10 speed chain on a 8 speed chainset

driverpm
driverpm Posts: 65
edited March 2009 in Workshop
broken an 8 speed chain but only have spare 10 speeds at home . Is this possible / advisable or will i encounter horrible shifting problems? Would be good if i could as my son's kiddie seat ias on my 8 speed set up and wont fit my 10, and we're out for a ride tomorrow and over the weekend and getting a replacement 8 will be a pain.
cheers for any advice
Facts are stubborn things, but statistics are more pliable

Comments

  • thetrotter
    thetrotter Posts: 258
    It won't work and you'll probably ruin a perfectly good 10 speed chain. 9 speed chains are narrower than 8 speed, and 10 speed narrower still. Chances are that the chain will simply ride on top of the sprockets and jump every time you put pressure on it.
  • redddraggon
    redddraggon Posts: 10,862
    It'll work fine, but would suggest only doing it as a short term solution.
    thetrotter wrote:
    It won't work and you'll probably ruin a perfectly good 10 speed chain. 9 speed chains are narrower than 8 speed, and 10 speed narrower still. Chances are that the chain will simply ride on top of the sprockets and jump every time you put pressure on it.

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  • andy_wrx
    andy_wrx Posts: 3,396
    The cahains are narrower, but it's the outside width which is narrower because the rivets and sideplates are narrower, so it's an overall narrower chain.

    The inside width of the chain is not-far-off exactly the same, so it won't 'ride on top of' the sprockets at all.

    Lots of people run 8sp systems with 9sp chains, or have upgraded from 8sp to 9, or 9sp to 10 by changing shifters, cassettes, etc and running 9sp or 10sp chains but keeping the original chainset.

    10sp chain on an 8sp system is a bit more of a jump.
    It won't be narrow enough to drop down the gap between the chainrings, but shift quality won't be brilliant - but it'll see you through the weekend I'm sure.
  • proto
    proto Posts: 1,483
    I'd bet you won't notice any difference. Go for it.
  • thetrotter
    thetrotter Posts: 258
    I stand corrected, wiser and contrite :oops: