and all I was doing was cruising around town.
Similar Products Used:Shimano HG-40 (What I got after the IG-31)
Bike Setup:Stock 2004 Specialized Hardrock Comp
Bottom Line:Piece of junk. Maybe use it for a wallet chain when it breaks? All in all, this chain should probably only be purchased by those looking to increase their blood pressure and stress levels, or if you really need practice at roadside chain repair.
Value Rating:1Overall Rating:1

Submitted by John a Weekend Warrior from Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Date Reviewed: February 12, 2007
Duration Product Used:More than 3 years
Purchased At:Stock on my 1996 GT Ricochet
Strengths:Strong with mininal stretch for years.
Weaknesses:None.
Similar Products Used:Whatever came stock on my 1994 Raleigh Matterhorn.
Bike Setup:1996 GT Ricochet.
Bottom Line:This chain came stock on my 1996 GT Ricochet that I got on October 15,1996.(1 week after my birthday as it was my birthday present to me) during D'Ornellas Bike Shop winter sale from October - February. I put well over 10,000kms on this chain till I replaced it in 2000 as it had started to stretch. I used this bike 99% of the time for city street, sidewalk & waterfront bike path riding. The 100km+ distance I put on this chain while off-roading was either in a city park in the woods area when asphalt & cement riding had gotten to me. Also I used this bike for the last few bike races of the 1999 Chico Racing - Wednesday night racing series up at Dagmar, ON, Canada (mtb resort).
In 2000 I replaced the chain with a Shimano IG-72. This chain has a few 1,000kms on it as on July 02,2001. I returned from a 2 week holiday in West Central Florida to Earl's Cycle (closed 2003) to pick up my brand new 2001 Trek Fuel 90 Disk.
Bottom Line: A Shimano chain that came stock on my bike and lasted for 1,000's & 1,000's of kilometers.
Value Rating:5Overall Rating:5

Submitted by Spencer a Cross Country Rider from San luis Obispo CA
Date Reviewed: November 19, 2006
Duration Product Used:3 months
Purchased At:stock
Strengths:its a chain
Weaknesses:its not a good chain
Similar Products Used:never really had to pay attention to chains before
Bike Setup:Diamondback SL Super, Skareb platinum fork, juicy 7 brakes, xo shifters, azonic bars, and RF seatpost
Bottom Line:I'm sure this thing is fine for the casual rider, which is probably who this chain was made for, But do not trust it if you do any real riding. I broke this thing three times the 3rd month I had it before I decided just to give it up, That was 3 times my day was ruined because of a chain. I'm just glad I didn't get in any serious crashes because of this thing, it always broke on pavement on the way to the trail weak pos.
Value Rating:3Overall Rating:1

Submitted by ed a Weekend Warrior from tacoma
Date Reviewed: August 2, 2006
Duration Product Used:Less than 1 month
Strengths:strengths? What strengths?
Weaknesses:This chain is a piece of crap!Do not waste your time or money on it. This chain broke on me the 6th time i used it.
Bottom Line:Dont waste your time!!!
Value Rating:1Overall Rating:1

Submitted by Chris MacLean a Weekend Warrior from Quebec City, Canada
Date Reviewed: September 6, 2005
Favorite Trail:Mont St-Anne
Duration Product Used:2 Years
Price Paid: $10.00
Purchased At:Mathieu Bicycle
Strengths:-Last 2 years
-cheap
Weaknesses:If it breaks, the chain damages everything
Cannot add new sections
Bike Setup:2004 haro x-1
Bottom Line:After a year or so be prepared to change it. I tried to add new sections to the chain, but I ended up scraping the rear cogs.
If you want to cheap out on this chain go ahead, but if you have money, don't buy this.
Value Rating:4Overall Rating:3

Submitted by Matt a from WI/IL
Date Reviewed: May 14, 2005
Favorite Trail:rocky singletrack
Duration Product Used:1 Year
Price Paid: $10.00
Strengths:Strong! Doesn't stretch at all. Doesn't corrode as much as you would think it would. Comes with greese repelling lube on it. Pretty finish.
Weaknesses:Heavy. The HG chains are lighter. Pearly finish wears off eventually.
Similar Products Used:Dura-Ace/XTR, Wipperman Nickel Plated, Campy Record Narrow
Bike Setup:Neptune frame, Dura-Ace singlespeed drivetrain, XT/SUN pro wheels, Thompson, Kore, Manitous SX-E (LOVE IT!!~!)
Bottom Line:Good chain nice and cheap.
Value Rating:4Overall Rating:3

Submitted by matt keating a Weekend Warrior from Coos Bay, OR
Date Reviewed: December 31, 2004
Duration Product Used:Less than 1 month
Price Paid: $10.00
Weaknesses:broken twice in one month
Similar Products Used:not sure
Bike Setup:2004 Hardrock Sport
Bottom Line:I know this a low end bike from specialized, but i still expected more.....
Value Rating:2Overall Rating:1

