....suck ass, but we knew that.

In the last two months, I have thrashed 3 different Shimano (HG ninespeed)
chains when shifting into a larger ring on the front. Each time, the
derailleur cage splits right inside the link, behind an outer
link-plate-dealie. The pedals just stop turning, I try real hard to fall
over but somehow don't, and then I get to spend 10 minutes on the
road/trailside with my sissy little toolkit chain tool popping out and
refitting a link, or resizing altogether for some impromptu singlespeeding.
Which is overrated.

This has happened with LX and XTR mechs (the XTR cage got bent all to
hell...but it was nothing some expert cagesmithing couldn't fix. Well,
cagesmithing via ViceGrips, Channel-Lox, and a strategic hammer blow).
Since I built both of these bikes up, it's possible I have a bizarre front
mech setup gene that tends to enable this sort of thing. That's doubtful.

I only ever picked up Shimano chains when my LBS only had them in stock and
I wanted the chain pronto. I use SRAM (Sachs if you be oldskool) whenever
possible - nevermind they last much longer, the damn Powerlink is worth the
price of admission - and have never had a cage-split, or any other, problem
with SRAM links.

....and, this seems to be rare, around here at least. Has anyone else ever
splint into a chain with a fDer cage?

If the SRAM triggershifters are all they're cracked up to be, I could
possibly go Shimano-free...but I really like XT triggers and backend mechs.

Chris