Positron400

Heya,

I'll continue my line of beginner inquiries with this one: Is there any detriment to using a 10 sp chain on a 7/8/9 sp drivetrain? I am aware that the plates get thinner, the more sprockets in the casste, but the rollers (?) are the same thickness as far as i am aware. So other than an increase in cost, does it have any detrimental effect?

BR
P!

Joe Remi

Nope. I suppose there's some chance of a narrower chain dropping between the wider spacing of front chainrings but good index or confident friction shifting will avoid that. No problem at all in the rear, in fact some folks who use friction rear shifting like the narrow chain over wide-spaced cogs because there's less clatter between cogs if the shift doesn't quite land. I'm a Rivendell guy and there's a bunch of friction 9-speed Rivs out there with 10-speed chains.

maddog34

initial pickup during shifting will be possibly sluggish, and derailleur cage to roller width will be an issue that can cause slow shifts too...... the overall width of the chain is narrower, but yes, the roller width is similar. SOME combos may cause sticking on the sprocket teeth... not all "ten speed" chains, or sprockets in general, are created equal. I'd think 8 and 9 speed should be ok... I haven't tried a ten chain on a 7 Cassette or Chainrings.. any Bent teeth/gears may also become a problem.....

since you're talking "cost".. why not buy the Correct chain? better to wait a few days than wait for every shift for a year or two.

Joe Remi

Agreed about 7-speed, my brain tends to think in 8/9/10 and I missed that one. I wouldn't try a 10 chain on a 7-speed.

Positron400

Yea, i am not running out and buying the incorrect chains, it's just that i have a few 8/9 speed cassettes lying around and mostly 10/11 sp chains. So I was wondering if there were any issues (other than cost). From what i've gathered, the 9sp are way longer lived than 10sp, so i might put that 9sp on my 1x instead of the 10sp.

delbiker1 

I have used 10 speed chain on 8 and 9 speed components with no issue. I have never had a seven speed, but I can see why that could be a problem. I now only have 10 speed and one 11 speed. However. I am sometimes using an 11 speed cassette on a bike with 10 speed components, but with 6400 bar ends set on friction. I can switch speeds and cassettes with only adding or removing the low spacer. Actually I have set of wheels, the rear with 11 speed 11-36, and another set of wheels with 10 speed 11-32. I leave the 11 speed chain on the bike. I can just change wheels and the bike is ready to go. I may have to fiddle with the cable barrel adjuster, but very little. All else remains the same. With the chain rings being 46-36, I am using a 6500 short cage rear derailleur. Pretty sweet, I like it so much, I am doing the same to a second bike that has 5700 components.

Ironfish653

A 10-sp chain on a 9x bike will probably be..ok.. you might have to soft-pedal more to get the chain to pick up, especially if you're using an indexed shifter. Friction, you can over shift and then trim back.
This will be more pronounced if you're trying to run on an an 8x, and very much moreso on the FD.
I tried to run a 9-sp chain on a 7x bike, and it took the entire throw of the front 3x shifter to get a single shift.
This all refers to indexed shifting; running friction shifters, you have much more leeway and control over what's happening with your chain

icemilkcoffee 

There is a strong chance that this will happen when you put a 10 speed chain on a 7 speed setup. And 'good index' will not help. It's not a matter of indexing- the chain just physically drops into the gap between the chainring.
10 sp chain on a 9 sp drivetrain seems fine though.

Joe Remi

Yes, that's why I corrected the post you're quoting further in the thread:

"Agreed about 7-speed, my brain tends to think in 8/9/10 and I missed that one. I wouldn't try a 10 chain on a 7-speed."

oldbobcat

The internal width of the 10-speed chain is too narrow for 7-8 speed cogs. The external width of the 10-speed chain is too narrow to index properly for 7-8 or 9-speed front derailleurs. Trust me, I tried it at a customer's insistence.

Positron400

thanks, will be using it in friction, but good to know!

kit_fl

8 speed chains all work on 7,6,5 I think. After that you need the correct chain? I'm no expert

oldbobcat

That's true. The first 7-speed chains were the same as 5 and 6 on the inside, but the plates were thinned for closer spacing between the cogs. 8-speed is just 7 with an added cog. Then 9 and 10 narrowed the inside as well as the outside.

HelpSingularity 

7-8 speed chains are fairly cheap as well, KMC or SRAM.
https://www.jensonusa.com/SRAM-PC-83...All%20Products
8 bucks - SRAM PC-830 6/7/8 SPEED CHAIN
Of course 9 spd chains are a bit more.