9 or 10 speed chain?

alanholden
alanholden Posts: 53
edited January 2014 in Road buying advice
I am planning on building up a new bike over the next few weeks, however it will have a Dura-Ace 7950 chainset (10 speed compact), yet the rest of the groupset will all be 9 speed (a mix of old Ultegra and Dura-Ace).

Should I buy a 9 or 10 speed chain for this set up?

Thanks
Ribble R872
Giant OCR 0T-Full Ultegra-ish

Comments

  • Garry H
    Garry H Posts: 6,639
    Ten.
  • mamba80
    mamba80 Posts: 5,032
    Ten? its on a 9 speed cassette, so a 9 speed chain.
  • earthvspace4XTuUWcX
    earthvspace4XTuUWcX Posts: 322
    Chain to match the cassette, so 9 speed chain needed.
  • Garry H
    Garry H Posts: 6,639
    Err, sorry read that all wrong way round. Nine itis
  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,310
    I have heard a 10 speed chain works quite well with 9 speed cassette, Has anyone tried?
    left the forum March 2023
  • bobones
    bobones Posts: 1,215
    Yes, 10 speed works well. Because it is a little narrower, it may require little or no trim, rub big ring less on small-small combo, and so run quieter. The inner width is the same as 9 speed so no problems with cassette. Downside is lower durability than 9 speed.
  • Ouija
    Ouija Posts: 1,386
    Always used to use 9 speed chains on my old 8 speed systems as they simply worked better and produced less noise with a little extra clearance to avoid rubbing against things. Imagine it's much the same with the 9/10 speed scenario.
  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,310
    The reason I am asking is I have a top pull front derailleur which is 10 speed specific and while it does work with a 9 speed chain, it requires constant trimming to avoid it rubbing the chain. A narrower chain would be a solution. I might give 10 speed a try next time I replace the chain.
    left the forum March 2023
  • maddog 2
    maddog 2 Posts: 8,114
    I'd go 10.

    Narrower chains work fine on a -1 cassette. I run a 10spd chain on my 9spd commuter without issues. Running a 10 means the c/set and FD setup will be fine, with no rubbing.
    Facts are meaningless, you can use facts to prove anything that's remotely true! - Homer
  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,310
    Is there any 10 speed Shimano chain that still uses the pin rather than the quick link? I just don't like quick links
    left the forum March 2023
  • maddog 2
    maddog 2 Posts: 8,114
    don't all Shimano still use a pin...?

    I run a powerlink on my Shimanos. Why don't you like them Ugo?
    Facts are meaningless, you can use facts to prove anything that's remotely true! - Homer
  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,310
    maddog 2 wrote:
    don't all Shimano still use a pin...?

    I run a powerlink on my Shimanos. Why don't you like them Ugo?

    Oh, good to know... I don't like them because I've never used them and I've never used them because I've seen a few snapped ones when I was in a club... whichever way you want to see it, it is the weakest link in the chain... I've always pinned my chains and I found shimano pins do a good job and don't snap

    Just being conservative, really... life is too short to regret using a quick link
    left the forum March 2023
  • wongataa
    wongataa Posts: 1,001
    ugo.santalucia wrote:
    Is there any 10 speed Shimano chain that still uses the pin rather than the quick link? I just don't like quick links
    All Shimano chains use pins.
  • maddog 2
    maddog 2 Posts: 8,114
    powerlinks do wear so failure will happen eventually but if you replace them periodically then they should be fine. I know it's not statistically significant but I've not snapped one in 10+ years of using them.
    Facts are meaningless, you can use facts to prove anything that's remotely true! - Homer
  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,310
    maddog 2 wrote:
    powerlinks do wear so failure will happen eventually but if you replace them periodically then they should be fine. I know it's not statistically significant but I've not snapped one in 10+ years of using them.

    I am sure they are great, but i have a good chain splitter and they won't make my life better in any way, so I am happy to stick to connecting pins if Shimano is still working with that technology... 8)
    left the forum March 2023
  • Semantik
    Semantik Posts: 537
    I also favour the Shimano factory rivet when joining a new chain. However, I have now started rotating chains every 1500 miles and since the Shimano rivets are not re-useable I have started using the quick links instead.
    Except on the race bike which does about 750mls a year and where I prefer to use a fixed rivet 'for reliability reasons'.
  • keef66
    keef66 Posts: 13,123
    Nice to know a 10 speed chain will run on a 9 speed drivetrain. Winter bike has 10 speed 105 and summer bike 9 speed Tiagra. I have to keep 2 different sized Missing Links in the seatpack so I know I'm covered whichever bike I'm on.

    Just think of the weight saving if I can run a thinner chain and carry fewer spare links!
  • keef66
    keef66 Posts: 13,123
    I have had a KMC link fail; fortunately it fell apart when the chain was sloshing around in a jar of white spirit. I'd replaced the chain but reused the link, so I think I'd just used it for too long.

