tNuvolari

I'm updating an 80's bike to more modern Campagnolo index shifting and have some questions about the chain.
First of all, I'm going with a 10 speed setup. So why not just get a campy 10 speed chain, you ask? Well, it's not that simple. Prices are all over the place and selection is terrible. What is the deal with bike shops? So many scam. And limited stock from even the trustworthy sellers. I've never seen an industry like this before, unless it's covid related.
Anyway, two questions:
1) Will a 10 speed chain work with my 80's chainring? I've asked this previously and many people said yes. Others said the only way to know is try. And am I correct in assuming that of the 10 speed chain is too narrow, I can solve it with a 10 speed outer chainring?
2) What about using an 11 or 12 or even 9 speed chain? That opens up many more choices. I realize the only way to be sure is to try but just wondering if maybe some out there have had success.

Oh, I've decided to keep it all Campy and not bother with KMC chains even though I've read mostly 100% favorable reviews on their products. I suppose then that I should just keep it all the same speed but still looking for more options.
Oh, I am going to use KMC missing links with the Campy chain instead of the cryptic Campy link$$.
Many thanks for any info.

P!N20

Yes it will work. There's no point in changing the chainring as the inner width of the chain between the plates has remained consistent since 5 speed. The only 'risk' is the chain falling between the chainrings, but I think this is a very small risk. In fact, the more I think about it, it's probably unlikely to happen. (We're talking fractions of mm here.)

Yeah you can use an 11 speed chain. 9 speed, not so much.

merziac

One of the things that comes into play is some say Campy lower groups benefit from a better level up chain so even though spendy can be a cheaper upgrade than other parts.

Homebrew01

I have a couple of vintage bikes with Campy Centaur 10 gearing and vintage crankset. Very rarely, the chain doesn't shift down to the small chainring, but rides over it. I can shift back to big, and try again.
A quick shift down works better than a slow shift, pushing the chain just a bit more to engage the small ring.

I have been happy with KMC chains.

Choke 

I have a bike with a 10sp drivetrain and a Campy MTB triple (setup as a double)....never had a problem with the chain.

robertorolfo

Not sure what you are talking about here. There are a few different levels of chain, so pick the one you want and look for the best price. It's actually super straightforward...

tNuvolari

Thanks to all for the info. I guess it's one of those things that's not such a big deal....until it doesn't work properly. But it sounds like the system is fairly tolerant. I just wanted to make sure the 10 speed chain wasn't too narrow to even fit on the old chainring. My older chainrings look so much thicker than my new 10 speed cassette so I could imagine where the narrow chain wouldn't even fit over the chainring teeth. But not an issue.

One more question: I found a better priced 10 speed Veloce Ultra chain at around $40 but I've noticed there are different versions of the same chains, as in Record and Record Ultra. What is the difference between the two? I know Campy used Ultra for a couple of different distinctions but not sure if it means anything in chains.

tNuvolari

Uh, a Campy chain runs anywhere from $30-75, with the 10 speed usually being at the higher end. Unless it's a Veloce. Which few places carry. $75 is too much for a chain for me. However, there are times an 11 speed chain is much cheaper. Now, decide which one you say? Ok, done. Wait, "Out of Stock." Ok, how about this one? Nope, out of stock. Sometimes, they're sold out of nearly every item, such as cables. Ok, I'll try a different place. Oh, they don't carry it. And on and on.

I know it's not rocket science but I'm just saying the whole purchasing process with bike parts is a bit strange and atypical of the other items I usually spend my money on so I'm not used to seeing these issues. And I was trying to expand the search parameters by including other speeds. However, found a decent price on a Veloce Ultra 10 speed so that'll work.

jiangshi

Match the chain to the rear cassette and rear derailleur. You may find that a 10s chain can drop between chainrings on a 6-7s Campagnolo crankset. Shifting will greatly increase with a matched drivetrain.

CyclingFool95 

I just installed a spare Chorus 11 chain on a bike with Chorus 10, and Stronglight Impact 9/10 Crankset. Seems to work fine.

Spaghetti Legs 

I use Campy branded 10 speed chains on my 10 speed bikes. The other brands like KMC and Wipperman are cheaper and will shift fine, but I’ve found the Campy branded are a little bit quieter and slightly better shifting. That may have changed because it’s been a few years since I’ve tried one. I usually buy mine from one of the British sites where a Chorus chain will pop up on sale $25-35 from time to time.

samkl 

Hmm, I’m a little wary of matching a 5 speed chainring to a 10-speed chain. I ran a 9s chain on a first-gen Dura Ace chainring and although it worked OK, it was noisy and marred the finish on the chainrings in no time at all.

near and far

I am currently running a Connex chain on my Campanolo Centaur 10 Speed Setup. So far its working well (~ 2000km).
What I like about it is the Link that can be re-opened, thats quite useful.

Does anyone have experiences with this Link combined with Campa Chains?