Conference noted::bicycle

try, at the notes prompt,

Notes> DIR/TITLE=CHAIN

    I've got a SEDIS on my racing bike with almost 4000 miles. Never
    a problem never a stiff link. I take it off every 1000 miles and
    soak it in thinner and brush it. I oil it every 100 or so miles.
    
    Question: Anyone have any experience with hollow link chains????
    
    Chip

    Part of the Hyperglide system is the chain. From what I have read
    you should only use a Hyperglide chain as a replacement.  This could
    be just hype (not the hype in Hyperglide :-) ) to get you to buy their 
    chains.

    John  
    
    Who_has_not_been_out_on_the_bike_in_over_two_weeks_and_is_getting_lazy

After how many miles of riding (street) should one oil one's bicycle 
chain?

Phil

    Like .1 suggests, there are already a lot of notes on this subject.
    
    The consensus, and my experience agrees, is that the base model Shimano
    Uniglide chain is a piece of junk. For the same money you can buy a
    Sedis chain, which is a far superior product, and completely compatible
    with Shimano index shifting.
    
    As to chain oiling, do the minimum you can get away with. I'd only oil
    the chain when it gets squeaky. I prefer "dry" lubricants like LPS3,
    since this attracts far less muck.
    
    
    Rod

    re:.4.  I do something to mine every month or so, say 1200 to 1500
    miles, especially when I get caught in the rain 3 or 4 days in a row.
    I almost broke down and changed one last month but, heck, it was only
    dirty so I cleaned it, sprayed it with wd40.
    
    Returning from Montreal I spotted some young women cleaning their bikes
    and I stopped by and asked for a few squirts of lube.  Traded war
    stories for a minute and rode into the sunset.  (No, this has nothing to
    do with Bicycling Mag's survey.)
    
    ed

    Sedis sport makes 3 narrow chains (Black, silver & Gold) for road
    bikes. All 3 chains are the same except for there color and price. 
    Black is about $5.50 and Silver & Gold runs $10-12 at Nasbar. 
    Sedisport was the first to invent the Bushless chain and Shimano 
    UG copy it later on. The basic difference between the Sedis and UG is
    the Sedis has a budge inner plate and UG has a budge outer plate. As
    for the strenght of the chain, I have never had any problems with
    either type of chains yetand I have over 1000 miles on both types.   
    
    From Frank berto Book "Upgrading Your Bike". He indicated that a lot of
    the racing teams do not clean there chains anymore. Instead they buy 
    Gross stock of Sedis Black and put a new one on every race. The Shimano 
    SIS system was designed around the Sedis & UG chain. Therefore, your 
    105 should not have any problems.   
    
    If you do clean you chain I suggest you use the Vetta Chain cleaning
    fluid or something similar because it relube your chain at the same time 
    it is cleaning it. If you use a thinner to clean your chain, I would
    then using the spray type of lube get uder the bushings.
    
    Dave
    

Another vote for Sedis chains.... as for cleaning, I just hose 'em down 
til they drizzle with BreakFree or TriFlow. I have a Vetta chain 
cleaner, and it seems to work OK, but I rarely bother except for an 
exceeding grunged chain, pretty rare if you use BF or TF regularily. 
Though the Sedis chains are cheap, I'd feel bad about changing for each 
race; if you really felt the need to change that often, I'd change on a 
Sunday *after* the race, and ride the chain for a week in training to 
make sure it's OK.
                                    ken

>>    From Frank berto Book "Upgrading Your Bike". He indicated that a lot of
>>    the racing teams do not clean there chains anymore. Instead they buy 
>>    Gross stock of Sedis Black and put a new one on every race. 

I don't oil mine so it doesn't get dirty. Well almost don't oil it. What I do
is oil my chain and them wipe off all the oil. The oil gets into the rollers
where the rag can't reach. The chain doesn't attract the dirt, I don't get oil
on my leg and it seems to last longer than a "well oiled" chain. I used to do
the same with my dirt bike chains, with much success. Those chains cost 40-60
bucks and I'd go through three a year so anything to make them last longer I
tried. The price of bike chains make me laugh.

Tom

ps save the extra chain you get after you cut your chain to the right length.
You can use it to repair a *nasty* stiff link that you can't fix with the chain
tool.

    
    Another vote for Sedis.....
    I went through no less than 5 or six UG chains before I switched
    to Sedis. I could never take a Shimano UG apart without it having
    problems with tight links ( after putting it back together). I could
    never clean a Shimano UG without having problems with tight links
    (prompting a note from me in a previous topic where I suggested never
    cleaning the chain). After reading other notes in the file, I tried
    a Sedisport chain and it's GREAT. I have not thrown a chain, had
    tight links, or any other chain related problem. IMHO, Sedisport
    chains are cheaper/better chains. This opinion was formulated after 
    3000+ miles  on UG chains (5 chains, two bikes), and 1000+ miles
    on Sedis (two chains, same two bikes, changed from UG to Sedis on
    both bikes at the same time). 

    Okay, I'll ask again. Anyone have experiences/opinions on the hollow
    linked chains?
    
     Chip

    Ok, I'll bite, and risk my reputation as an effing know-it-all,
    What's a hollow link chain?
    
    ed

    A hollow link chain -- The pins are hollow to reduce weight. To allow a
    regular chain tool to be used there is one section of the chain that
    uses regular pins.

    Again, What are the names of some chains that are currently marketed
    and have hollow links?
    
    ed

    Regina makes them.  They're a new, expensive, and esoteric product, so
    I doubt anyone has useful experience with them yet.  

    A few years ago I saw Regina chains with drilled side plates. 
    I haven't seen them since so the weight savings must not have
    offset the lowered reliability, additional drag and added cost.
    
    What the model ID of the hollow link chain?
    
    ed

	I happen to have a catalog on my desk that has it listed. It is the
	Regina SL chain. (SL for solid link???) 

	The solid link pins are replaced with hollow bushings that reduces
	weight by 30% (70 gm). It claims that it works great an indexed 
	shifting. Narrow profile, black only, and installed with regular
	chain tool. List price is $17.95.

	List price for other chains:

		sedisport - black	$ 6.50
			  - silver	$10.95
		shimano   - Dura ace	$29.95
			  - narrow UG	$13.95
	

	Paul

    I raced with the Regina SL (hollow bushing) chain all last season,
    with Suntour Superbe Pro (Friction shifting). The chain shifted
    beautifully, never skipped, and in fact worked better than the
    Sedisport that I used to use.
    
    My brother used the Regina SL chain all last season, and continues
    to use it this season. He has Shimano 600 index shifting, and has
    had no problems with the chain.
    
    I have since then bought a new bike with Dura Ace components (and
    D.A. chain). I was considering replacing the D.A. chain with the
    Regina SL - once the D.A. wears - but I don't know how it will work
    with the D.A. system.
    
    I have a friend who also swears by the Regina SL chain with his
    Campy Chorus (friction shifting) deurailler; he's raced 2 seasons
    with it.
    
    Mark
    

    Well, Sedisport works great with Dura Ace.  Maybe Regina SL will work
    even better, as it did with the Suntour Superbe stuff (but maybe not,
    which is why I encourage you to try it first! :~).
    
    MATT