Anyone used the Wipperman's ConneX stainless steel chains

[Me]

Hi, I'm thinking about buying a couple of the Wipperman's conneX chains for my road and mountain
bike but was wondering if anyone has used them.

I'm mainly interested in them because the stainless steel should keep looking good for a while, but
I was wondering if they are noticibley shinier for longer?

What about shifting? Any probs or advantages over a SRAM PC99 chain?

As you can tell I'm mainly a trail pimp, but I do like to ride everynow and then!

cheers,

 

[Derk Drukker]

On Wed, 19 Mar 2003 12:44:33 +0100, Me wrote:

> Hi, I'm thinking about buying a couple of the Wipperman's conneX chains for my road and mountain
> bike but was wondering if anyone has used them.
They drove me mad, because after 500km's they all started making a rattling sound. I heard from
another well know German firm that the Connex chains all have this problem. I don't know if this is
true, but I went through 3 different chains that all showed this problem after 500-600 km's.

Greets back!

 

[Robert Taylor]

I was thinking of getting one of those chains from but then I read a comment on this group (from
Jobst Brandt if I recall correctly) that said stainless steel is a poor material for a chain because
it tends to gall readily easily. (That's not an exact quote and I apologize if I've not conveyed the
thought precisely correctly)

Anyway, that comment steered me away.

Bob Taylor

 

[Rick Warner]

I can comment on part of the question. I use the nickel-plate Wipperman's. Cannot justify the cost
of the stainless steel myself. The chains work great, no problems with shifting, etc. The main
advantage over the SRAM chains is it is a hell of a lot easier to take apart the the conneX
connector than SRAM's. That can be a good thing since it encourages one to clean the chain
regularly. It can have a downside, and Wipperman has a warning in each package: if you transport a
bike laying on its side, etc., the conneX link might work its way loose. You should check the chain
and make sure the conneX link is secure before every ride.

If you do a google search for this group you should find a thread from a few months back knocking
about on the stainless steel issue.

- rick -

"Me" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> Hi, I'm thinking about buying a couple of the Wipperman's conneX chains for my road and mountain
> bike but was wondering if anyone has used them.
>
> I'm mainly interested in them because the stainless steel should keep looking good for a while,
> but I was wondering if they are noticibley shinier for longer?
>
> What about shifting? Any probs or advantages over a SRAM PC99 chain?
>
> As you can tell I'm mainly a trail pimp, but I do like to ride everynow and then!
>
> cheers,

 

[Appkiller]

Derk works for Shimano - check his other posts. Or he hates high quality components and likes to
spew lies about them. Either way, take his info with a salt lick the size of NY city ;-)

My Campy groupo rocks and so does my silent Wipperman (albeit nickel-plated) with 1200 miles on it.

App

Derk Drukker <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
> On Wed, 19 Mar 2003 12:44:33 +0100, Me wrote:
>
> > Hi, I'm thinking about buying a couple of the Wipperman's conneX chains for my road and mountain
> > bike but was wondering if anyone has used them.
> They drove me mad, because after 500km's they all started making a rattling sound. I heard from
> another well know German firm that the Connex chains all have this problem. I don't know if this
> is true, but I went through 3 different chains that all showed this problem after 500-600 km's.
>
> Greets back!

 

[Rick Warner]

Derk Drukker <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
> On Wed, 19 Mar 2003 12:44:33 +0100, Me wrote:
>
.
> They drove me mad, because after 500km's they all started making a rattling sound. I heard from
> another well know German firm that the Connex chains all have this problem. I don't know if this
> is true, but I went through 3 different chains that all showed this problem after 500-600 km's.

Well, if they all have this problem then I must have the rare exceptions. All 6 bikes have the
nickel-plater Wipperman's and these chains all have between 500 and 2000 miles on them. And no
rattling. Hence I must conclude that either I have been lucky in finding the exceptions that don't
rattle, or, alternatively, that rattling is not all that common.

- rick -

 

[Derk Drukker]

On Wed, 19 Mar 2003 21:09:24 +0100, Appkiller wrote:

> Derk works for Shimano - check his other posts.
NOT A CHANCE!

> Or he hates high quality components and likes to spew lies about them.
No way! I even have written about this with another chain manufacturer, since they also test chains
in their lab and they said that indeed the (9 speed) Connex was known for this. It lasted for a long
time: it just made noice and especially when going up a hill.

> Either way, take his info with a salt lick the size of NY city ;-)
I used it on my Campa Chorus equipped 9 speed Pinarello bike and the only thing that helped
temporarily was a very sticky oil that came out of a spray can. The 9 speed Campa record chain NEVER
gave me any problems. The reason I bought the Connex is for the very handy link that enables you to
open the chain with ease.

