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-   -   Mixing 8/9 speed components. (https://www.bikeforums.net/bicycle-mechanics/64521-mixing-8-9-speed-components.html)

notfred 09-01-04 01:53 PM
Mixing 8/9 speed components.
 
My bike has Shimano 9-speed (XT front, LX rear) derailleurs on it, however it still has an 8-speed cassette on it. In a few weeks I'll be replacing the cassette and the shifters, but I wonder if it's OK to use a 9-speed chain with the 8-speed cassette. Right now the 8-speed chain will rub on my front derailler in certain gears, and I'd like to use the narrower chain to try and reduce the rubbing.

Raiyn 09-01-04 02:09 PM
Originally Posted by notfred
My bike has Shimano 9-speed (XT front, LX rear) derailleurs on it, however it still has an 8-speed cassette on it. In a few weeks I'll be replacing the cassette and the shifters, but I wonder if it's OK to use a 9-speed chain with the 8-speed cassette. Right now the 8-speed chain will rub on my front derailler in certain gears, and I'd like to use the narrower chain to try and reduce the rubbing.
A 9 speed chain will not work well with an eight speed cassette due to the wider teeth on the cassette.
Let me guess it rubs in Big-Big and Small- Small?
That's called cross-chaining and it's never a good idea. Cross chaining occurs when the gears are used that place the chain on the inside sprocket (1) in the front and the outside sprocket (8) in the back or conversely on the outside (3) in front and the inside (1) in back. This puts the chain at an extreme angle which causes excessive chain and sprocket wear and also causes less than the smoothest shifting. While these 2 extreme angle gears are part of your set of 24 and can be used :rolleyes:, there are other gears among the 24 that either duplicate or come close to duplicating these gears. Recommendation: unless you are "just passing through" as in preparing for a steep hill or recovering from a steep climb, stay away from the 1-8 and the 3-1 combinations of gears.
Switching to a narrower chain to avoid rubbing while crosschaining is foolish at best.

notfred 09-01-04 02:17 PM
It will even rub when I'm using the center chainring up front (I don't really have a big chainring - I have a bashgaurd in it's place), with both the highest and lowest rear gears. I should be able to use the full range of the rear derailleur in my middle chainring, shouldn't I?

It seems like the front derailleur cage is simply too narrow (being designed for a 9-speed chain) for a full range of gears with an 8-speed chain.

Maybe I'm wrong though and I should jsut keep the 8-speed chain until I get my next paycheck and buy a 9-speed cassette.

Raiyn 09-01-04 02:24 PM
Originally Posted by notfred

It seems like the front derailleur cage is simply too narrow (being designed for a 9-speed chain) for a full range of gears with an 8-speed chain.

Maybe I'm wrong though and I should jsut keep the 8-speed chain until I get my next paycheck and buy a 9-speed cassette.
Sounds to me like the front derailieur is out of alignment. In all honesty the only real difference between 8 and 9 speed derailieurs at either end is a sticker. The thing that makes it 8 or 9 is your shifter.

notfred 09-01-04 02:27 PM
I'll try adjusting it again and seeing if I can't get it to work better.

sydney 09-01-04 02:47 PM
Originally Posted by Raiyn
Sounds to me like the front derailieur is out of alignment. In all honesty the only real difference between 8 and 9 speed derailieurs at either end is a sticker. The thing that makes it 8 or 9 is your shifter.
Actually, a 9 speed FD has a slightly narrower cage,and using the wrong width chain can cause shifting problems.

Raiyn 09-01-04 03:10 PM
Originally Posted by sydney
Actually, a 9 speed FD has a slightly narrower cage,and using the wrong width chain can cause shifting problems.
So can having the thing misaligned. I've never had trouble running 8 speed chain through a 9 speed front, but that's me your results may vary. His best bet is to continue using the 8 speed chain until he changes his cassette and shifters.

Gonzo Bob 09-01-04 04:59 PM
Yes, you can run a 9-speed chain on a 6/7/8-speed drivetrain. The width of the cogs has not changed much going from 1.85mm/1.85mm/1.80mm for 6/7/8-speed to 1.78mm for 9-speed. What has changed is the width of the spacers.

But you should also be able to get the 8-speed chain to run with the 9-speed front der. I run a 9-speed front der on my 6-speed MTB without problems and I use a 6/7-speed chain.

MooX 09-16-04 01:04 AM
Hi guys.
I need solve another problem. I want to use SRAM X-7 9 speed twisters on 8 speed cassette. I don't know if it will be works together? I know that some 8 speed shifters work with 7 speed cassettes.

Thx Vic.

sydney 09-16-04 07:45 AM
Originally Posted by MooX
Hi guys.
I need solve another problem. I want to use SRAM X-7 9 speed twisters on 8 speed cassette. I don't know if it will be works together? I know that some 8 speed shifters work with 7 speed cassettes.

Thx Vic.
7 speed shimano cog spacing is 5.0mm, 8 is 4.8mm and 9 is 4.34. It 7/8 thing is close enough that it works.


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