Cycling UK Forum

My understanding is that 11-speed chains are narrower (inside width) than 10-speed chains, and I can't find 74 BCD rings advertised for 11-speed. (No 11-speed triples are made.) I guess there is a risk of chain suck if using a 10-speed granny with an 11-speed chain? Any real-world experiences of what works? Maybe TA 10-speed rings have slightly narrower teeth?

I would like to make a 28-42 super-compact double for 11-speed cassette and chain. Is that possible?

Spa sell 28/44 and 26/42 sets that are claimed to be 11sp compatible, but they may not fit your BCD.

Nearholmer wrote: ↑12 Jun 2024, 4:27pm Spa sell 28/44 and 26/42 sets that are claimed to be 11sp compatible, but they may not fit your BCD.

You're right, they do. So their Zicral rings must be 11-speed compatible. They show the TD-2 74/110 crankset with zicral rings and say it's 11-speed compatible.

UpWrong wrote: ↑12 Jun 2024, 4:15pm My understanding is that 11-speed chains are narrower (inside width) than 10-speed chains....

you may have been misinformed; 10s and 11s chains have exactly the same internal width (11/128") but the external width differs slightly.
If a notionally 10s inner ring doesn't work in an 11s system, it may just need respacing.

Brucey wrote: ↑12 Jun 2024, 4:50pm

UpWrong wrote: ↑12 Jun 2024, 4:15pm My understanding is that 11-speed chains are narrower (inside width) than 10-speed chains....

you may have been misinformed; 10s and 11s chains have exactly the same internal width (11/128") but the external width differs slightly.
If a notionally 10s inner ring doesn't work in an 11s system, it may just need respacing.

Thanks for the correction. My memory is playing me tricks. I have seen comparisons of bike chain weights and 11-speed chains were lighter than 10-speed by a step change, with not much difference between 9 and 10 spd chain.

On a couple of bikes I'm using stainless steel granny rings from 8-speed days with 11-speed chains - no problems at all.

NickJP wrote: ↑13 Jun 2024, 11:09am On a couple of bikes I'm using stainless steel granny rings from 8-speed days with 11-speed chains - no problems at all.

ah, but how thick are they? Sometimes it can really matter if your chainrings were designed for 3/32" or 11/128" chain. Ask me how I know....

Brucey wrote: ↑13 Jun 2024, 12:21pm

NickJP wrote: ↑13 Jun 2024, 11:09am On a couple of bikes I'm using stainless steel granny rings from 8-speed days with 11-speed chains - no problems at all.

ah, but how thick are they? Sometimes it can really matter if your chainrings were designed for 3/32" or 11/128" chain. Ask me how I know....

I haven't measured them, I just checked when thinking of using them that an 11s chain fitted on the chainring okay. One is a 74 BCD with no maker's mark that I can see, and the other is a similarly anonymous 58 BCD ring.

I no longer even worry about 10 and 11 speed compatibility. I do buy the chain to match the cassette but ignore the chain set completely and should I swap bits around, subject to indexing everything plays happily. See Brucey's comment above.

On one bike, I use an old-time 20T granny with an 11sp chain with no problem. On another bike, I use a couple of SunRace freewheel cogs as rings with a 10sp chain with no problem. As has been mentioned, the inner width in 10 and 11sp is the same.

I ran a 11s chain on 9s chainset on all three rings and it was fine.

I didn't specifically seek out either one.

The chainset was Shimano FC-T4010 and the chain was KMC X11.93.

2nd best setup I ever used and had 22x40t low gear - about my limit for balancing.