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Submitted by
Michel
a Weekend Warrior
from Canada
Date Reviewed: May 23, 2008 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Strengths: | It's light | | Weaknesses: | It fails | | Similar Products Used: | Shimano | | Bike Setup: | Rocky Mountain Element | | Bottom Line: | I bought this chain to shave off a few grams from my bike. On the third ride in the mountains it broke and I lost the pin... I had to walk home. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Rick
a Cross Country Rider
from Colorado Springs
Date Reviewed: February 26, 2008 | | Favorite Trail: | Palmer Park | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$50.00 | | Purchased At: | LBS | | Strengths: | It is a long lasting, good shifting, light weight chain! | | Weaknesses: | None found. | | Similar Products Used: | Shimano, Sedis (pre-Sram) | | Bike Setup: | Specialized Epic | | Bottom Line: | My chain predates the failed ones noted in reviews below. Currently, this chain is 1/16" out per 12." I usually change the chain when it is 1/8" out per 12." Typically, I wear out one chain per year, so this chain already has lasted twice as long. I use Rock and Roll lubricant, and a lube lasts me 16 hours--much longer than other chain-lube products (about 6 hours for me). | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Joel Mabry
a Cross Country Rider
from Austin, Tx
Date Reviewed: February 20, 2008 | | Favorite Trail: | Rocky Hill Ranch | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$40.00 | | Purchased At: | Online | | Strengths: | Light, quick link makes it easy to get on and off | | Weaknesses: | The chain broke with only 3 months of use. I'm only 160 lbs and spin rather than grind. I cleaned the chain regularly and it had less than 200 miles on it. I replaced my middle chainring and cassette at the same time so it was running on new teeth. | | Similar Products Used: | PC 991 | | Bike Setup: | Yeti ASR | | Bottom Line: | I'm going back to Shimano. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ian Yorston
a Cross Country Rider
from Bradford, On, Canada
Date Reviewed: August 5, 2007 | | Favorite Trail: | Copeland | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$50.00 | | Purchased At: | LBS | | Strengths: | Lightweight, shifts smoothly, quick link is king | | Weaknesses: | Expensive, quality control | | Similar Products Used: | Other Sram Chains and Shimano | | Bike Setup: | Classic Blur with XT Cassette, Race Face xc Crankets | | Bottom Line: | I have a mixed review....
The first hollow pin chain lasted just over one season, with no stretch. I was impressed because I had gone through 5 shimano chains the season before. The new sram chain however has broken 2 times in one month. My buddy also has one and it lasted 2 rides and also broke and that was on a comletely new drive train. I am wondering if there is a quality control prob at sram.
I am always on top of cleaning my drive train and ensuring everything is lubed so this is not a neglect case. I weigh 180 lbs and make sure i don't power shift. I have bought a third sram, if this breaks then i will not buy this product again. prob will look at KMC or Roholoff | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
FirsTracks
a Cross Country Rider
from Anchorage, AK
Date Reviewed: June 29, 2007 | | Favorite Trail: | Lama | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$29.00 | | Purchased At: | Colorado Cyclist | | Strengths: | Light, strong, easy to install or remove with power links, shifts great | | Weaknesses: | None | | Similar Products Used: | SRAM PC-99, PC-89R hollow pin, PC-991 hollow pin, Shimano DuraAce/XTR and Ultegra/XT, various older 5 and 6-spd chains | | Bike Setup: | Fisher Sugar 2 and Intense 5.5, both running SRAM X.0 rear deraillers and twist shifters, XT front deraillers and cogsets, Bontrager Race Lite and XT cranks, Bontrager Race Lite and and American Classic MTB wheels, etc | | Bottom Line: | I've run PC-99 hollow pin chains for several years now, and have been very pleased with them. I run them on both my mountain bikes, and run a similar PC-89R hollow pin chain on my road bike. All told, I have about 8000 miles (mostly mountain) on these chains, and have never broken or damaged a chain. I get about 1000 miles per chain, and change them out when they have stretched more than about 1/16" per 10" section. I ride mostly XC trails here in Alaska, but with plenty of rocks, roots, sharp climbs, etc which stress the drive train. I'm 6'3" and 190 lbs and ride fairly aggressively, but I'm not a hucker or freerider. I keep the chain fairly clean, usually wiping them down with a rag before relubing and avoiding deep-penetrating solvents, and then I lube regularly with a variety of products such as TriFlow, CrossCountry wet or dry lube, and my current preference, BoeShield T9. I try to avoid cross-chaining the gears and avoid forcing a front shift under load, but I frequently shift the rear under full load. The combo of this chain, a SRAM X.0 derailler and a Shimnao cassette shifts beautifully; I'm less happy with SRAM cassettes. The hollow pins don't save much weight and are a bit spendy, but they look cool and work fine. The PowerLinks are great for installing and removing the chain, and I always carry a couple in my bag for trailside repairs if needed, though I haven't needed them. Given other people's problems with breakage perhaps I've been lucky, but I certaintly don't baby these chains and they've been great for me. I plan to buy more. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Al
