Submitted by
Ivan
a Cross Country Rider
from Michigan/Vermont
Date Reviewed: 1/17/2005 6:51:36 AM
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| FavoriteTrail: |
Midland City Forest |
| Duration Product Used: |
6 months |
| Price Paid: |
$30 |
| Purchased At: |
pricepoint |
| Strengths: |
Great looks, stays clean somehow, smooth, and strong. |
| Weaknesses: |
Does take a while for the chain to break in, i.e. squeeks at first, it'll take a week or so to get the lube to penetrate properly. |
| Similar Products Tried: |
Shimano |
| Bike Setup: |
Leader frame, Black Elite, Avid 7", Mavic wheels, Fire XC, IRD chain & Cassette, shimano mixed drivetrain, and Truvativ cranks. |
| Bottom Line: |
Can't say the quality on my bike so far, still getting replacements for the new frame, odd demnsions. But, have had the chain on my old XC bike, Univega Alpina 600 turned Urban Assualt. If your'e worried about strength, then do not use the snap link, use the pins already in the chain. The snap link is what causes all the problems. I've never seen a chain stay this clean, after all I gave the bike to my brother with the new IRD, he hasn't taken the greatest car of it, and it's smooth and clean. Wonce the leader is finished with altercations to have proper sized parts fitted to it I'll be expecting the same qualtity in both their drive train components. |
Value Rating: 
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Submitted by
Brad W
a Cross Country Rider
from Columbus, oh USA
Date Reviewed: 9/29/2003 3:35:36 PM
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| Duration Product Used: |
6 months |
| Price Paid: |
$25 |
| Purchased At: |
Jenson USA |
| Strengths: |
Teflon=Smooth |
| Weaknesses: |
IRD CHAIN=PIECE OF CRAP THAT SNAPPED TWICE ON ME IN 2 WEEKS. |
| Similar Products Tried: |
The big S company. |
| Bike Setup: |
Rockhopper Pro, only stock component left is the frame. |
| Bottom Line: |
So when the guy at Jenson USA (Not blaming Jenson, they kick a$$) told me he could substitute the IRD cassette for the XT they were out of at the same price it seemed like a logical move to get a teflon chain. I hate logic, I failed it in college and should never use this tool for my decision making process again. I snapped the chain on a gradual incline the first time and though "Well this can happen, maybe I was in the wrong gear". But when I snapped it the second time on a paved bike path I thought "Wow that really hurts when you snap a chain and bach your knee into your headset", then I thought "Glad it wasn't my balls" But seriously this chain is a piece of junk and if they would have had this review on the website before I bought it well I might have my diginity back, because at the moment it snapped the second time I was passing this hottie running and when you snap a chain it really makes you look like an idiot. |
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Submitted by
Adam
a Cross Country Rider
from Lowell, MA USA
Date Reviewed: 9/11/2003 3:31:25 PM
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| FavoriteTrail: |
A-Line @ Whistler |
| Duration Product Used: |
3 months |
| Price Paid: |
$25 |
| Purchased At: |
Jenson |
| Strengths: |
It stays a bit cleaner when lubed w/ wax-based formula |
| Weaknesses: |
Weak strength of chai &, snaplink II |
| Similar Products Tried: |
SRAM PC99 |
| Bike Setup: |
Specialized SWorks Epic w/ Shimano XT/XTR 3x9 |
| Bottom Line: |
This chain snapped on me twice in the first 5 rides. Once was at the snaplink and it was rendered useless. I replaced it with a SRAM gold powerlink. The second time one of the links blew apart. This is unacceptable and I'm replacing the chain with a more durable model. It's back to PC99 for me, and I *really* wish I had a Speedhub on my XC bike:) |
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Submitted by
Dan
a Cross Country Rider
from Bakersfield
Date Reviewed: 5/29/2003 11:33:57 AM
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| FavoriteTrail: |
Cannell Meadow |
| Duration Product Used: |
Less than 1 month |
| Price Paid: |
$40 |
| Purchased At: |
LBS |
| Strengths: |
This is a review for the Black Lighting Chain. Absolutely None, with the exception the tin to carry small parts around. |
| Weaknesses: |
This product is GARBAGE, it skipped all day and did not matter what gear you were in. The chain did not come with a master link either and had to pin together. I emailed IRD and never got a response back from them. Why am I not surprised. I put my PC-99 chain on and not a problem what so ever, and put this piece on and it would skip along like a school girl.
