Chainring compatibility 9sp 10sp

[chrisp2087]

Hi Guys,

I have a bike with the Shimano 105 10speed groupset. I am looking at replacing the rear cassette with a new one (it's done about 300kms does this sound like the right time to replace?). I am also looking at replacing the inner (small) chainring (I spend too much time in it.......unfit and all).

My question is, will I be able to fit a chainring that Shimano advertises as "9 speed" as my inner chainring or will it just not work?

I beleive the difference will have to do with a different distance between the two chainrings, in the case of trying to fit a 10sp chainring to a 9sp bike it might cause a chain rub issue (9sp chains being wider) so I guess the other side would be that the rings might be too far apart for the narrow chain to shift between?

Any help would be appreciated!

Cheers,
Chris

 

[wolfjjj]

300km? I'd be replacing mine ever 10 days or so and I don't consider that I ride that much compared to a lot of others here.

Your best bet is to pick up a chain measuring tool, they don't cost much ($10-20?) and then you can monitor it yourself. If you replace the chain when it gets to about .75% stretch then you can usually avoid replacing the cassette, once it gets to 1% then it's probably too far gone and it's time for a new chain. You can also measure it using a ruler, a quick search of the web will show you how.

As far as chainrings go, you should be able to get multiple chain/cassette replacements before having to replace chainrings so I'd say you should be fine with that.

As far as the 9sp vs 10sp I'm not sure but I'm sure someone else can help with that.

 

[Mr Green]

300km? I'd be replacing mine ever 10 days or so and I don't consider that I ride that much compared to a lot of others here.

Im not sure if you guys have got your parts mixed up, but replacing a cassette every 10 days or even 300kms is madness! Keep a check on your chain wear and you should be able to use a cassette for 1000's of km. Im running a cheap sram cassette that is going strong after 4000+ kms.

 

[wolfjjj]

Im not sure if you guys have got your parts mixed up, but replacing a cassette every 10 days or even 300kms is madness! Keep a check on your chain wear and you should be able to use a cassette for 1000's of km. Im running a cheap sram cassette that is going strong after 4000+ kms.

Sorry I think you misunderstood what I was saying ... replacing a cassette after 300km is insane, if I did replace my cassette every 300km I would have to do it every week to 10 days.

My chain on my roadie is close to a year old and is still under .75% stretch so I haven't replaced it or the cassette yet, I'd guess it's got 8000km on it currently and it's still doing fine but it depends a little on your riding style and the abuse they take.

On my MTB I go through chains much quicker, I'd guess maybe 6 months for a chain in decent conditions ie not too much mud, but then if I'm doing a bunch of marathons or 24hr races and you get wet/muddy conditions then they die fairly quickly.

 

[bear the bear]

Hi Guys,

I have a bike with the Shimano 105 10speed groupset. I am looking at replacing the rear cassette with a new one (it's done about 300kms does this sound like the right time to replace?). I am also looking at replacing the inner (small) chainring (I spend too much time in it.......unfit and all).

My question is, will I be able to fit a chainring that Shimano advertises as "9 speed" as my inner chainring or will it just not work?

I beleive the difference will have to do with a different distance between the two chainrings, in the case of trying to fit a 10sp chainring to a 9sp bike it might cause a chain rub issue (9sp chains being wider) so I guess the other side would be that the rings might be too far apart for the narrow chain to shift between?

Any help would be appreciated
Cheers,
Chris

1. Your cassette is fine
2. Why do you want to replace your inner ring?
3. 9spd chain rings will work

 

[chrisp2087]

Sorry guys, my bad
It was meant to be 3,000kms obviously 300km is madness........actually is 3,000km still to little??

my main logic for replacing the chainring with the cassette is that I use much more of a spread on the cassette (there being 10 sprockets) than I do on the chainrings (only being two) so I assumed that if I was replacing the chain & cassette then the inner ring would probably be worth changing too.

 

[jaseh]

I thought 10sp chains were narrower than 9sp. If so your 9sp chainring would be too thick for the chain and the teeth wouldn't engage properly.

 

[bear the bear]

I thought 10sp chains were narrower than 9sp. If so your 9sp chainring would be too thick for the chain and the teeth wouldn't engage properly.

uuum....no!
9spd chainrings will work with 10 & 11spd chains. They do not fall between the the rings.
For the best life of your chains/ rings/ cassettes you should be running 1 cassette with 3 chains that get regulary rotated. This will prolong the life of the cassette and chains in general.
If it's 3000k do a check with a ruler/ tape (not one of those stupid chain checkers!) across the links. The 12inch mark should coinside with a pin.

 

[Carlin]

Sorry guys, my bad
It was meant to be 3,000kms obviously 300km is madness........actually is 3,000km still to little??

my main logic for replacing the chainring with the cassette is that I use much more of a spread on the cassette (there being 10 sprockets) than I do on the chainrings (only being two) so I assumed that if I was replacing the chain & cassette then the inner ring would probably be worth changing too.

