Clydesdales/Athenas (200+ lb / 91+ kg) - I need a new chain which one?

This will be my third chain. The first was whatever came on my Trek Pilot. The second was an SRAM. The SRAM shifted better than the original and lasted longer almost 4000 miles. I would trade shifting crispness for less mileage. I know that using a Shimano rear cassette helped crispness. What do you guys recommend?

chevy57

4000 miles is a long time for a chain. Is your cassette still in good shape? Go with whatever chain goes with your drive train. If Shimano, get an Ultegra chain.

Go with whatever chain goes with your drive train. If Shimano, get an Ultegra chain.

You don't have to match companies for drivetrain components. I've got a total Frankendrive on my bike and it shifts just fine.
- FSA crank/rings
- SRAM cassette and chain
- Shimano derailleurs and shifters (not the same group, either)

Pick a chain which is the correct width, (7/8/9/10spd) and it should work just fine. If you're partial to taking your chain off to clean it, then go with the SRAM chain for easy removal.

Shifting crispness is influenced by a number of things other than the chain so the ideal chain for your drive train is not necessarily going to yield better results than a run of the mill chain. Probably the most important factor is the derailleur cables and then the cassette, if these are not in good shape then a new chain is unlikely to help.
As far as chains go, over the years I have used various incarnations of SRAM, Shimano, Wipperman, and KMC on the fleet of bikes my son and I own and have noticed very little difference in the shifting performance based on the brand of chain. I now buy based on how prone they are to rusting as I am in a very wet climate and ride in all weather. The nickel plated models seem to be the best for this.

A chain is a chain is a chain; they're all pretty much the same. I buy SRAM because their reusable/replacable master link makes them easier to install and remove.

I've had the best luck, personally, with SRAM so far. I seem to be very good at killing Shimano chains after 1,000 miles, for whatever reason, but the SRAM has almost 2500 on it and is going strong.

5 minutes on any chain and I wouldn't know the difference. All my machines are finely tuned so the chain isn't a factor. I know guys with top-O-the line stuff but the bikes shifts like CARP!:D

But I would go with the SRAM only cause it comes with the ez link thingie. Makes it easy to work on the bike if removing the chain is a must.

Pretty much every chain manufacturer other than Shimano has some sort of quick link and you can use a SRAM Powerlink with a Shimano chain. I have heard this is not recommended by either SRAM or Shimano but no employee of either company is allowed to ride my bikes so why would I care.

Pretty much every chain manufacturer other than Shimano has some sort of quick link and you can use a SRAM Powerlink with a Shimano chain. I have heard this is not recommended by either SRAM or Shimano but no employee of either company is allowed to ride my bikes so why would I care.

+1.
I started using SRAM links on Shimano chains when I got fed up with the newer Superlinks wearing out so damned fast. I did this in spite of SRAM's nasty warnings not to use it with other brand chains. It works *great* and lasts a *lot* longer than Powerlinks.

After looking at some chains online, I'm a bit confused as to which one to buy.

My Trek 7.3FX has an 8 speed drive, and the chains I looked at on jensonusa for 6/7/8 speed drives have two different sizes. One is Width: 7.1 mm with 114 links, and the other is Width: 7.4 mm with 116 links. How do I know which one to get?

TX

I've had many fewer problems with SRAM chains over the years as well. I've killed the quick-link connectors on both Shimano and especially KVM chains, but never had a problem with SRAM. I get 3000-5000 miles out of them easy. I could go longer than that, but I'm really picky about how smoothly my bikes shift.

Ummm.....

Shimano do not have a quick-link connector, they use a break away pin. KVM is not a company I have ever heard of, I expect you mean KMC.

As for chain width, I think 7.1mm is a standard 7 - 8 speed chain width, the Shimano HG chains are 7.4mm but I have run a SRAM 7.1mm chain on a Shimano HG cassette with no problems. I think the inner width of the chains is very similar, the 7.1 or 7.4 is the outer width.

That explains why the shimano chain broke on me from a bike shop. It was probably some cheaper after-market product. As for the KMC??? Well...I never could spell, and am especially bad at it when flash-typing a quickie response while I'm supposed to be working every single moment at my desk. :o