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Can I use 6 speed chain on single speed

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Can I use 6 speed chain on single speed

Old 04-12-21, 06:02 PM
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jay4usc
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Can I use 6 speed chain on single speed

I’m thinking of buying an Izumi es40c chain from Amazon but it’s for 6 speed chain. I know these chains are made for shifting but how stable will it be on a single speed? My drive train requires me to use a 3/32 chain (16t White Industry freewheel).


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Old 04-12-21, 06:41 PM
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A 6-speed chain is a 3/32” chain, so it should work fine. The only difference is the outer width, which has no effect on it fitting properly on the chainring and freewheel.
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Old 04-12-21, 07:16 PM
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Originally Posted by TejanoTrackie
A 6-speed chain is a 3/32” chain, so it should work fine. The only difference is the outer width, which has no effect on it fitting properly on the chainring and freewheel.
Do u know if this chain have more flex since it’s made for multi speeed?

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Old 04-12-21, 07:18 PM
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Originally Posted by jay4usc
Do I know if this chain have more flex since it’s made for multi speed?
It absolutely doesn’t matter.
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Old 04-12-21, 07:30 PM
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It will work but don't buy the wrong stuff and especially through Billionaire Jeff Bezos' Amazon. If you need to buy online go here
The chain is cheaper and you are buying from a brick and mortar shop run by a member of the forum and it is the correct size and for a single speed.
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Old 04-13-21, 01:54 PM
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If your chainring and rear sprocket are both designed for 3/32" chain, you can use either 3/32" or 1/8" chain with them. If either the chainring or rear sprocket or both are designed for 1/8" chain, you can only use 1/8" chain.
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Old 04-13-21, 02:20 PM
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Absolutely, the chain must be as wide as your thickest cog. Many single speed drive trains are 1/8" in which case you need a 1/8" chain.

Some single speeds have narrower chain rings and rear cogs, in which case a narrower chain will fit — although you could use a 1/8" chain if you preferred.

Too much flexibility is not a problem. A derailleur system needs side to side flexibility. As a single speed pulls in a straight line all the time, the flexibility is irrelevant: neither harm nor benefit.

Many derailleur chains are designed to facilitate shifting. This will neither help nor hinder on a single speed.

Personally, I'd say buy a cheap 1/8" chain because it will fit any single speed set up.
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Old 04-13-21, 09:36 PM
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Originally Posted by Mikefule
Personally, I'd say buy a cheap 1/8" chain because it will fit any single speed set up.
thanks for the info. I can’t buy the 1/8 bc white industries 16t freewheel will only take 3/32 chain.

FREEWHEELS ? White Industries
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Old 04-14-21, 01:12 PM
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Post edited out to avoid misleading the OP as TejanoTrackie has pointed out I was wrong in this specific instance.

Last edited by Mikefule; 04-14-21 at 11:46 PM. Reason: Factual error
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Old 04-14-21, 06:03 PM
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Actually, @jay4usc is correct in this specific instance of the 16T White Industries SS freewheel. The problem isn’t the width of the chain, but rather that the freewheel body diameter is larger than other freewheels such that a 1/8” chain will bottom out on the body with a 16T cog. This is because the side plates of a 1/8” chain are slightly taller at the pins than a 3/32” chain. This would not be the case with any other brand of SS freewheel.
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