But the force of the chain is spread over 39 teeth on the inner chainring compared to usually less than half of that on your cassette. Just to complicate the logic.

You're thinking about it too much.

 

[Pizzaz]

Apparently SRAM's latest advice for Red cassettes & chains is to basically run it into the ground and then replace chain and cassette all at the same time... apparently you get pretty decent life if you replace it as a unit (allegedly the running cost goes down a little over time - the slightly shorter life of the cassette is compensated for by using fewer chains over 10,000km)

Sorta makes sense - on motorcycles you'd always do chain and sprockets as a set... the chain and sprockets wear in synch and mesh togther - its only when you change individual bits that things get messy.

Dunno, could just be an excuse to sell more sh*t though... At the moment I probably get a new chain every 3-4000km and new cassette every second chain (on Red)

 

[Dumbellina]

If it's 3000k do a check with a ruler/ tape (not one of those stupid chain checkers!) across the links. The 12inch mark should coinside with a pin.

The rule about changing chains, cassettes etc is not a hard and fast rule - they wear according how much use they have had, the environment they are exposed, the forces they are placed under, the frequency and quality of maintenance. A chain with poor upkeep ridden on wet gritty roads may wear out after 1000km, yet a chain with good maintenance (regular oiling and degreasing) ridden on clean dry roads may show bugger all signs of wear after 5000km.

As to chain checkers, they are good to note the rate of wear of a chain not an absolute determination of wear. I like to call them the "bike shop's friend" because they invariably get pulled out and the customer convinced they need a new chain, even if the wear is actually not causing any problems.

As a general rule - replace your chain between 50-75% wear, with a high end chain (the online stores flog off 10spd chains for pennies occassionally), and you will get about 3 chains to each cassette. A better procedure than remembering to swap over three chains weekly or whatever.

 

[jaseh]

uuum....no!
9spd chainrings will work with 10 & 11spd chains. They do not fall between the the rings.
For the best life of your chains/ rings/ cassettes you should be running 1 cassette with 3 chains that get regulary rotated. This will prolong the life of the cassette and chains in general.
If it's 3000k do a check with a ruler/ tape (not one of those stupid chain checkers!) across the links. The 12inch mark should coinside with a pin.

I don't mean the chain will fall between the chainrings.
according to this website You can't put the 10sp chain onto 9sp rings. 3rd paragraph of the answer.

 

[bear the bear]

I don't mean the chain will fall between the chainrings.
according to this website You can't put the 10sp chain onto 9sp rings. 3rd paragraph of the answer.

Websites wrong end of story.
I was running 9spd rings on a 10spd chain for over 2 years, I currently use a 10spd chain on the mtb.

 

[jaseh]

Websites wrong end of story.
I was running 9spd rings on a 10spd chain for over 2 years, I currently use a 10spd chain on the mtb.

Yeah, no worries. Just going off what I've been told by reps and it states on the Shimano website that 10sp chain is not compatible with 9sp components. I guess it's all marketing to make you buy 10sp rings.

 

[Dumbellina]

Yeah, no worries. Just going off what I've been told by reps and it states on the Shimano website that 10sp chain is not compatible with 9sp components. I guess it's all marketing to make you buy 10sp rings.

Apparently Campag 11 speed chains need "special" chain breakers...WTF

 

[chrisp2087]

Thanks for all the replies,

In the end I decided that I didn't really need a new cassette, especially with a new bike planned at the end of the year!

 

[a.davis12]

The rule about changing chains, cassettes etc is not a hard and fast rule - they wear according how much use they have had, the environment they are exposed, the forces they are placed under, the frequency and quality of maintenance. A chain with poor upkeep ridden on wet gritty roads may wear out after 1000km, yet a chain with good maintenance (regular oiling and degreasing) ridden on clean dry roads may show bugger all signs of wear after 5000km.

As to chain checkers, they are good to note the rate of wear of a chain not an absolute determination of wear. I like to call them the "bike shop's friend" because they invariably get pulled out and the customer convinced they need a new chain, even if the wear is actually not causing any problems.

first para = +1
2nd para = chain checkers suck, i cant bring myself to use the one at work in front of a customer, i can invariably get the park tool one to show that a brand new chain needs replacing. i go by the old school pull the thing off the front chainring method, quite accurate if done enough.

Apparently Campag 11 speed chains need "special" chain breakers...WTF

....not apparently, definately. it effectively splays the end of the pin that was not initially pushed in, which holds the pin in better and stops the chain snapping (often seen due to improper installation...by nufties with t7 chainbreakers)

that said, if you want ultimate life out of the chain do what was previously mentioned and run 3 different chains in rotation, doing this means you need quick links though, and sram 10sp quick links are not reusable (ie...not very quick). i dont really care about my chains though, i keep it clean and properly lubricated, but if it wears out(which it did after 4000km).......meh, i just ride the bike, i dont spend my time worrying about how many extra inches ill get out of the chain. it's only money after all................looks at empty wallet sullenly.