I never ever snapped a chain in what, 13 years of riding mostly on Sram, until they changed their factory and I’ve snapped three in two years – one on a road bike just the other day.

CaptJon – Member
Anyone got any robust evidence, or is that too much to ask?

consequences of using a sram mech……

sram are plasticy and the pivot points work loose.

it is good that there is competition for shimano but it is a shame that the quality from it’s main rival is echt scheisse.

I’ve always used and recommended SRAM chains until recently. Shimano seem to last longer these days. Oh and I broke a SRAM chain a few months ago, first broken chain in about 18 years…

Ran a Sram PC-971 chain just over a year now everday and not 1 problem. So good just bought the PC-991

Guess its just you

I’ve had 3 Sram mechs go wobbly at the pivot for me, and had the rings on a 990 cassette fall off. its shimano for me these days.

Shimano for me too.
SRAM caused me lots of heartache.

I’ve ripped the middle sprocket clean off a SRAM 9 speed cassette. Never happened before or since with cheaper or more expensive Shimano products.

Unless Shimano go out of business I won’t go back to SRAM.

Matt

It’s just you.

it’s not just you – i run xtr on my merlin and it’s always been fine – the xtr chain shifted perfectly everytime (when replaced with kmc it seemed more agrocultural and never really ‘bed in’)

I run XO on my Titus now – it for my money isn’t as good – sorry i want to love it, it looks lovley but it just does not feel as tight if you get what i mean? also the only chains i’ve snapped have been sram 3 hollowpin jobbies – two at the powerlink – over the bars going uphill twice!

I swapped XO for XTR and the difference is noticible. xtr shifts a lot more smoothly, and the dual release shifters are better. however this was brand new xtr over wobbly xo so the comparison is unsurprising.

Its not just you. I’m sitting here with a bust collar bone after an SRAM chain snapped. I won’t go over an old post but I won’t be buying SRAM again

Not had any issues with my Sram kit but if there’s been a few failures then Sram must be poo.

Although my mates XT rear mech leaped into his rear wheel whilst riding along a fire road in Morzine last year. So that must mean Shimano are poo too.

I suppose I’ll have to run hobby horse style from now on as it is clear that no one can make a drivetrain that doesn’t break.

Shimano everything without a very very good reason to change, that’s what I say. The SRAM rear mechs in the mid-price range a re just made of cheese – complete rubbish. I can see why people like the SRAM chain join link, but on the other hand I prefer a chain tool and in my experience a properly joined XT chain will last as well as anything else.

I run SRAM on a couple of bikes and have never had any of the problems described – mine are X9 and around 2-3 years old. I did break one chain recently, but to be fair it was in the snow we had so was pushing harder than usual. Change chains pretty regularly as they seem to stretch quickly.

Other bike came with Shimano so it has that on, but I seem to be adjusting the gears almost every week – the cable is so pernicketty (spelling?) and is forever moving out of adjustment, it’s a real PITA to be honest.

In sum – I would go for SRAM every time based on my experiences.

I’ve got an SRAM chain and it’s just been a faff. Snapping on the smoothest of climbs. My shimano ones in the past have been far more robust, and I’m going back to them very soon.

Individual anecdotes are pretty useless really though (including mine I guess, although I do see the wear and tear on thirty odd hire bikes every week) because it isn’t a big enough sample – I’d be more inclined to listen to the bike mechanics who actually get to see what breaks and what works. They all seem to favour Shimano.

I have found SRAM to wear very quickly. The chains are not what they were and I’ve not touched them for the last two years as the last few I got nearly shook themselves apart after only a few hours riding. The Mechs also develop play far quicker than Shimano. This may explain the breakages you have experienced.

Running Shimano on one bike, SRAM on the other. I prefer SRAM shifting – heavier, clunkier and the indexing doesn’t need touching year in, year out.

But (with the exception of XO) the mechs are really fragile (although I bust an XT shadow at the weekend).

What happens in my case – if I land a jump a little hamfistedly, the cage bounces forward and the chain momentarily unships from the bottom jockey wheel and catches on the bottom of the cage. If it then jams there, then as tension is applied (pedaling or suspension movement) the mech inverts, snaps and generally ends up in the back wheel. It’s taken a while to piece this together, but it seems to be the case judging by the damage to the bottom jockey wheels and the bottom of the mech cage, both of which sport large chain shaped gouges.

Oh and on road bikes nothing seems as smooth as my present Dura Ace chain and Dura Ace cranks – much smoother than my Campag. Then replaced the Dura Ace chain once it wore out with a KMC – not nearly as smooth. Also on a road bike the powerlink is less likely to be used so not so much reason to run not shimano.

Another mechanic here and I think SRAM blows goats. In my own personal experience, I’ve broken more SRAM mechs in a year or so than Shimano in around 20 years!

I always bought Sachs chains and switched to SRAM when they took them over. I lost all faith I had in SRAM chains when I snapped and bent my PC 991 chain for the seventh time on my Hummer in 5 months – it snapped first ride out as well. Not just rivets popping out but yhe link itself snapping.

I thought it was just me but riding with a mate last night, he managed all of 7km on a brand new SRAM chain before the links bent. Not just a little bend either but enough to catch on the chainrings and not want to go through the rear mech. Cue a bit of cursing and applied force with two Leatherman tools to get him riding again. I’m usually loathe to criticise bike bits failing. My Turner broke a few days ago after 5 years of loyal service. Absolutely no complaints there……..but when it comes to SRAM chains, they are in my experience utterly shi*e!

What is particularly annoying is that they used to be of discernably better quality than they are now.

Cheers

Sanny

ok so we have reached a conclusion

DONT BUY SRAM CHAINS AND REAR MECHS

Was a big fan of SRAM but my new chain lasted under a mile. It was definitely a clumsy change (road junction, new bike) but snapping the chain, not sure that was expected.

My SRAM top end cassete is gnarled beyond repair from normal use over a few months, shimano next I think

What a catalogue of disasters. I’ve got a Sram chain,cassette,X9 rear mech,front mech and X9,twist grip shifters. All have been fine.I rde a couple of times a week in all weathers,but I do keep it clean.
Never snapped a chain,shattered a cassette,or wrecked a mech,Shimano,or Sram. Must be lucky.
When I see the state of some of the bikes that come into our LBS,I’m surprised there aren’t more failures. I’d be embarrassed expecting somebody to work on such shitty bikes.

thought we usually run Connex… they seem pretty good to me, but here is the house collection:
– top bike, Sram hollow pin – re-placed every year no probs ever
– SS, KMC re-placed every 6-9 months-ish always good
– DH x2, full sus x2, HTs x2 all on Connex, re-placed every 6-9 month-ish
Excluding big crashes I have only seen sram in the wheel/spokes (inc. one today) and have only seen (as in next to) two snapped chains in the last year both sram, – prob see 2-3 snapped chains each raceday i will start investigating.
We do see too many chains/bikes with a lack of TLC, other than the poor old SS all our chains have basic clean every ride and prob full clean every one/two months, makes them last a lot longer and seems to keep them stronger

Sram chain… far better than Shimano

Shimano on everything else! Only ever snapped rear mech hanger at mountain mayhem… another than that never snapped chain etc!