Usinbg 9 speed chain on 8 speed system

[02GF74]

Ok, so the 9 speed chain is a smidge narower but has anyone used one on an 8 speed gear system?

And anyone know if you can buy Shiman chain or any other make by the metre?

 

[walker]

KMC do some 8-9 speed chains also.

 

[softpeadals]

Ok, so the 9 speed chain is a smidge narower but has anyone used one on an 8 speed gear system?

And anyone know if you can buy Shiman chain or any other make by the metre?

Not a problem using a 9 speed chain on an 8 speed set up. I use one on my old Sora equiped 8 speed winter trainer bike, runs fine and changes up and down the cassette cleanly.
Never heard of chains being sold by the metre,the normal spec is the number of links .

 

[fossyant]

Same here - using a Dura Ace 9 speed chain on my 8 speed system - gives less front mech rub as well. Works fine. and got it for about £18

 

[Dave5N]

Fine. Not so good the other way round.

 

[bonj2]

Ok, so the 9 speed chain is a smidge narower but has anyone used one on an 8 speed gear system?

And anyone know if you can buy Shiman chain or any other make by the metre?

9 speed chain on 8 speed system - fine.
8 speed chain on 9 speed system - probably will work but will be a little cranky, not so good.

by the metre? nah, you normally just get 110 links. if it's for a recumbent just buy several chains and powerlink them together.

you can use a sram chain on a shimano system no problem, in fact genuine sram powerlink chains are my preferred chain whether shimano or sram drivetrain. you can actually however use the powerlinks themselves on shimano chains.

 

[andy_wrx]

Shimano chains are considerably wider than SRAM or KMC as they have a different (Shimano-patented) joining system, where the rivets stick out and are supposed to be caught by the ramps and pins on the chainrings/cogs and give better gearchanges
- if I remember, a Shimano 9sp chain is actually about the same width as SRAM or KMC 8sp...

<edit> yes, chain widths are

Shimano HG 8 speed = 7.4mm wide
Shimano HG 9 speed = 6.6mm wide

SRAM 8 speed = 7.1mm wide
SRAM 9 speed = 6.9mm wide