Sutherland's offers a free download of the chapter on chains from their latest version 7 manual. It's in a .PDF format, scroll down to "Preview it now":
http://www.sutherlandsbicycle.com/
I ran into a strange problem with SRAM PC48 and PC58 chains with several old Shimano "bent tooth" Uniglide freewheels. On a slow hard shift to a larger sprocket I've had several links get bent into the shape of the twisted teeth!
The result was chain skipping. It took some time to figure out the problem. The side plates seemed to be pretty thin on those chains.
The solution in one case was to switch to an old Sedis Sport chain and in the other I just changed to a Suntour freewheel.
Other than that I've had great success with the SRAM chains, both the older version and the new ones.
Chas. Colerich
Oakland, CA USA
> After reading some of the replies to this post, I thought I'd add the
> following:
>
> 1) Re-using most modern chain's pushed-out pins is only ok if you're
> willing to accept a 60-80% reduction of the pin's riveting strength
> (they break almost immediately on mountain bikes). SunRace narrow chains
> don't use special pins or links, so I assume they're peened very
> differently and/or different material or fit (large crescents or rings
> of metal fall off the head of popular modern chain's pins when they're
> pushed out).
>
> 2) I use a very diluted chain lube that works for a couple of hundred
> miles on a Shimano chain, but starts squeeking inside of 20 miles when
> used on SRAM PC40 and PC58 chains. Do the math. I think it's a
> metallurgy issue, but most all modern chains do seem to wear very well
> with scant lubrication, owing to more extensive off-road
> testing/research for the MTB market.
>
> 3) Shimano, KMC, Sunrace and newest SRAM chains have bulged outer plates
> which improve shifting, and can make a quite large difference on older
> chainrings, allowing "tighter" adjustment of hi-limit screw and thus
> allowing subsequent trim-free rear shifting up to the "big-big" sprocket
> combination with no rubbing on many/most older bikes. Highly
> recommended. A well-tuned, older bike may immediately require
> readjustments any time a different chain is installed.
>
> 4) SRAM links only work on Shimano 9-(and perhaps 10) speed chains.
> SRAM-8 links won't fit a Shimano 8-speed chain, but KMC's and TaYa's do
> (and are re-usable if you reshape it to restore tension in the outer
> plate).
>
> 5) 9-speed chains are THE hot ticket for Suntour's freewheels,
> especially Ultra-6 and 7-speed versions. They also work great on ANY
> Shimano Uniglide freewheel/cassette. They tend to allow too much
> "slippage" during shifting if used on French or Italian standard-spaced
> freewheels.
>
> 6) I've never come across a defective Shimano, SRAM or Campag chain, but
> a friend bought a $10 chain at Wallmart with seemingly all 114 links on
> the tight side.
>
> David Snyder
> Auburn, CA usa