better prices on chain/sprockets/press?

Based on input from you guys here (and friends locally who ride), I'm doing sprockets and chain.

Looks like DID x-ring is a pretty cheap upgrade from std o-ring chains (roughly $120-150 from looking online).

Sunstar sprockets are pretty good? pricier than vortex, but people have noted that vortex wears out fast?

Prices I've found are (front, rear, chain):

bikebandit (sunstar 16/44 + DID 530VM): 27/54/154 = $225
denniskirk (sunstart 16/44 + DID 530VM): 29/57/147 = $223

In poking around I know I've seen x-ring changes for more like $120, but those might be shorter (with shipping/handling charges to make it the same).

Then there's the master-link vs. rivet issue. My bike currently has an RK chain, with a clip-style link. It's been on there a long time (19K miles?)

$9 for a rivet link, and then $100 for the Motion Pro press, or $150 for the DID press ??

Thanks for any input.

 

I bought a 520 conversionkit from sumofallparts.net. The price was reasonable as well. I don't remember what I paid of the top of my head, but I think it was less than $200 US and I never had a problem with durability.

 

I have the RK chain (x-oring) and seems much beefier than stock one did. I got both clips just incase but ended up with the rivet and used Reg71 Pro motion tool kit to install. If you have a die grinder, cutoff wheel thats the easiest way to take the old chain off just cut through 2 links.

 

I guess that's a vote for the motion pro tool vs. the DID tool, then?

But then, which motrion pro press was it? The $80-100 kit? (breaker+riveter in a hard plastic case)

Dennis Kirk has the GB530XSO on closeout, for $90 for the 110-link chain:
http://www.denniskirk.com/jsp/produ...5&productId=p119357100&leafCatId=41505&mmyId=

The DID chains are:

530V (o-ring) $125
530VM (x-ring) $146

Hmm. The DID chains are stronger (9600 vs. 9200), and the wear indexes (not sure how accurate these are) say a LOT:

RK: 750
DID o-ring: 2400
DID x-ring: 3600

So, at ~5x the supposed life, the DID x-ring is a massive improvement.

But then, how close to reality are these wear indexes to actual chain longevity? Like how the treadwear index on car tires seems random, and useless to compare between brands.