> My Campy groupo rocks and so does my silent Wipperman (albeit nickel-plated) with 1200
> miles on it.
I never said Campa was bad. I even said I think it looks nicer than Shimano, but if you can't get
spareparts when you need them, which is the case here in a Shimano dominated market, you need either
a spare bike or a lot of spareparts that you keep in stock yourself. That is the reason I went
Shimano: I just cycle a lot (about 10.000 miles/year) and the thought I can't cycle for a day is too
much for me.

Greets, Derk

 

[Derk Drukker]

On Wed, 19 Mar 2003 22:19:51 +0100, Rick Warner wrote:

> Well, if they all have this problem then I must have the rare exceptions. All 6 bikes have the
> nickel-plater Wipperman's
9 speed or 10 speed chains?

> chains all have between 500 and 2000 miles on them. And no rattling. Hence I must conclude that
> either I have been lucky in finding the exceptions that don't rattle,
I really am not joking and have nothing against Wipperman. Tomorrow I'll look in my other computer I
used until a year ago and see if I can find correspondence with Wipperman back. The chain was silent
for 500-600km and slowly it started making noice. I don't know if rattling describes it right, but
it made noice. Something I NEVER had with the original Campa 9 speed chain.

>or, alternatively, that rattling is not all that common.
There's another possibility you all overlook: how is your hearing ability? ;-) Seriously: I cycle on
country roads, where this is far more noticeable then if you would cycle in town or near roads with
other traffic. My friends from the local bike club also witnessed it and we spent quite some time B4
we figured out what caused it.

I bought all 3 chains at the same time. Maybe a temporary production problem?

Greets, Derk

 

[Paul Kopit]

The KMC 9900 is very shiny, works fine, and costs less.

On Wed, 19 Mar 2003 11:44:33 -0000, "Me" <[email protected]> wrote:

>I'm mainly interested in them because the stainless steel should keep looking good for a while, but
>I was wondering if they are noticibley shinier for longer?

 

[A Muzi]

"Me" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> Hi, I'm thinking about buying a couple of the Wipperman's conneX chains
for
> my road and mountain bike but was wondering if anyone has used them.
>
> I'm mainly interested in them because the stainless steel should keep looking good for a while,
> but I was wondering if they are noticibley
shinier
> for longer?
>
> What about shifting? Any probs or advantages over a SRAM PC99 chain?
>
> As you can tell I'm mainly a trail pimp, but I do like to ride everynow
and
> then!
>
> cheers,

I originally thought these were too expensive and (since chains run oiled anyway) not necessary.
However customers are drawn to the stainless aspect, the price hasn't been a barrier and we're
selling quite a few of them. I do not know anything yet about wear but they shift as well as
anything we have. The snaplink is well designed and effective.

--
Andrew Muzi http://www.yellowjersey.org Open every day since 1 April 1971

 

[Gary Mishler]

"Rick Warner" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...

>> The main advantage over the SRAM
> chains is it is a hell of a lot easier to take apart the the conneX
connector
> than SRAM's.

I use teh Wipperman ConneX connector on my SRAM chain with no problem.

 

[Rick Warner]

Derk Drukker <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...

> 9 speed or 10 speed chains?

9 speed.

> There's another possibility you all overlook: how is your hearing ability? ;-) Seriously: I cycle
> on country roads, where this is far more noticeable then if you would cycle in town or near roads
> with other traffic. My friends from the local bike club also witnessed it and we spent quite some
> time B4 we figured out what caused it.

Most of my riding is in the local hills. Rural, quiet, lots of climbing with grades in the 8-14%
range for the most part, some sections up to 20%. I love a quiet drive train, and the Wipperman's
have fit the bill.

- rick -

 

[Giganews]

I have used the Wipperman stainless chains on both road and mountain bikes with mixed success. On
the road bike, the thing has been great. Shifting is flawless and the chain is easy to maintain with
the ConneX masterlink. The masterlink is far superior to the SRAM link.

On the mountain bike, these things break quite quickly. Stainless steel is just not going to be as
strong as a good ole' nickel-plated chain made of high-tensile steel. So I would not recommend this
chain for off-road use, which is unfortunate because that is where I am most in need of an
easy-to-remove, rust-free chain.

"Me" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> Hi, I'm thinking about buying a couple of the Wipperman's conneX chains
for
> my road and mountain bike but was wondering if anyone has used them.
>
> I'm mainly interested in them because the stainless steel should keep looking good for a while,
> but I was wondering if they are noticibley
shinier
> for longer?
>
> What about shifting? Any probs or advantages over a SRAM PC99 chain?
>
> As you can tell I'm mainly a trail pimp, but I do like to ride everynow
and
> then!
>
> cheers,