Originally Posted by
maddog34
Single speed chains have inner width of 1/8″ (3.175 mm).
Multi speed chains, from 5 to 8 have inner width of 3/32″ (2.38 mm).
Multi speed chains from 9 to 12 speeds have inner width of 11/128″ (2.18 mm).
i just measured several old school chainring tooth widths... some are 2.02.to 2.05mm(most likely 7-8 sp.).. and some are 2.18mm....5-6 speed, i'd venture.
note the internal width of the 9-12 sped chains...
they can and will get stuck on the wider old 5-6 speed rings and freewheels, causing the dreaded Chain Suck Syndrome... Bad Juju...
here's a good article on inner and outer chain widths...
https://bike.bikegremlin.com/3555/bi...ion-standards/
Originally Posted by
Kontact
I just took a variety of 1980s Sugino and Campy 6 speed chainrings and stuck them in my Sram 10 speed chain. No inner width issues to report.
As I see it, the issue here isn't inner width. When the chain is between chainrings, nothing is in contact with those inner surfaces. It's outer width; probably both of the plates and of the pins which have gone down a lot since the old 5-speed days.