Submitted by Racer9 a Weekend Warrior from Royersford
Date Reviewed: May 28, 2004
Duration Product Used:6 months
Strengths:Hasn't broken
Weaknesses:On my 40 mile endurance ride it started making a creaking and I was just hoping to make it to the car. It skips like crazy when I shift up.
Similar Products Used:Wal-Mart chains
Bike Setup:2004 Hardrock Sport (Stock)
Bottom Line:I saw this same chain at Wal-Mart and mine came on a $330 bike. Hasn't broken. I don't expect it to last long
Value Rating:4Overall Rating:2

Submitted by Jake Andrew a Weekend Warrior from freddy beach canada
Date Reviewed: May 11, 2004
Favorite Trail:any northshores, jumps drops...
Duration Product Used:Less than 1 month
Price Paid: $10.00
Purchased At:with bike
Strengths:well, i find it goes through the cog pretty well, from shimano i would expect much more... though its only a cheaper chain..i would say its worth around 10 bucks!
Weaknesses:kinda strethchy..
Similar Products Used:dont know?
Bike Setup:specialized p.2
Bottom Line:I have read some of the other reviews..and i dont agree at all. they made this chain sound like something i could dig up in my backyard, i dont see whats so wrong about it. its only a cheap chain. i find it going good so far
Value Rating:4Overall Rating:4

Submitted by Joe B. a Cross Country Rider from Cypress, CA
Date Reviewed: December 24, 2002
Duration Product Used:Less than 1 month
Strengths:Strength? What strength?
Weaknesses:Skips teeth, not much on strength for heavier riders.
Similar Products Used:SRAM PC-58
Bike Setup:DB Coil SS
Bottom Line:This chain came stock on my bike. I had only used it for a week before it broke on me. I was biking on the street, and was trying to accelerate after a stoplight. Not a very aggressive launch either. I'm not sure if my weight did it, but I don't believe I will ever buy a Shimano chain again.
Value Rating:3Overall Rating:2

Submitted by Reidling a Weekend Warrior from New York, NY, U.S.A.
Date Reviewed: October 24, 2002
Favorite Trail:Anything Fast
Duration Product Used:1 Year
Strengths:It's Cheap
Weaknesses:It's completely gone in just over a year. (this is partialy due to abuse)
Bike Setup:2001 Giant Warp DS* Similar in one way or a nother to all the Warp DS bikes.
Bottom Line:Don't buy it, but I guess it's okay if it comes on your bike like mine did. I only weigh about 125lbs. I guess with the bike and gear theres about 160lbs riding on it. how could this thing break under such a light load.
Value Rating:4Overall Rating:3

Submitted by Dave a from Surrey
Date Reviewed: August 18, 2002
Duration Product Used:2 Years
Strengths:well it worked for about 2 years
Weaknesses:is it too much to expect more than 2 years' service out of something as basic as a chain cos thats how long mine lasted while my friends have older chains and no probs so far...
Similar Products Used:Now got a Sachs PC-91 (avoiding shimano wherever poss now)
Bike Setup:2000 Kona NuNu with Z4s, arch rivals, V8s, FSA fully sealed heaset & a bunch of other stuff
Bottom Line:I cant believe this is the same chain as the other guys have reviewed - mine stretched so badly it was skipping in most gears with any kind of pressure on the pedals. I looked after it well cleaning it and the cassette after every serious ride and oiling it thouroughly. NOt impressed. Shimano seem (in my experience) to be going downhill. They only seem to put any effort into the higher end stuff. Thats why ive got a Sachs one now.

average value rating cos it came in the bike
poor overall rating cos i expect a chain to last longer than 2 years of fairly infrequent use
Value Rating:3Overall Rating:2

Submitted by Scott a from Utah
Date Reviewed: May 23, 2002
Duration Product Used:More than 3 years
Purchased At:Pedersons
Strengths:Strong, long lasting.
Weaknesses:none that I can think of exept it has begun to be a little streched... (Time for a new one I guess)
Similar Products Used:nothing but IG's
Bottom Line:Considering that I've had the chain so long and been so hard on it the little strechage in the chain is understandable. So I think Its a Good buy.
Value Rating:5Overall Rating:5

Submitted by Philip Rowland a from Ottawa
Date Reviewed: April 20, 2002
Duration Product Used:Less than 1 month
Price Paid: $1550.00
Purchased At:Full Cycle
Strengths:This is a sweet and strong chain for the money
Weaknesses:None
Bike Setup:2002 Kona Stuff with everyting changed
Bottom Line:This is a great chain its strong. So why wast 30$ on a chain that you will replace every year! So if your like me and dont like wasting money on things you will change every year go and buy a 9$ strong chain!
Value Rating:5Overall Rating:5






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