3/32" chains: singlespeed or 9/10-speed

What is the practical difference of using a SS/fixed dedicated 3/32" chain vs using the more laterally flexible 9/10-speed chains?

the practical difference is if your tension is too low the 9/10 speed will drop where the 1 speed won't.

but even then at low tension there's only a quantum probability of it happening. the realistic difference is do you care and do you have a safety hazard if your chain drops?

but you know this so i can only assume you're starting the thread for discussion.

so i'll muse: isn't having faith in your equipment more important than differences between functional setups? a 9 speed chain will be functional and if it's tensioned there's no way it will come off. so isn't the thought that "oh it's made to stay on the cog" more of the issue?

Depending on the chain, usually a 9-10 speed chain is too narrow for a 3/32" cog. 8-speed chain works well on a 3/32. Plus, 9+ speed chains have a reputation for being flimsy (to me).

I don't see why a road chain would be made to come off a cog any more easily than a ss/fixed gear.

I can think of two benefits to using a road chain:
(1) less noise with a bad chainline because a road chain is more flexible sideways*
(2) you can use high quality, lightweight chains like an KMC X-SL which would save ~200gram or ~2/5 pound.

example



*we're really taking about bushing vs bushingless chains here.

I believe you are correct with 8 vs 9/10-sp chains. Sheldon notes that 8-speed chains are better for this application. (But increasingly rare.) Same logic should hold however... (bushing vs bushingless chain distinction.)

Noob alert:

Do most SS/FG's use 1/8 or 3/32 chains?

Thanks in advance.
On the other hand, I'll just go read Sheldon...
Resourcefulness is good.

most TRACK bikes use 1/8" and most off the shelf fixed gears use 3/32".

It depends, there are both 3/32 and 1/8 cogs. Most new track bikes come with 1/8 chains though.

most track and bmx use 1/8 and i think that a good number of off the shelf fixed gears that are not intended for track use 1/8 as well... which use 3/32?

Ah, thanks for the answers. I was just wondering since my off-the-peg Langster evidently has a 1/8" chain.

What's the big difference to you? Do you run a 1/8" because of the 1500+ watts you put on your FG? Or do you run a 3/32" because of the weight savings? Oh I forgot, Sheldon told you your answer.

Dura-Ace made a Track Crankset that could be purchased with 3/32" Track-specific (144 BCD) rings. Not sure if the 151 BCD was 1/8" or not.

Back to the topic at hand, how much quieter would the 'road' chain actually give? I'm not sure since they both run straight anyways. If your chain line was off, then the 'road' would probably be significantly quieter. The only major gain would probably be weight, which you would have a significant gain over 1/8" chains. If we couldn't use a chain such as the KMC-SL 9-speed, and had to use an 8-speed road instead, the 8-speed KMC weighs 315g (QBP). Other brands, such as SRAM and Wippermann are +/- 20g within the KMC weight. I can't find a weight for the 1/8" SL chain.

I don't think 1/8" vs 3/32" chains are stronger than the other, and I honestly can't believe any of us are stong enough to break either one. I use an 8sp chain on my SS, but when that one wears out I will be swithcing to a 9sp. 10sp is too narrow (even though it will work just fine for 3/32 chainrings and cogs). A lot of guys have been reporting that 10sp chains strech very quickly. THe KMC X-SL is a very nice chain, and light. I used a SRAM hollow pin 991 chain (I think that is the right #) on my road bike with great success. Road chains are significantly quiter than 1/8" chains when the chainline is not perfect and I honesly quesion the usefullness of a 1/8" chain over a good road chain.

1/8" chains are pointless unless you are racing track.

I'm getting the Truvativ Omnium crankset which comes with a 1/2" x 1/8" chainring. Anyone have any recommendation's on a good compatible chain. I've used a SRAM chain with powerlink on my roadbike and that was very good but I couldn't find anything similar on their site for 1/8"

edit: Can I use the SRAM PC991 chain on a 1/8" crankset?

No, you need to use a 1/8" chain with 1/8" chainrings. Anything from KMC should be ok.

Please do not hijack threads. As stated above a PC991 will not work. I would get a KMC SuperLite Kool chain as it is inexpensive and light. You don't need an Izumi chain.

MIN, go for the KMC X-SL! Worst case scenario you use it on one of your road bikes

Any chain that will work for a 1/8" drivetrain will NOT work on a road bike.

I believe the SRAM PC-1 is available in 1/8", but I might be wrong. For a decent 1/8" chain, just get a mid-range BMX chain.

Yeah, they come in both 3/32 and 1/8.

Thanks.

well, depends how much you ride, 1/8 chains can be run on 1/8 chainrings, and this will last a lot longer,
running 1/8 chains on 3/32 chainrings is pointless

sweet bump bro

F*** me dead. I'm a librarian and spent all day friday cataloguing zombie books. Come on me favourite bike forum and I'm knee deep in zombie threads. Someone's gotta do something ... before I loose my last tenuous grip on sanity (won't need much of a tap at the moment)