8 or 9 speed chain

The Rookie

Just built the Doris's bike up, drivetrain nearly all from a GT chucker, but I'm struggling to get decent shifting.

Its 24 speed (8 speed cassette) but I've noticed that the KMC chain has 'narrow' on it, so wondered if its for a 9 and hence the ropey shifting?

Simon

cooldad

What model is the chain, I'm sure the 8 speed ones say narrow as well.

The Rookie

The only markings are 'KMC' and 'narrow' round the pins on the outer plates with a 'Z' in the middle of the outer plates.

Simon

supersonic

9 speed is 'super narrow'.

The Rookie

OK thanks SS, will have to look closer for the reason for lousy shifting!

Simon

BOYDIE

Try an SRAM chain, 8 speed one can be had for around a tenner,I find KMC 8 speeds not as smooth or as quiet as SRAM.This is strange as I really like there 9 speed x9 chains, :shock:

The Rookie

Its worse than that!

SRAM MRX twist shifters, rear mech is Deore LX (rapid rise 9 speed) as its better than the Acera off the chucker, once the cable is tight enough to shift from 1st to second on one click of the shifter it won't (ever) shift back down, (I did back the low stop off out the way, all on cable tension as a trial as well) once the cable is slack enough to allow it to shift down it won't shift up! All other shifts are OK unless the cable is slack enough to allow a shift down to first in which case it goes all the way through the gears one gear out (reading 5th in fourth for example) until I select 8th on the shifter when its skips over 7 straight into eigth.

B-stop adjusted OK.

Thinking of just putting the wagon wheel acera back on, its just I have the nice LX sitting around and it seems a shame not to use it.

Simon