Super dumb question, but i have inherited a '98 marin mount vision with a shimano degree xt groupset. Yes, I know the bike is old and outdated, but it's a fun bike regardless.
Bike was my dad's, the groupset is not original, he upgraded at some point, but i dont know when. So, I am not sure what version/year the groupset is.
Long story short, chain broke. The chain was Shimano, and the links say "narrow". Its a three-by with 9 gears in the rear cassette, im assuming that makes it a 12 speed.
I had read that it's good to use a shimano chain with their own system.
What type of chain do I need?
Ill upload pictures in case that helps.
by OldTeam7
5 Comments
3×9 is a 27 speed. In the case of chain replacement, you need a 9 speed chain which correlates to the cassette of cogs in the rear wheel.
9 gears in the rear means a 9 speed chain.
any quality 9 speed chain like the HG93
So the “speed” of the chain is determined by the number of cogs on the back. In your case you have 9 cogs therefore, you need a 9 speed chain.
As for what type, doesn’t really matter, so long as it’s a 9 speed it will serve you well.
You will need to cut the chain down to size when installing, so if you don’t have a chain breaker you will need to pick one of those up too. You can check park tools website for a guide on how to properly size a chain.
If you don’t want to deal with the chain sizing, just take it into one of your local shops, shouldn’t cost too much to buy a new chain from them and have them install it.
The number of available gears you have is the number of chainwheels multiplied by the number of cogs so you have 27 available gear combinations, although people usually will say it’s a 3×9. The chain you need is dictated by the number of cogs in back so you need a nine speed chain. And it is probably a good idea to stick with Shimano brand purchased from a reputable seller. It would be good to verify that the new chain is long enough. Measure the old chain in inches and multiply that by two to get the number of links you’ll need on your new chain. But it’s more likely you’ll need to remove links from your new chain which requires an inexpensive chain tool or take it to a local bike shop and they can do it. You may want to get a quicklink with your new chain if it doesn’t come with one. A quicklink means you can join the two ends of the chain together or take it apart without any special tools. Quicklinks are also sold by the size of the chain so you would need a quicklink for a 9 speed chain.