I tried Shimano Uniglide chains in the early 1980s and found them to be noisy. This was also the word on the street back then... maybe shifted slightly better but noisy. I like Sedis and Regina much better back then. Just sayin'. . .
Chuck Schmidt South Pasadena, CA USA
On Sep 2, 2007, at 7:07 PM, David Snyder wrote:
> That's what I like to hear.
> No, not merely that your hi-performance bike's drivetrain is
> suddenly working better with the addition of a less esteemed
> brand's O.T. chain, but that you stayed up until after 2am getting
> a vintage bike working to acceptable standards.
> No, YOU the man!
>
> David Snyder
> having just finished riding my just-bought 1981 Bianchi Super in
> Auburn, CA, usa
>
>
>
> Bob Hansen wrote:
>
>
>> Good idea David,
>> I see exactly what you mean about the bulged side plates. That
>> does make
>> perfect sense as you describe the actual shifting and I can
>> almost visualize
>> the alternating wider openings of the bulged plates helping to
>> simply dropping
>> a hooked chain around the tooth...
>>
>> I have a couple of spare silver Sunrace chains, so before I had even
>> finished writing this e-mail, I have just tried one. Amazing. I
>> can immediately
>> see a dramatic improvement in shifting.
>>
>> You the Man David!
>>
>> Thanks Much!
>> Bob Hanson, Albuquerque, NM, USA
>>
>>
>>
>> David Snyder wrote:
>>
>> Bob,
>> Your PC-58 chain has straight-sided sideplates that don't really
>> reach out
>> far enough to go fully over the teeth under certain conditions.
>> I've also
>> had this problem with the previous Sedisport chains on Maillard
>> Helicomatic
>> cogs. Very annoying, this unwanted, sudden freewheeling.
>>
>> Switch to a chain with bulged-out outer sideplates. Pioneered in
>> the modern
>> era by Shimano with their Uniglide chains, and available today in
>> their
>> HG-91 model.
>>
>> Others, including KMC, Sunrace, YBN (IRD) and SRAM (with their
>> latest
>> 851/951(?) models), have also adopted this design, but most super-
>> narrow (9
>> & 10sp) chains use flush pins and beveled, but not bulged-out
>> sideplates.
>>
>> The Shimano-style chains also grab vintage chainring teeth more
>> aggressively
>> for easier shifting up front. Shimano's current chains are also
>> definitely
>> among the very longest lasting.
>>
>> The Sunrace 8-speed chains come in a bit narrower than Shimano's
>> HG-91 and
>> are my current favorite for friction shifting because they are
>> less finicky
>> about precise shift lever position. These attach traditionally
>> with normal
>> press-fitted pins, are inexpensive, seem to be long-wearing and
>> have an
>> attractively polished finish.
>>
>> David Snyder
>> preferring Uniglide sprockets above all others in
>> Auburn, CA
>>
>>
>>
>> Bob Hanson wrote:
>>
>>> I've noticed recently that a new SRAM PC-58 chain tends to
>>> "Hang" - riding
>>> atop the cogs of an old Maillard compact 6-speed freewheel.
>>> These cogs
>>> featured the familiar symmetrical "notch-top" teeth designed to
>>> help lift
>>> up a
>>> chain. Maybe not too helpful a design, but they nevertheless
>>> had been
>>> produced
>>> for many years. So, I thought I had just suddenly begun
>>> shifting very
>>> sloppy.
>>>
>>> However, examining the chain and freewheel carefully, I noticed
>>> that the
>>> chain's outer plates are actually tapered considerably. This
>>> creates a
>>> clean
>>> knife-blade like fit into the teeth of the cogs. This was not
>>> an issue
>>> on the
>>> old Sedis chain which I replaced - which had side plates which
>>> were not
>>> beveled, and it is not an issue with old Regina Oro or Corsa
>>> chains which
>>> have
>>> just flat side plates.
>>>
>>> I love the Sram 8-speed chains which I now use on most bikes -
>>> even with
>>> 5-speed freewheels... but, definitely not with these cogs.
>>> So, can
>>> someone
>>> please recommend a good modern chain to use on this style of
>>> freewheel?