Recommend me a 9-spd chain

[Wendy]

Ages and ages ago I remember someone recommending a cheap set of chains (3x), perfect for that recumbent chain replacement.  Just found out I've finished off my current chain going by the Park tool, so I want to order a new one.

I'm looking for good and cheapish.

[Mr Larrington]

SRAM PC951 - three for thirty of the BRITONS' pounds from Chain Reaction.

[harrumph]

Personally, one prefers these nowadays.

Better joining link, and shinier

[PhilO]

SRAM PC951 - three for thirty of the BRITONS' pounds from Chain Reaction.

I know many people swear by SRAM chains, but I have only aver sworn at them. 

Every one I've ever bought has jumped, skipped, chainsucked, and finally snapped in the course of the first 20 miles...

[Von Broad]

SRAM PC951 - three for thirty of the BRITONS' pounds from Chain Reaction.

I know many people swear by SRAM chains, but I have only aver sworn at them. 

Every one I've ever bought has jumped, skipped, chainsucked, and finally snapped in the course of the first 20 miles...

Ah, timely subject for me. After my Sram 951 snapping three times on the Elenith on Saturday, and once last year on the Brian Chapman, it's time to question things a bit. Is it me or 'it'? It would be nice to think that I'm generating so much power that the chain just can't cope, but I fear otherwise is the case.  Reading the mtb review site last night [it's a grand life] it would appear that snapping is not an uncommon occurrence with these things, but also worth pondering is whether it's good practice to link the 951's together with a chain tool as opposed to a power link? Sram seem tom recommend the link but I've been splitting and joining them all over the place with a tool all the time, as I swap chains from different builds etc. I tend to loop all the chains with the tool and then just have the one power link for easy removal. Maybe this is where I've been going wrong - using a chain tool, and setting up too many weak spots in the chain.

If you want cheap then you may as well get these, as they look very similar to the 951 to me.

Also reading about the KMC X9, it appears that they're quite difficult to separate with a chain tool. So if you did manage to join two ends and drive the pin back it sounds like you've got a weak spot straight away.

Maybe power links are the way to from now on.

[Polar Bear]

Well, I'll throw my hat into the SRAM ring and cuss! at Shimano.   I have only ever broken Shimano chains and never broken an SRAM one.  My partner likewise.

I'm at a dilemna with the bent though.  I bought it secondhand but now I need to fettle and potentially replace the chain.   Do I want to join three lengths of chain together?   The power link is specifically designed for joining a single chain, and I believe SRAM say you can use two in a chain.   However, I'll need three in the chain for the bent.   

Doesn't anybody sell industrial lengths of bicycle chain any more?

[Wendy]

I've stuck to using three powerlinks in the bent chain after a join I did failed.  I don't think joining is nearly as reliable as using a link.

[harrumph]

I've had no problems with joined 9-speed KMC chains (using only one PowerLink, or whatever KMC call it). But splitting and joining 9-speed chains requires a tool that is up to the job. After struggling with lesser chain tools, I now use a Park CT-3. I think that it may make stronger joins by being better engineered, and therefore more precise, than most.

[Tiger]

I've stuck to using three powerlinks in the bent chain after a join I did failed.  I don't think joining is nearly as reliable as using a link.

My experience as well - I used to snap chains, now I use proper joining links and they don't break. I think this breakiong of chains is especially a recumbent thing as I never broke chains on my uprights but have had several breakages on recumbents. I think it is to do with so many joins, and also all the idlers and long runs and general slapping about.

[Mr Larrington]

I've only ever had one chain "breakage", wherein the sideplate came away from the rivet and attempted to pass the wrong side of the front derailleur cage, with hilarious consequences.  Whether this could be laid at the foot of me or SRAM, however, is unknown.