a Cross Country Rider
from New Zealand
Date Reviewed: May 4, 2007 | | Favorite Trail: | Wakamarina | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Strengths: | Light weight | | Weaknesses: | Chain snapped twice in 4 weeks since installing it new. On both occasions a pin had popped out. | | Bike Setup: | XTR front derailieur and chainrings, X0 rear derailieur, SRAM cassette. X0 shifters. | | Bottom Line: | Have changed to Shimano Durace. Would not recommend this chain to anyone. I am only a 140lb rider and have never snapped chains at this rate before. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
ALLEN
a Weekend Warrior
from FLORIDA
Date Reviewed: March 19, 2007 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$45.00 | | Purchased At: | Trailhead Bicycle Company | | Strengths: | Weight? SRAM product? | | Weaknesses: | Chain snapped after 4 miles of road riding. | | Similar Products Used: | SRAM PC-59 & various Shimano Chains | | Bottom Line: | At this point I would not recommend SRAM chain products. I LOVE there rear derailleurs, Rock Shox, Avid Juicy's, but their chains suck! I used this chain to replace a PC-59 chain that had very little wear. It snapped on the trail with a different drive train. I fixed the chain with a Powerlink. This snap after a one mile road ride at the Powerlink. I bought this new Hollowpin chain to replace it...it snapped! You decide! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Bill
a Cross Country Rider
from Encinitas
Date Reviewed: February 7, 2007 | | Favorite Trail: | Hurricane Rim | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$50.00 | | Purchased At: | Leucadia Cycles | | Strengths: | Great shifting in the flats, Lightweight, Chrome Hardened Pins, | | Weaknesses: | Chain snapped on first granny grinding uphill without a power shift - Expensive | | Similar Products Used: | Shimano hg, Dura Ace, Shimano XTR, Sram PC 971-951 | | Bottom Line: | Chain is weak and expensive | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jason
a Cross Country Rider
from Ventura County
Date Reviewed: November 16, 2006 | | Favorite Trail: | Sycamore Canyon | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$40.00 | | Purchased At: | online | | Strengths: | Strong, lightweight, power link kicks ass. | | Weaknesses: | read bottom line | | Similar Products Used: | Shimano, cheaper Sram chains. | | Bike Setup: | Trek 8500, Crossmax XL ceramic wheelset, Marzocchi Marathon S Forks, Easton EC70 Handlebar, Thomson Elite Seatpost, XT Crankset, XT front derailleur, XO rear, XO twist shifters, yeti lock ons easton ea50 stem, avid sd 7 SL brake levers, SD 7 brakes. | | Bottom Line: | I used this chain for almost a year. I meticulously maintain my bike and especially the chain. I guess I mashed the chain a little too hard during a shift. I gouged the inner link and it made an indentation which in turn seized that particular link. So needless to say the chain is shot. I now run a PC-991 chain and haven't ridden it hard yet but it does have a convex outer link which may enable smoother shifts. We'll see.
Bottom line is, I've ridden fairly crappy chains with no problems but was wanting to save weight with the PC99 and low and behold ended up scrappin it. Get the higher rated (according to MBA mag) and get the PC991. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
AC/BC
a Cross Country Rider
from Minneapolis, MN, USA
Date Reviewed: August 20, 2006 | | Favorite Trail: | Lebanon | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$40.00 | | Purchased At: | ebay | | Strengths: | Light weight, strong, shifts extremely well for its weight. | | Weaknesses: | None as of yet. | | Similar Products Used: | Shimano stuff | | Bike Setup: | trek 8500, FSA carbon ATB crankset, chris king HS, Shimano XTR cassette | | Bottom Line: | If you are looking to shave a little bit of weight off your drivetrain then this is the chain for you. Otherwise go with something cheaper. The shifting is on par with the best chains and is lighter then them. I've mashed on this chain and is has held up very well so far. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
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