Mountain bikers may want to look for a bike chain that can withstand a little more grit and grime than a standard, lightweight road bike chain. An 8 speed chain should fit an 8 speed bike just stick to the sizing rules. Again, the most important thing to pay attention to is the size.
These days, many bike chains are suitable for both road and mountain cycling.
If you’re unsure about what kind of road bike chain you should get, check out our favorite picks at the end of this guide or you can head to your local bike shop and get some advice. You may read on forums and other places that you might be able to use a 6 speed chain on a 7 speed bike (for example), but it’s usually not worth the risk of losing money and causing extensive damage to your drivetrain or even getting hurt while riding. When shopping around for chains to put on your road bike, if you’re concerned about the weight of the chain make sure you go for lighter materials like alloy.Īs a general rule, that will also keep you from getting totally frustrated, stick with a chain that’s specifically designed to fit the speed of your bike. You might be wondering with a bike part as small as a chain, does weight really matter? A lot depends on your own personal preference as a rider. When it comes to a road bike, we know that the ultimate goal is to keep everything as lightweight as possible. We’ll discuss a few things to look for when looking for a chain for your bike, whether it’s a road, mountain, or BMX. While each bike requires the use of a bike chain, one chain may not be suitable for all bikes as there’s no “universal” bike chain. The most common bike types are road, mountain, and BMX. 11 Speed Bike ChainĪn 11 speech chains measures a width of 5.5mm. Other sizes are 5.8mm for other bike brands like KMC, Shimano, and Campagnolo. 10 Speed Bike ChainĪ 10-speed bike chain measures a width of 6.2mm on Shimano and Campagnolo brand bikes. 9 Speed Bike ChainĪ 9-speed bike chain measures a width of 6.6 to 6.8 mm. 8 Speed Bike ChainĪn 8-speed bike chain measures a width of 7.1 mm. 7 Speed Bike ChainĪ 7-speed chain measures a width of 7.3 mm. 6 Speed Bike ChainĪ 6-speed chain is the widest and measures a width of 7.8 mm. Matching the right speed chain to the speed of the bike is essential for a good fit and proper functioning. These speeds are common in both road and mountain bikes and often times, the same speed bike chain can be used for either type of bike. The more speeds (gears) you have on your bike, the narrower the width of the bike chain. Speedīike chains are available in six speeds, from 6 to 11 speed chains.Īs you shift the gears on your bike, the chain moves up (or down) on the sprockets (on the rear cassette). First, let's take a look at the speed types. We will explain these in greater detail, so you know what type of chain you need for your bike. While all bike chains serve the same function, there are various types of chains based on speed and the type of bicycle (such as mountain or road bikes). If you don't know much about bicycle chains, you may assume that they are all pretty much the same.
We'll discuss how to clean a bike chain and overall maintenance a little later. With proper maintenance, your best bike chains should last you a few thousand miles. Most bicycle chains are made of nickel, alloy, or carbon. The bike chain connects your front drivetrain, which includes the pedals, cranks, and chainrings/sprocket, with the rear drivetrain, which includes cassette/sprocket and rear hub. The gaps between the rollers "mesh" with the teeth on the sprocket or chainring and the transmission on your bike are engaged. The roller chain is made up of short cylindrical rollers that are held together by side links these rollers are typically one-half inch apart. Thanks to the bike chain, the harder you pedal, the faster your bike goes. You can positively identify your bike chain but do you understand its function? The chain on your bicycle, which is a roller chain, is responsible for transferring the power from your pedals to the wheel of your bike. When you're riding your mountain bike on a trail or logging in some major miles on your road bike, you probably have your mind on anything but how the parts of your bike work together.īike chains are no exception and you probably only notice them if they don't work correctly.