HillRider

My Shimano 10-speed bike is due for a new chain and cassette and I just ordered a 12x27 5700 cassette and 6600 chain from Nashbar. The bike has a triple Ultegra crank.

I was going to order a 5700 or 6700 chain but both Nashbar and Jenson list these chain as "for double chainrings only" while Shimano's web site says nothing about that limitation. I bailed on the order and went with the older 6600 version but what gives? How can the newer chains be double specific when Shimano makes triple cranks in both 5703 and 6703 groups and lists only one chain for each group?

FBinNY 

Pure speculation here. If Shimano doesn't offer a 10s triple crankset this might just be a way of reinforcing that it's for 10s doubles vs 9s triples.

Or possibly the plate clearance is a bit tighter so the side flex is more limited. This isn't an issue for those who don't cross chain, but for those who do the greater angle of a cross chained triple might become an issue.

As chains continue getting narrower and the plates get thinner, the potential for stress cracking at the rivets rincreases, and problems that were historically rare will become more commonplace.

BTW- I wouldn't have let bother me and would have bought the chain I wanted.

HillRider

The problem is Shimano DOES offer 10-speed triple cranks in both 105 (5703) and Ultegra (6703) component lines but lists only one model chain for each so, that tells me the chain is both double and triple compatible. Why Nashbar and Jenson report otherwise is puzzling. And, yeah, I should have ordered the 5700 chain but the 6600 will work fine too.

JiveTurkey

People online have reported that the package actually says "10 speed only," so it's not just Nashbar's et al reporting.

HillRider

It's not a question of "10-speed only", I know that and that's what i'm using it for. What I don't understand is the "double chainring only" comment. That doesn't seem in line with Shimano's own statements.

JiveTurkey

Oops..wasn't thinking straight. I meant people had reported the package states "Double Chainring Only.".

HillRider

Thanks for the correction and that gets back to my original question; "What chain does Shimano recommend for their current 10-speed triple cranks if the only chains they make are double chainring only"? I'm going to call Shimano America on Tuesday and see how they explain it.

HillRider

A follow up to this thread. I called Shimano this morning and got their corporate recommendation.

Apparently the 5700 and 6700 chains are indeed double chainring specific and don't shift well with the ramps and pin placement on their triples. I asked what chain I should use since they make 5700 and 6700 triple cranks but no matching chain. The techie recommended the older 10-speed 5600, 6600 and 7800 chains and said they will remain in production for the forseeable future.