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10 vs 9 speed cranks

-BB-

I broke all the rules, but somehow still became mo
Sep 6, 2001
4,254
28
Livin it up in the O.C.
I'm seeing that most of the cranks now are being marketed as 10speed.

Do 10speed cranks have the chainrings closer together or something? I've got a 9sp setup and I'm not in any hurry to upgrade. Can I use the 10speed cranks in a 9speed setup?
 

JRogers

talks too much
Mar 19, 2002
3,785
1
Claremont, CA
There may be some small differences in chainring spacing, but I do not think it will be an issue for you. I am running a 10 speed crankset on my road bike with 9 speed components and I think I have 10 speed chainrings on my MTB on a 9 speed crankset and components. The shifting works fine on both; at least it's no worse than the straight 9 speed setups I had before.
 

oldfart

Turbo Monkey
Jul 5, 2001
1,206
24
North Van
I think the only difference is the pins and ramps. They are different to catch the narrower on the outside chain. Tooth profile and distance apart is the same.
 

JRogers

talks too much
Mar 19, 2002
3,785
1
Claremont, CA
Yeah, the pin/ramp setup is a bit different, so it may not be designed to give the optimal performance for 9 speed. But I still haven't noticed much of a difference.