Newer Slotted style Shimano chains - durability problems?

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GZA
Posts: 351
Joined: Wed Mar 01, 2006 1:49 pm
Location: Chilterns, England

by GZA

In the past year I've had a Dura Ace and an Ultegra chain break on me, both the newer generation slotted types. The DA one had radial cracks in the outer plate from the pin on several links when it failed (resulting in a bust r mech, hanger, rim and several spokes) and just yesterday its replacement Ultegra version completely lost one outer link plate (no other damage done).

I've used Shimano chains for well over 20 years and these are the first failures I've experienced - has anyone else suffered such failures?

bikedoc
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Joined: Thu Aug 16, 2007 3:16 pm

by bikedoc

how old where the chains? They had a problem a couple of years or so back with a bad batch that did that but since then they have been fine. Maybe they where old stock?

I will say that the newer chains are no way near as durable as the old 7800 though, never broken one but they wear out much quicker.

by Weenie


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Sjoerd
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Location: Les Pays Bas

by Sjoerd

I read in a Tour-magazine somewhere that Shimano chains and a certain type of degreaser do not like each other. The degreaser is supposedly too aggresive for the chain. I can't find the article though. Some Google-ing and I came up with this (http://cozybeehive.blogspot.com/2010/02 ... ilure.html). Might be interesting for you to read.

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HammerTime2
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by HammerTime2

http://cozybeehive.blogspot.com/2010/02 ... ilure.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; wrote:The only evidence of deterioration in a chain should be elongation due to steady wear. But that usually happens only after 1000-2000 hours of usage in well lubricated chains.
Either that's a very, very long lasting chain, a very, very slow rider, or a "typo" (meant miles?).

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GZA
Posts: 351
Joined: Wed Mar 01, 2006 1:49 pm
Location: Chilterns, England

by GZA

The 6700 chain was purchased Feb 2011 when the 7900 one failed, so there's a very good chance they were both manufactured in 2010.

Hoping the 7900 one I've just installed is a more recent vintage.

Thanks for the replies

by Weenie


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js
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Location: Canada

by js

The 6700 chain was the one with recognized problems and I think it might have even been recalled (though maybe not everywhere). It would fail due to radial cracking around the pins and resulting failure of the plate... we saw lots of those go in 2010.

Last year we were using the 6701 chain on most of our bikes and didn't have any issues with them at all. The chains ran very quiet and shifted well... durability seemed very good, but most bikes were sold before I'd expect them to be wearing significantly. Our staff bikes all held up for the season though, and that's going to be pushing 10,000k for some of us.

I don't know that there was the same issue with the 7900 chains, but I was sure to grab a 7901 chain for my own race bike last year, just in case. If you liked the chain, but just didn't appreciate the failures, you should be fine with one of the '01' version.

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