Chain for Campy drivetrain

[ontarget]

My Campy 10 speed bike is in need of a new chain. I've got a spare Shimano lying around. Any issues (despite the sacreligious one) using it?

Also, in shopping for a Campy chain, I see Nashbar has the Sram 1031 (lower end Sram chain) for $15. Anyone have experience with this chain?

Thanks.

[lhuerta]

Use the Shimano, u won't have a problem. And stock up on the $15 SRAM chains, which will also work perfectly on ur Campy drivetrain.

[KJMUNC]

I run SRAM with Powerlinks on all my Campy bikes (9, 10 and 11 speed) with no issues. Had a LBS once tell me "if you don't use a Campy chain you're going to kill your drivetrain".....yeah, I don't go there anymore.

[oldpotatoe]

Originally Posted by ontarget

My Campy 10 speed bike is in need of a new chain. I've got a spare Shimano lying around. Any issues (despite the sacreligious one) using it?

Also, in shopping for a Campy chain, I see Nashbar has the Sram 1031 (lower end Sram chain) for $15. Anyone have experience with this chain?

Thanks.

The shimano one will work fine. As will KMC. stay away from sram..first gen sram 10s chains had snap links that failed, probably not now but philisophically, I buy nothing sram(another story).

[tuxbailey]

I use KMC and it works well.

[carpediemracing]

Currently on KMC after going through my stockpile of 4? DA chains on my Campy 10s. Also a couple Record 10s chains because I'd buy them when I could. I've been using KMC Missing Links for a fw years now. 2 bikes.

Only thing I'd think about is staying away from Wipper whatever. Heard stuff 2nd hand from someone that was talking to some bike hardware guys. Who, granted, had an interest in putting down Wipper but didn't criticize other chains.

[oldpotatoe]

Originally Posted by carpediemracing

Currently on KMC after going through my stockpile of 4? DA chains on my Campy 10s. Also a couple Record 10s chains because I'd buy them when I could. I've been using KMC Missing Links for a fw years now. 2 bikes.

Only thing I'd think about is staying away from Wipper whatever. Heard stuff 2nd hand from someone that was talking to some bike hardware guys. Who, granted, had an interest in putting down Wipper but didn't criticize other chains.

Anecdotally, when a bike came in for a tune with a Wipperman chain, seems like almost always, if it got a new chain, the cogset was worn out. PLUS a few, where just couldn't get the thing to shift well, front or back, a shimano, Campag or KMC chain almost always solved the shifting issue.

[John M]

Originally Posted by oldpotatoe

Anecdotally, when a bike came in for a tube with a Wipperman chain, seems like almost always, if it got a new chain, the cogset was worn out. PLUS a few, where just couldn't get the thing to shift well, front or back, a shimano, Campag or KMC chain almost always solved the shifting issue.

It is also my experience that Wipperman chains in the Campagnolo drivetrain are chainring/cassette eaters.....

[curlybro]

I ran SRAM 9 speed on my Campy Record 9 speed group and it shifted and felt great. I read a lot about chain spacing before I bought it though. I found this article below where they talk about the chain spacing of 10 and 11 speed generations.

Originally Posted by http://cyclingtips.com.au/2014/10/mixing-groupsets-what-works-together-and-what-doesnt/

CHAINS AND CASSETTES

According to Leonard Zinn testing, all 11-speed transmissions are compatible. A comparison of a Campagnolo 11-speed cassette with a Shimano equivalent demonstrates that the cog spacing is well matched. However, there is a measurable difference in the width of each company龍 11-speed chain (Shimano龍 chain is 5.62mm wide, Campy龍 is 5.50mm).

In practice, the measurable differences account for little and a Shimano 11-speed cassette works well with a Campagnolo groupset, and vice versa. Neither combination is perfect though. The imperfections express themselves in the form of a little extra chain noise and/or occasional lazy upshifts for some, but not all, of the rear cogs. Overall, the compatibility is more than adequate in most circumstances, though not all users (or fussy mechanics) will be satisfied.

For 10-speed users, there is also reasonable compatibility between Shimano/SRAM and Campagnolo. While the chains are almost identical in width (Shimano龍 chain is 5.88mm versus Campy龍 5.90mm), Campagnolo employs variable spacing that leads to some extra chain noise and lazy upshifts that is more obvious than that seen for 11-speed transmissions. Regardless, the compatibility is more than adequate in an emergency, but the mix is unlikely to satisfy all users.

Attempting to mix 10- and 11-speed cassettes will cause significant problems due to differences in cog spacing and/or the width of the cassette. For Shimano/SRAM, 11-speed cassettes are too wide to fit properly onto 10-speed freehubs, and 11-speed chains are a little narrower (5.62mm versus 5.88mm). In contrast, Campy龍 10- and 11-speed cassettes will fit onto the same freehub body, but the 11-speed chain is significantly narrower than the 10-speed chain (5.5mm versus 5.9mm).

[Elefantino]

KMC chains here. Never a problem.

Sometimes I've even popped for the gold one.

[warren128]

Originally Posted by John M

It is also my experience that Wipperman chains in the Campagnolo drivetrain are chainring/cassette eaters.....

I have Wipperman chains on both my Campagnolo 10 spd bikes!

OTOH, I don't ride that many miles, maybe 2000/year or so.

I didn't know about the wear problem until now.

[Slow Eddie]

Originally Posted by KJMUNC

... Had a LBS once tell me "if you don't use a Campy chain you're going to kill your drivetrain".....yeah, I don't go there anymore.

I had a wrench at a BRAIN Top 100 shop tell me the same thing about Campy cables and housing. Yeah, stick to skis, fellas.

[acorn_user]

I have a good run with Wippermann chains and Campag cassettes. I have also used their Connex link on Campag chains and everything was fine.

[ontarget]

Thanks for the comments, everyone!

[El Chaba]

I don't see any particular reason for a Wippermann chain to cause cog wear unless it is worn out("stretched"). I have found Wippermann chains to be pretty good for Campag 9/10 speed, although the shifting could be argued to be very slightly off, but within the margin of mere imagination. The only explanation I could offer is that the Wippermann chains are herd -wearing and they don't exhibit much decline in shifting performance as they age, so their "stretch" may go unnoticed long enough that cog wear has occurred...