Using a 10sp chain on an 8sp cassette?

[Globalti]

Got a new Hollowtech BB and SLX crankset fitted (they are so GOOD!) to the old MTB and I've noticed that the chain clicks and crunches a little on the middle ring under pressure. I put this down to the chain being 8 speed while the chainrings are narrow for a 10 speed chain, so the chain may be squirming around a little. The middle ring is steel so maybe they will wear to each other and settle down but meanwhile I thought about fitting a spare 10sp chain, which would have less lateral movement on the rings. As far as I can see the 8 cassette rings are as narrow or even narrower than the rings, laying the loose 10sp chain on them I can see no sign of binding. Would it work?

What's the width difference between an 8 speed and a 10 speed chain, anyway? Is 10sp the same as 9sp?

 

[fossyant]

I run 9 speed chain on my 8 speed DA setup - works very well - less chain 'tinkle' when on small ring/smaller sprockets.

As for a 10 chain...may be pushing it a little, but if you have a spare chain, give it a go. It will cause less rub up front, but it's the internal dimensions which may fowl at the rear if the sprockets are different thickness.

Always worth a punt.

 

[Steve Austin]

The SLX crankset is a Shimano MTB crankset, and as far as i know Shimano have not released a 10speed MTB groupset. So your SLX crankset is for 9speed, not 10.
It should work fine with an 8speed chain as well.

 

[andy_wrx]

Steve's right.

I run 8sp chain quite happily on 9sp chainset, no problems at all.

The internal width of 8sp & 9sp chains is almost exactly the same - the 9sp chain is narrower externally because of the sideplates/rivets, not because it's narrower internally.

10sp takes this even further - it is a bit narrower internally, but not a lot, it's the sideplates again where the saving has been made - hence why 10sp chains are more fragile than 8sp.

I can't see that a 10sp chain will be so narrow internally that the teeth on a 8sp chainset won't fit into it, nor the gap between 8sp chainrings being so wide that a 10sp chain will fall into them
- maybe the changes won't be so clean though because the narrower/wider chain won't mesh quite so well with the pins and ramps, but I can't see this being a big deal.

Whatever you do though, remember that the opposite problem applies at the back : if you're running a 8sp cassette, how will that work with a 10sp chain ?

I've seen people on here saying they run 9sp chain on 8sp cassettes fine, but never seen anyone say they use a 10sp chain

 

[andy_wrx]

See also this - running 9sp on 8
http://www.bikeforums.net/archive/index.php/t-30617.html

One of the posters is correct - there is some BS spoken on there

 

[Steve Austin]

and this week!! XTR is to be released in 10 speed

 

[TheDoctor]

Thank Christ for that! A compact chainset and an MTB 10 speed cassette might get my lardy fat @r$e over Ditchling...
Honestly, I was better off with a Sora triple than 105 double.

 

[andy_wrx]

Does a XTR cassette cost the same as a DA one ?