Replacing my chain but which one?

Fatamorgana

The eBay Special I bought has an XT Doere rear mech, a SRAM 9.0 front mech' a TruVative set of crank arms.

However, the chain is too short for the 9 speed rear cassette (11-34), meaning that I need to buy a replacement.

The teeth on both the front and rear look good, quite square and in good condition, no spiked nor broken teeth, so not worried about replacing the whole lot.

The present chain has HG stamped on the links and some have 4B or 48 (?). I'm supposing the previous owner either fitted the wrong chain or chopped out too many links (?).

What should I be looking to buy, a Shimano HG93? Would that suffice?
Thanks

jimothy78

KMC X9 series - cheaper than shimano, better made, plus you get a "quick link" instead of the silly single-use pin Shimano use.

X9.73 is good quality basic chain, half nickel plated
X9.93 is fully nickel plated so looks nicer and lasts longer
X9L and X9SL are lighter and lighter still, respectively.

nicklouse

Any 9spd chain.
It does not matter. You have a chain tool? You know how to size a chain?

All on Park Tools.

botch

I've had these http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/sram-pc991-9-speed-chain/rp-prod9760 on both of the mountain bikes for the past 20 months [1], and I've not had any problems with them. As with the KMCs, they come with a quicklink, so all you have to do is shorten it if needed then you're off.


[1] after a filthy and salty drive back in snowy/freezing conditions from the Cairngorms in to Oxfordshire 2 Decembers ago with the bikes on roof, both chains literally went from being fine to solid with rust by the time we got home, so needed replacements quickly!

Fatamorgana

Thanks
I do not know how to size a chain, but will Youtube and Park Tools and sort things out.
Cheers.

Manc33

Fatamorgana wrote:

Thanks
I do not know how to size a chain, but will Youtube and Park Tools and sort things out.
Cheers.

Put the chain around the biggest chainring and biggest cassette sprocket. Pull the chain ends tight together, make the chain 1 inch (1 link) longer than that.

The Rookie

Fatamorgana wrote:

Thanks
I do not know how to size a chain.

So how do you know the current one is too short? (just asking....)

Fatamorgana

Ah, now that's easy.
Middle of the rear cassette, up front in the Big ring, and the rear mech' is almost at its fullest extension, such that it can't get into the largest cog either. I'm surprised the rear mech' took such punishment without visible degradation, bending or snapping the hanger.

FishFish

jimothy78 wrote:

KMC X9 series - cheaper than shimano, better made, plus you get a "quick link" instead of the silly single-use pin Shimano use.

X9.73 is good quality basic chain, half nickel plated
X9.93 is fully nickel plated so looks nicer and lasts longer
X9L and X9SL are lighter and lighter still, respectively.

I was persuaded in this forum to go for X9 and they are great, Get a good chain breaker as you will have to take out a few links,

Fatamorgana

Cheers.
Ordered and as you say, I have a chain-splitter.