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| Similar Products Tried: |
SRAM PC-49,59,89R and 99 |
| Bike Setup: |
Russ Denny hardtail,King hubs and headset,thomsom, Paul,raceface,XO, basically fully loaded |
| Bottom Line: |
Do not buy this chain, it is garbage. If IRD is reading this I hope you can fix the problem, even though I will never buy your product again(Not even the beautiful Scandium road bike).Go waste your money on a nice dinner and avoid the headache. |
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Submitted by
John Galante
a Cross Country Rider
from New Windsor, NY USA
Date Reviewed: 5/3/2003 6:32:12 PM
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| Duration Product Used: |
3 months |
| Price Paid: |
$25 |
| Purchased At: |
Jenson USA |
| Strengths: |
Easy to install with snap-link connector. Smooth running on larger cogs. Teflon mix with Black Lightning black finish is cool. |
| Weaknesses: |
Would not work on smallest cog on rear cassette (IRD Black Lightning) without skipping. NO adjustment would help. Replaced with OEM Shimano chain and that works(ed) fine |
| Similar Products Tried: |
HG-73 |
| Bike Setup: |
Jamis Dakar XC Comp - stock with Tru-vativ Team SL cranks, XT FD, IRD B.L. Cassette |
| Bottom Line: |
Thought this would be a good match with IRD cassette, and a nice upgrade frm HG-73 OEM. Just could not get it to work without skipping on smallest cog - especially in area of chain just after Snap-link. I messed with it, and XT RD many times before giving up and returning to original chain, which runs smooth with no problems. Will skip using this chain in the future - bought an HG-93 as back-up when OEM wears out. |
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Submitted by
Beats Daily
a Weekend Warrior
from Oshkosh Wisconsin
Date Reviewed: 10/15/2002 8:59:38 AM
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| FavoriteTrail: |
my backyard |
| Duration Product Used: |
2 Years |
| Price Paid: |
$15 |
| Purchased At: |
local bike shop |
| Strengths: |
this is the best chain on the markwt for beating your kids with. It'll leave a welt on them youngin so big that it'll make a whip look like a feather. I have tried other types of corporal punishment on my youngin, and so far this chain works the best. |
| Weaknesses: |
you have to grease it up a lottle ot make it leave a good mark. |
| Similar Products Tried: |
dominatrix whip (single, dual and triple tipped), cane, rifle. |
| Bike Setup: |
huh? bike? |
| Bottom Line: |
by far the best beatin tool on the market. If your into slave labor from your kids, this is the way to go. 2pac4ever. |
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Submitted by
Mikko
a Cross Country Rider
from Helsinki Finland
Date Reviewed: 3/28/2002 6:17:08 AM
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| FavoriteTrail: |
Any xc |
| Duration Product Used: |
6 months |
| Purchased At: |
ET-Sport |
| Strengths: |
-Sweet looking
-light
-stiff
-shifts great
-price
and it is not SHIMANO |
| Weaknesses: |
Snap LInk
|
| Similar Products Tried: |
Sram |
| Bike Setup: |
Trek STP400 (L) full custom. DT 240 hubs,Mavic 517,DT spoks,XTR,SRAM,IRD,Rockshox SID,USE,Flite,Roox,Bontrager,Titec,Maxxis,Continental,Avid component mix.Total weight 22 lbs |
| Bottom Line: |
It is GOOD !
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Submitted by
Ben
a Cross Country Rider
from Silver City, NM
Date Reviewed: 1/28/2002 6:14:47 PM
|
| FavoriteTrail: |
Signal Peak Course |
| Duration Product Used: |
6 months |
| Price Paid: |
$15 |
| Purchased At: |
Cambria |
| Strengths: |
Price, non shimano, company |
| Weaknesses: |
none |
| Similar Products Tried: |
shimano, sram, taya |
| Bike Setup: |
DaVinci FS, Icon, Ame', Dean, Avid, SRAM, Dia Compe, IRD, Delta, DT Hugi, DaVinci, IRD, DKG, Action Tec, Race Face, Cane Creek |
| Bottom Line: |
Great price. When I bought them the company was great for support and getting back to me on other questions I had about some of their products, but lately I can't find their web site. I've gone through 2 annd am working on the third. I bought the elite series. |
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