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are cranks/chainrings gear/speed specific?

jacksonpt

jacksonpt

Turbo Monkey
Jul 22, 2002
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Vestal, NY
I need to replace my cranks/bb. Most everything is 10-speed now, but I've still got a 9-speed drivetrain that I'd like to keep using.

So... are cranks/chainrings 9/10-speed specific?

And can I use any more slashes when I post?
 
Yeti

Yeti

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May 17, 2005
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Yes, chains are #speeds specific. But I haven't experimented yet, maybe a 10-speed chain will work on a 9-speed setup, but I doubt a 9-speed chain will fit in a narrower 10-speed setup.
 
jonKranked

jonKranked

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depends on what exactly you are trying to do.

fwiw, i just picked up a set of SLX cranks that were 10spd triple. took the chainrings off. mounted a 9spd ring on it (1x9) setup. no problems.

from what i've heard... you can use a 9spd chain w/ 10 speed chainrings (and the rest of a 9spd drivetrain), but not the other way around. i have no experience to confirm this.

how exactly are you running your setup?
 
jacksonpt

jacksonpt

Turbo Monkey
Jul 22, 2002
6,791
59
Vestal, NY
I'm replacing the cranks/rings/bb on my yeti. It's currently got a full 9-speed drivetrain. Ill be keeping the 9 speed chain, shifters, cassette and derailleurs.

Can I run 10 speed rings with the old gear?
 
slimshady

slimshady

¡Mira, una ardilla!
Dec 20, 2007
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A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away...
I've seen a couple of mid-priced production models equipped with 9sp cranks/rings and 10sp for the rest of the stuff. Also, a friend of mine is currently running old Deore cranks with his new 10sp SLX drivetrain (he didn't have enough money to upgrade the whole set in one move) with no issues.
 
jacksonpt

jacksonpt

Turbo Monkey
Jul 22, 2002
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Vestal, NY
Thinking about this logically...

Rings are rings, right? The spacing between them may change, but they don't change themselves, right?

derailleurs/shifters have to work together and are speed-specific. Obviously the r/der has to have the right cassette (shifters, derailleurs, cassette, all 9speed or all 10speed). And cog spacing changes based on how many speeds, so chain thickness much change too. But a narrower 10speed chain should work on a wider spaced 9speed cassette, right?

So worst case scenario, I have to upgrade to a 10speed chain in order to run 10-speed rings, which should work fine with my 9speed everything else, right?
 
L

louevilcyclist

Chimp
May 30, 2011
82
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Louisville, KY
If you are running a 1x9 set up you will be fine with a 9 or 10spd chainring if you are still running the 9 spd chain/cassette. 10spd chains are narrower so you would have issues on a 9 speed cassette or 9spd chainring.
 
jacksonpt

jacksonpt

Turbo Monkey
Jul 22, 2002
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Nick said:
Not necessarily. The tooth profile may be thinner in order to work with now narrower chain links.
Click to expand...
Right, but rings being thinner shouldn't matter in my case, should it? If they were thicker maybe, but thinner rings will still work with a 9-speed chain, no?
 
jacksonpt

jacksonpt

Turbo Monkey
Jul 22, 2002
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Vestal, NY
louevilcyclist said:
If you are running a 1x9 set up you will be fine with a 9 or 10spd chainring if you are still running the 9 spd chain/cassette. 10spd chains are narrower so you would have issues on a 9 speed cassette or 9spd chainring.
Click to expand...
I'm looking to run a mountain double up front. Why would a 10-speed chain (being narrower) have problems on a 9 speed cassette? I can see problems running a 9speed chain (wider) on a 10speed cassette (narrower cog spacing), but not when running a 10speed chain on a 9speed cassette.
 
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jonKranked

jonKranked

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jacksonpt said:
I'm looking to run a mountain double up front. Why would a 10-speed chain (being narrower) have problems on a 9 speed cassette? I can see problems running a 9speed chain (wider) on a 10speed cassette (narrower cog spacing), but not when running a 10speed chain on a 9speed cassette.
Click to expand...
More gears in the same spacing on the cassette necessitates a narrower chain.

My understanding is that the spacing between the plates on the chain is the biggest difference - and what cause the incompatibility of 10spd chains and 9spd cassettes.
 
jacksonpt

jacksonpt

Turbo Monkey
Jul 22, 2002
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jonKranked said:
More gears in the same spacing on the cassette necessitates a narrower chain.

My understanding is that the spacing between the plates on the chain is the biggest difference - and what cause the incompatibility of 10spd chains and 9spd cassettes.
Click to expand...
OK, so if a 10speed chain won't work with a 9speed cassette, then when I shop for new cranks/rings, I have to make sure the new rings have the same 9speed spacing as my current rings, right? What determines that? The spider? The rings themselves?
 
jonKranked

jonKranked

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jacksonpt said:
OK, so if a 10speed chain won't work with a 9speed cassette, then when I shop for new cranks/rings, I have to make sure the new rings have the same 9speed spacing as my current rings, right? What determines that? The spider? The rings themselves?
Click to expand...
I did a side by side comparison of the 10spd slx cranks I got with my old 9spd lx cranks. Spacing on the tabs was the same, only difference was the chainrings.

For a double setup, id only be concerned that the spacing is different on 9 vs 10 speed if it were a compact double (which I'm not even sure exists in mountain components)
 
jonKranked

jonKranked

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jacksonpt said:
Ok, so I could buy a 10speed crank/bb, then swap out the 10speed rings for 9speed rings and be good to go, right?
Click to expand...
That's what I did. Granted I'm only running a single chainring. But as far as I can tell the tab spacing on the spider is identical between 9 & 10spd cranks.
 
jacksonpt

jacksonpt

Turbo Monkey
Jul 22, 2002
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Vestal, NY
Cool, thanks. Obviously this isn't the most cost effective route, but good to know it's an option.

Sorry that turned into a headache of a thread. So much for a simple question.
 
O

oldfart

Turbo Monkey
Jul 5, 2001
1,206
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North Van
Cranks spacing is the same. I set up the wife's bike with all ten speed except the front derailleur and cranks and rings. Works well. A little less perfect than full ten but close enough.
 
R

rajendersingh70

Chimp
Nov 27, 2012
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it fine to use 10 speed crank as i am also going to try it but what will be the expense which i have to bear for this 10speed crack ring
 
StiHacka

StiHacka

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Jan 4, 2013
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The inner width of 9sp and 10sp chains is the same - 5/64", no? Only the outer width is different, 10sp chains have thinner links. Hence, the spacing of 9 and 10 sp cassettes is different, but the chainrings are freely interchangeable.
 
jonKranked

jonKranked

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StiHacka said:
The inner width of 9sp and 10sp chains is the same - 5/64", no? Only the outer width is different, 10sp chains have thinner links. Hence, the spacing of 9 and 10 sp cassettes is different, but the chainrings are freely interchangeable.
Click to expand...
the cranks (and likely chainrings) are interchangable because you're not changing the spacing on your cranks and F.der, its the cassette spacing on the hub that's changing.
 
M

Mike87

Chimp
Aug 8, 2011
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Hauser, Idaho
Yep, I am running my 9 speed crank (22-34) with my new 10 speed shifters/chain/cassette (11-34) and XT+ GS rear derailleur. Works awesome. I have had no issues with the 9 speed front chinrings with a 10 speed chain.
 
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