no practical difference. 7701 is nickel plated, which theoretically
means less corrosion, but it doesn't mean much on a chain that gets
properly lubed. they're both pretty much the same quality.
apparent grease thickness is probably a function of age. like you, most
people buy the cheaper chain, so the expensive one sits around longer.
consequently, more of the light elements of the grease get a chance to
evaoporate through the cellophane wrapper. if you left the hg93 long
enough, it too would have "thick" grease.
hg53? yes, i've ridden those. they last just as well as the more
expensive ones, shift just as well, so i like them. only reason i don't
have one on a bike right now is 'cos i got a number of hg93's cheap from
a friend, but i wouldn't hesitate to put one on a beater. or a good
bike for that matter. and i probably will if my source dries up.
i'm all for cheap, but don't go /too/ low. it's hard to make chain
that's reliable - to go below that threshold is asking for problems.
Pistof Komrad said:I recently purchased the HG93 9s speed chain for a beater/rain bike I built
because I didn't want to go the extra five or so dollars for the 7701 when I
knew that it wasn't going to last long w/the wet conditions. Surprisingly,
this thing seems every bit as good as the more expensive 7701 in both build
quality and shifting performance. I know what the differences are on paper,
but what are the real-world differences? Does one chain last longer than
the other? Does one have less friction than the other?
Also, has anyone seriously evaluated the HG53? I wouldn't mind finding an
even cheaper chain that's adequate.
FWIW, I did immediately notice that the HG93 has a much lighter grease than
the 7701/7800. The 7701's excess grease is very hard to clean off w/a rag,
but this HG93's was a snap. I'm thinking the heavier grease will last
longer but create more friction.(?)
Dave
