Originally Posted by
PJCB
So if my road bike has 2 gears in the front and 5 in the back, its a ten speed, right? Then my Univega has 3 gears in the front and eight in the back, that makes it an 18 speed bike. Do I look for a 5 speed chain for the road bike and an 8 speed chain for the Univega?
Half right (the important half). Five speeds in the rear is referred to as five speed, even though it might have as many as 15 total speeds (3 rings in front). Chain just cares about the rear speeds. Typically, you will find 5/6 speed chain. 7 speed, 8 speed, 9 speed, etc. The 5/6 and 7 speed chains are pretty cheap, it goes up from there. I typically use KMC Z30/Z33 for 5/6 speed, costs about $4.50 on line. I use KMC Z50 for 7 speed, costs about $5.50. These prices do not include shipping, so unless you are buying a lot of stuff, the shipping gets you. Jensen offers free shipping with a $50 order, and they price match to anyone else. So I usually order there anymore.