Hello all. I'm just completing assembly of my latest bicycle on this Saturday evening. I have an IRD 7 speed freewheel, Sugino 400 triple crankset, Shimano Deore 531 rear deralleur, Shimano 105 front derailleur and friction only barcons without indexing. What I do not have on the shelf is a chain marked "6,7,8 speed", only a Shimano HG53 marked "9 speed". Why shouldn't I use the 9 speed chain? All derailleur chains have 3/32" roller width so the difference is in the thickness and shape of the sideplates. I make it 6.42mm over the bulged sideplates for the HG53 and 7.22mm for a scrap of unused 6/7/8 HG50 I have. When downshifting I can imagine the slightly narrower 9 speed chain being disinclined to catch on the subtle ramps impressed into the sides of Hyperglide cogs when moved a precise distance by a seven or eight speed indexed shifter. However, with the friction system I use by preference I can imagine just moving the lever and the derailleur until the chain shifts. Anyone have any personal experience on this question? Am I missing something in my reasoning?
On Jun 14, 6:35 am, "Peter Howard" <[email hidden]>
Quoted message said:
Hello all. I'm just completing assembly of my latest bicycle on this Saturday evening.. I have an IRD 7 speed freewheel, Sugino 400 triple crankset, Shimano Deore 531 rear deralleur, Shimano 105 front derailleur and friction only barcons without indexing. What I do not have on the shelf is a chain marked "6,7,8 speed", only a Shimano HG53 marked "9 speed". Why shouldn't I use the 9 speed chain?
Go ahead and use it. I use 9 and even 10s chains on my friction, 7s DA freewheel setup.
All derailleur chains have 3/32"
Quoted message said:
roller width so the difference is in the thickness and shape of the sideplates. I make it 6.42mm over the bulged sideplates for the HG53 and 7.22mm for a scrap of unused 6/7/8 HG50 I have. When downshifting I can imagine the slightly narrower 9 speed chain being disinclined to catch on the subtle ramps impressed into the sides of Hyperglide cogs when moved a precise distance by a seven or eight speed indexed shifter. However, with the friction system I use by preference I can imagine just moving the lever and the derailleur until the chain shifts. Anyone have any personal experience on this question? Am I missing something in my reasoning?