    Mostly I've been using Shimano chains with KMC links, but I suspect in future I'll try KMC chain which includes the link because it's a bit cheaper that way. In my defence I was brought up in Yorkshire.
  • smidsy
    smidsy Posts: 5,273
    Ugo - Shimano (annoyingly) only use pins, but IME their chains are poo.

    9 speed chains are better than 10 speed too (much more robust) so if I had the choice I would stay 9 speed.
    Yellow is the new Black.
  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,310
    smidsy wrote:
    Ugo - Shimano (annoyingly) only use pins, but IME their chains are poo.

    9 speed chains are better than 10 speed too (much more robust) so if I had the choice I would stay 9 speed.

    I have used so many over the years... they are all poo, including Campagnolo. 9 speed chains are a bit more durable, not a lot more durable, on balance if I can sort the front derailleur I am happier than if I can get an extra 300 miles out of a chain. I normally pay 15 quid for one, it lasts 4-6 months, it's not big money... I will try anyway... I want to mess up my drivetrain even further... :wink:
    left the forum March 2023
  • bobones
    bobones Posts: 1,215
    You can get the 105 5701 Shimano Chain for £12.49 from CRC (or get Evans to price match). If you prefer a brighter/shinier finish then Dura Ace can be found pretty cheaply too. The finish on the Ultegra chains goes black pretty quickly I have found but that may be due to the TFR I use to wash the bike!

    Shimano chains have a bad reputation, but their current line up are very good as backed up by this independent test
    http://www.tour-magazin.de/services/qtr ... age45.html
  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,310
    bobones wrote:
    Shimano chains have a bad reputation, but their current line up are very good as backed up by this independent test
    http://www.tour-magazin.de/services/qtr ... age45.html

    I don't have high expectations... I have used dozens of Shimano chains... they all did their job, I am not sure what people expect from a chain
    left the forum March 2023
  • bobones
    bobones Posts: 1,215
    I expect them not to snap! I had a KMC chain (X10-93) that broke 3 times on me. I'm guessing it was a manufacturing defect that caused the plates to fracture.
  • smidsy
    smidsy Posts: 5,273
    ugo.santalucia wrote:
    I don't have high expectations... I have used dozens of Shimano chains... they all did their job, I am not sure what people expect from a chain

    Not to buckle side plates at will would be a start - Shimano are really prone to that IME.
    Yellow is the new Black.
  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,310
    smidsy wrote:
    Not to buckle side plates at will would be a start - Shimano are really prone to that IME.

    Never had a problem... I have used all the range... from the 5 pounds HG 40 all the way to Dura Ace/XTR, all except 11 speed... never had a bad one. But I am good, you should see my pedalling style... 8)
    left the forum March 2023
  • alanholden
    alanholden Posts: 53
    Thanks for all the advice, think I've decided on a 10 speed chain, and more specifically a KMC X10, this is the cheapest KMC 10 speed chain at £15 from Ribble.

    Is this going to be the best option or should I look at others?
    Ribble R872
    Giant OCR 0T-Full Ultegra-ish
  • mamba80
    mamba80 Posts: 5,032
    ugo.santalucia wrote:
    smidsy wrote:
    Not to buckle side plates at will would be a start - Shimano are really prone to that IME.

    Never had a problem... I have used all the range... from the 5 pounds HG 40 all the way to Dura Ace/XTR, all except 11 speed... never had a bad one. But I am good, you should see my pedalling style... 8)

    I ve used shimano chains 8/9/10 xt/ultegra/DA road and mtb and they have all been 100% reliable, I know shimano had a bad design in the 6700 chain and the quick link used on the 7900 chain(they then went back to pin) but that aside.... been great.
    BUT I ve used KMC x10-93 on the mtb and that's been great too.
  • bobones
    bobones Posts: 1,215
    alanholden wrote:
    Thanks for all the advice, think I've decided on a 10 speed chain, and more specifically a KMC X10, this is the cheapest KMC 10 speed chain at £15 from Ribble.

    Is this going to be the best option or should I look at others?
    The are lots of variants of the KMC X10: I really like the X10-SL, but they're expensive, yet I've had a bad experience with one X10-93, which is probably the type you're looking at. I personally think the Shimano chains are better quality (see the link to the test I posted above), and you can get the 5701 for £12.50. However, I always use a KMC quick link with Shimano chains, so if you don't have any of these, you might be as well to get the KMC.
  • foggymike
    foggymike Posts: 862
    If anyone's using a quicklink my understanding is you're meant to chuck it out with the chain you fit it to as it wears just like the rest of the chain. I bet that the broken ones have been re-used on several chains so are worn out.

    I use KMC links with Shimano chains, never any issues. My crappy joining skills did cause me a couple of snapped Shimano chains where I'd not been careful enough with the rivet insertion though which is why I changed a few years ago.

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