Go Back  Bike Forums > Bike Forums > Bicycle Mechanics
Reload this Page >

SRAM Mountain vs Road chains

Search
Notices
Bicycle Mechanics Broken bottom bracket? Tacoed wheel? If you're having problems with your bicycle, or just need help fixing a flat, drop in here for the latest on bicycle mechanics & bicycle maintenance.

SRAM Mountain vs Road chains

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 10-28-06, 08:55 AM
  #1  
IndyFab girl
Thread Starter
 
jp_nyc's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 154

Bikes: IF Crown Jewel, Giro track, Brompton M3

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
SRAM Mountain vs Road chains

I have a SRAM PC-99 chain, which is a mountain chain, I think. Before I install it on my road bike, can anyone tell me if there is any significant difference between that and a comparable road-specific chain?

Thanks.
jp_nyc is offline  
Old 10-28-06, 09:34 AM
  #2  
Senior Member
 
Retro Grouch's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: St Peters, Missouri
Posts: 30,225

Bikes: Catrike 559 I own some others but they don't get ridden very much.

Mentioned: 16 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1572 Post(s)
Liked 643 Times in 364 Posts
I use them interchangably.
Retro Grouch is offline  
Old 10-28-06, 09:54 AM
  #3  
Gone, but not forgotten
 
Sheldon Brown's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Newtonville, Massachusetts
Posts: 2,301

Bikes: See: https://sheldonbrown.org/bicycles

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 24 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 6 Times in 5 Posts
Originally Posted by jp_nyc
I have a SRAM PC-99 chain, which is a mountain chain, I think. Before I install it on my road bike, can anyone tell me if there is any significant difference between that and a comparable road-specific chain?
This is an imaginary distinction invented by marketeers. In reality, there is no such thing as a "road" or "mountain" chain, it's pure hype.

Sheldon "No Dif" Brown
Code:
+------------------------------------------+
|  So we'll go no more a roving            |
|      So late into the night,             |
|  Though the heart be still as loving,    |
|      And the moon be still as bright.    |
|                                          |
|  For the sword outwears its sheath,      |
|      And the soul wears out the breast,  |
|  And the heart must pause to breathe,    |
|      And Love itself have rest.          |
|                                          |
|  Though the night was made for loving,   |
|     And the day returns too soon,        |
|  Yet we'll go no more a roving           |
|     By the light of the moon.            |
|                       --Lord Byron       |
+------------------------------------------+
Sheldon Brown is offline  
Old 10-28-06, 10:11 AM
  #4  
IndyFab girl
Thread Starter
 
jp_nyc's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 154

Bikes: IF Crown Jewel, Giro track, Brompton M3

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Thanks. I thought mountain chains might be beefier, the way certain 1/8" BMX and track chains are supposedly stronger than 3/32" chains... But that's another debate.
jp_nyc is offline  
Old 10-28-06, 11:11 AM
  #5  
Gone, but not forgotten
 
Sheldon Brown's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Newtonville, Massachusetts
Posts: 2,301

Bikes: See: https://sheldonbrown.org/bicycles

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 24 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 6 Times in 5 Posts
Originally Posted by jp_nyc
Thanks. I thought mountain chains might be beefier, the way certain 1/8" BMX and track chains are supposedly stronger than 3/32" chains... But that's another debate.
Yes, that's what the marketeers want you to think, but it's false.

Sheldon "Don't Be Fooled" Brown
Code:
+------------------------------------------------------------------+
|  I do not wish to think, or speak, or write, with moderation...  |
|  I am in earnest -- I will not equivocate -- I will not excuse --| 
|  I will not retreat a single inch -- AND I WILL BE HEARD.        |
|                                        --William Lloyd Garrison  |
+------------------------------------------------------------------+
Sheldon Brown is offline  
Old 10-28-06, 07:00 PM
  #6  
Blue Light Special
 
kmart's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Bay Area, Sunny Cali
Posts: 1,467

Bikes: '05 Felt F55, Schwinn Prologue road bike, '86 Centurion DS Iron Man, Sette Flite AM MTB

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time in 1 Post
I wish roadbikereview.com and mtbr.com would post reviews of the same chain. Right now their reviews almost never overlap, so when I see a bad review of a chain on mtbr I can't compare it to a review by a roadie,so I don't know if it is because the chain is poor quality or because mountain bikers tend to abuse their chains more than the roadies...

I just went from a KMC-9000 9 speed on my roadie to a SRAM PC-951. Both chains have awful scores on mtbr, but the KMC has held up fine for me.
kmart is offline  
Old 10-29-06, 07:16 AM
  #7  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Posts: 33,656

Bikes: '96 Litespeed Catalyst, '05 Litespeed Firenze, '06 Litespeed Tuscany, '20 Surly Midnight Special, All are 3x10. It is hilly around here!

Mentioned: 39 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2026 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1,096 Times in 742 Posts
Originally Posted by Sheldon Brown
This is an imaginary distinction invented by marketeers. In reality, there is no such thing as a "road" or "mountain" chain, it's pure hype.

Sheldon "No Dif" Brown
Didn't the 8-speed Shimano HG (road) and IG (MTB) chains have slightly different plate configurations to better match their HG and IG cassettes which had slightly different cog designs? I know Shimano said the IG chains would work with everything but the HG chains should be limited to HG cassettes.
HillRider is offline  
Old 10-29-06, 09:59 AM
  #8  
Gone, but not forgotten
 
Sheldon Brown's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Newtonville, Massachusetts
Posts: 2,301

Bikes: See: https://sheldonbrown.org/bicycles

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 24 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 6 Times in 5 Posts
Originally Posted by HillRider
Didn't the 8-speed Shimano HG (road) and IG (MTB) chains have slightly different plate configurations to better match their HG and IG cassettes which had slightly different cog designs? I know Shimano said the IG chains would work with everything but the HG chains should be limited to HG cassettes.
The HG/IG business doesn't have anything to do specifically with "road"/"mountain" issues, though I think IG was only used in the so-called "mountain" stuff, while HG is used in both.

Since I don't recommend nor generally sell Shimano chains, this has never been an issue for me. The Sram chains I use and recommend work fine with either HG or IG sprockets.

Sheldon "More Marketing BS" Brown
Code:
+----------------------------------------------------+
|     A little inaccuracy sometimes saves tons of    |
|    explanation.  --H.H.Munro ("Saki")(1870-1916)   |
+----------------------------------------------------+
Sheldon Brown is offline  
Old 10-29-06, 10:11 AM
  #9  
so much for physics
 
humble_biker's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: over there
Posts: 562

Bikes: Scott CR1 team, Fuji track pro, NYCbike, Cannondale, Free Spirit, GT Edge

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
I just want to elaborate on what Sheldon is saying: If there were any actual difference between most road and mtn group chains, IE outer plate thickness, and roller/pin width, then the spacing of the two groups and shifter pull of each would be different. So almost none of it would be compatible. And now almost everything is. Any incompatibility issues I have encountered have almost been on Sram components where the pull ratio differs in a few shifters to cog sets...
humble_biker is offline  

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off



Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.