MB33 

I finally got the Pro Tour drivetrain together, just need to buy a chain (and overhaul the freewheel). I'm running 48/40/28 rings, a 14-34 Perfect freewheel, with a Suntour Cyclone GT rd. Past forum research has led me to believe that the stiffer the chain, the better the performance for this setup.
So what's the stiffest chain you can buy today?

RiddleOfSteel

Sweet. Another Pro Tour build. Always nice to see. However, I fail to see the logic of a stiff chain being beneficial to this component set or any. Suntour Cyclone derailleurs get along with pretty much anything, the crankset looks quite amenable to good shifting, leaving the generously-spaced (cog center to cog center, as well as cog tooth difference) freewheel to allow the chain to find and stay in the gear just fine, unless the rider can't friction shift to save their life. Outside of a reluctance to shift relative to Shimano's Uniglide and later Hyperglide cog designs, a "stiff chain" (which, other than rusty, I have no idea what that could mean...laterally?) prognosis seems like using a whip to get a bunch of fun and obedient Golden Retrievers to do what one wants, thinking that those Retrievers are circus bears or tigers. What are the rationales of these forum members (here or elsewhere?) suggesting "stiff chains"? I'd honestly just put a generic 5/6/7/8-speed KMC chain on it and enjoy the bike.

Classtime 

I don't know about stiff, but Boulder Bicycle has had 5 speed chains for reasonable $.

scarlson 

Soma Fab has the 5/6sp Izumi chain, for a reasonable price. Looks every bit the same as something you'd get back in the '70s/'80s.

I think there's an argument to be made for using a stiffer, bushing-equipped chain, with older mechs and freewheels. Its lack of lateral flex makes up for old Suntour rear derailleurs often having a substantial chain gap in the smaller cogs.

Mad Honk 

Sam,
The Sram chains are the current equivalent of the older Sedis chains that worked very well. They are still priced as a value chain so go for one of those. Smiles, MH

steelbikeguy

regarding the search for a stiff chain... I do understand the general benefit of a stiff chain for vintage setups.

Some years ago, the issue came up on the CR list. By chance, I have two good bikes for demonstrating the amount of deflection of a bushed chain versus a modern bushingless chain. Both have 13-24 freewheels with Campy NR or SR rear derailleurs. One had the original 1974 Reynolds 3/32" chain while the other had a modern-ish Sachs PC48 8 speed chain.

The demonstration consisted of setting up the chain in the middle of the freewheel. The shift lever for the rear derailleur was then pushed fully forward, allowing the derailleur to move as far to the right as the chain would allow it.

I took photos from the rear, showing how far the chains flexed under approximately the same amount of force.

here's the shot of the '74 International with the Reynolds 3/32" chain with bushings....




and here's the Raleigh Team with the 8 speed chain...



The modern chain clearly flexes more under a given amount of force.
Modern derailleurs keep the jockey pulley very close to the cogs, so it doesn't matter much.
For vintage stuff like the Campy NR, a lot more shift lever movement is required to coax the chain from cog to cog.

For the OP's setup, with the big freewheel, I'd expect the Cyclone GT's jockey pulley to be pretty close to the cogs, so chain flex will be less important than on the bikes in my photos.

Steve in Peoria

dddd

I think it depends a lot on the setup, with the derailer B-tension screw adjusted properly to match freewheel size, and finally adjusting chain length and even axle position in the dropouts to help the cage meet the freewheel under the best terms.

The stiffer old/traditional chain will feel more responsive on the smallest cogs but will fail to shift as well across the larger ones as a modern 7-8sp chain will.
As well, the older chain is wider so will require much more in the way of trimming adjustments to the front derailer, and will also be much more sensitive to exact lever position for rear shifting.

An old Sedisport chain is narrow but stiff, not as fluid-shifting as modern chain but is sometimes a solution. I don't think it would get along with the Apex crankset however, and a modern Sram chain is no more stiff than any other modern chain.

I'm actually more concerned with how your choice of chain will shift on that Apex crankset, as I've had both vintage and modern chains do a fair amount of skating/surfing on those (I resorted to modifying chainring teeth, applying bevels and subtly bending a few teeth this way and that to make it shift more like a modern setup).

scarlson 

Hey MH, thanks for the input! Which Sram chain are you talking about, exactly?

I've been having some slight difficulties with my fake René Herse suicide front derailleur and these ultra flexible modern chains, too. I'm eager to try something other than the superlight/supercheap Chinese chain I have on there.

RiddleOfSteel

Welp, I learned something today. Thanks, guys!

Classtime 

We're lucky and found more! Regina Black Chain 3/32 for 5sp or wide 6sp

MB33 

Thanks for the advice all, I ordered some vintage Regina chain from Boulder Bicycle. We'll see how it works on my setup, I can always go modern if I don't like how it shifts.

Bad Lag

I am getting all sorts of security warnings for that Boulder Bicycle web site.

MB33 

Yeah the supplied link didn't work for me, I just googled Boulder Bicycle and went from there.

steelbikeguy

I feel compelled to mention that I use both a vintage Reynolds bushed chain and vintage bikes with SRAM 8 speed bushingless chains. The Reynolds chain does flex less, but it does generally shift slower and noisier. I think the bevels in the SRAM side plates help with chain pickup. The shifting experience with the Reynolds chain is more "authentic", which is why I still use it on the Raleigh International.

Steve in Peoria

Wildwood 

The stiffest chain is strictly for improved shifting, I presume.

I found my '84 Centurion ProTour in a size 59, great tourer and steady handler on cracked California Santa Cruz mountain roads.