Is the KMC Z50 chain 8-speed compatible?

Just when I wanted to hack an 8-speed muntain cassette to make it
7-speed for my road bike I read that some sites say the KMC Z50 chain
(which I have here) is also 8-speed compatible:

https://www.jensonusa.com/KMC-Z50-Chain

So, some say 5-6-7, others say 6-7-8. The manufacturer says ... nothing
useful:

http://kmcchain.us/chain/z50/

What do thee say?

--
Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com/

On Wednesday, November 21, 2018 at 1:21:49 PM UTC-8, Joerg wrote:
Just when I wanted to hack an 8-speed muntain cassette to make it
7-speed for my road bike I read that some sites say the KMC Z50 chain
(which I have here) is also 8-speed compatible:

https://www.jensonusa.com/KMC-Z50-Chain

So, some say 5-6-7, others say 6-7-8. The manufacturer says ... nothing
useful:

http://kmcchain.us/chain/z50/

What do thee say?

--
Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com/

Go to http://kmcchain.us/chains-list/ go to road, mountain, CX, ebike tab and click "7 and below" -- and the z50 comes up. It is not in the "8 sp" chain line up.

-- Jay Beattie.

On 2018-11-21 14:37, jbeattie wrote:
On Wednesday, November 21, 2018 at 1:21:49 PM UTC-8, Joerg wrote:
Just when I wanted to hack an 8-speed muntain cassette to make it
7-speed for my road bike I read that some sites say the KMC Z50
chain (which I have here) is also 8-speed compatible:

https://www.jensonusa.com/KMC-Z50-Chain

So, some say 5-6-7, others say 6-7-8. The manufacturer says ...
nothing useful:

http://kmcchain.us/chain/z50/

What do thee say?

-- Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com/

Go to http://kmcchain.us/chains-list/ go to road, mountain, CX,
ebike tab and click "7 and below" -- and the z50 comes up. It is not
in the "8 sp" chain line up.


Hmm, that would mean Jenson and others screwed up?

Just did the cassette. Turns out the spacers and cogs are about the same
thickness as the old 7-speed so I used the old ones, except for the
bigger spider between 40T and 36T. The only way to get it in was to
leave out the 15T cog. So now there will be ... 18T - 13T - 11T. Sort of
a "dual overdrive". If that feel uncomfy I'll re-hack but that would
require machining.

Now we have to make some more Limoncello and then it's on to mounting in
an extender, a new derailer and a new chain. I left the tire on for now,
a Zafiro at almost 1500mi. That's a record for me for a cheap tire and I
want to see how long it goes before threads show.

--
Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com/

On 11/21/2018 3:22 PM, Joerg wrote:
Just when I wanted to hack an 8-speed muntain cassette to
make it 7-speed for my road bike I read that some sites say
the KMC Z50 chain (which I have here) is also 8-speed
compatible:

https://www.jensonusa.com/KMC-Z50-Chain

So, some say 5-6-7, others say 6-7-8. The manufacturer says
... nothing useful:

http://kmcchain.us/chain/z50/

What do thee say?


KMC discontinued 7.8mm (5/6 speed) chain in that series.

Use 7.3mm Seven chain for 5-6-7 now.
Eight chain are 7.1mm

--
Andrew Muzi
www.yellowjersey.org/
Open every day since 1 April, 1971

On Wednesday, November 21, 2018 at 4:21:49 PM UTC-5, Joerg wrote:
Just when I wanted to hack an 8-speed muntain cassette to make it
7-speed for my road bike I read that some sites say the KMC Z50 chain
(which I have here) is also 8-speed compatible:

https://www.jensonusa.com/KMC-Z50-Chain

So, some say 5-6-7, others say 6-7-8. The manufacturer says ... nothing
useful:

http://kmcchain.us/chain/z50/

What do thee say?

--
Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com/

7 and 8 speed cassettes can use the same shifters too - that is you can shift and 8 speed cassette with 7 speed shifters. You usually have enough movement left at past the lowest gear on a 7 speed shift to shift to the last sprocket on a 8 speed cassette. I've set up many 8 speed bicycles using a 7 speed shifter. Thus it doesn't really matter if the chain is 7 or 8 speed because everything is so close anyway.

Cheers

On Wed, 21 Nov 2018 13:22:09 -0800, Joerg
wrote:

Just when I wanted to hack an 8-speed muntain cassette to make it
7-speed for my road bike I read that some sites say the KMC Z50 chain
(which I have here) is also 8-speed compatible:

https://www.jensonusa.com/KMC-Z50-Chain

So, some say 5-6-7, others say 6-7-8. The manufacturer says ... nothing
useful:

http://kmcchain.us/chain/z50/

What do thee say?

I'd say "it ain't rocket science". Try it'

I inadvertently used a 9 speed chain on a ten speed cassette (friction
shift) and it worked. In fact it is still there and still working.


cheers,

John B.

On 2018-11-21 15:19, Sir Ridesalot wrote:
On Wednesday, November 21, 2018 at 4:21:49 PM UTC-5, Joerg wrote:
Just when I wanted to hack an 8-speed muntain cassette to make it
7-speed for my road bike I read that some sites say the KMC Z50
chain (which I have here) is also 8-speed compatible:

https://www.jensonusa.com/KMC-Z50-Chain

So, some say 5-6-7, others say 6-7-8. The manufacturer says ...
nothing useful:

http://kmcchain.us/chain/z50/

What do thee say?

-- Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com/

7 and 8 speed cassettes can use the same shifters too - that is you
can shift and 8 speed cassette with 7 speed shifters. You usually
have enough movement left at past the lowest gear on a 7 speed shift
to shift to the last sprocket on a 8 speed cassette. I've set up many
8 speed bicycles using a 7 speed shifter. Thus it doesn't really
matter if the chain is 7 or 8 speed because everything is so close
anyway.


This one has friction shifters so that won't matter. I found the Shimano
freehub on this bike to be too short to accomodate the 8-speed cassette
anyhow I shortened it by one cog. Left out the 15T, not much choice.
I'll see how that rides. If it's not so great I might leave out the 32T
instead so it'll go from 28T to 36T for steep hills. A harder downshift
but I've done that before.

--
Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com/

On 2018-11-21 15:17, AMuzi wrote:
On 11/21/2018 3:22 PM, Joerg wrote:
Just when I wanted to hack an 8-speed muntain cassette to
make it 7-speed for my road bike I read that some sites say
the KMC Z50 chain (which I have here) is also 8-speed
compatible:

https://www.jensonusa.com/KMC-Z50-Chain

So, some say 5-6-7, others say 6-7-8. The manufacturer says
... nothing useful:

http://kmcchain.us/chain/z50/

What do thee say?


KMC discontinued 7.8mm (5/6 speed) chain in that series.

Use 7.3mm Seven chain for 5-6-7 now.
Eight chain are 7.1mm


Next time I'll get an 8-speed chain then. The 7.3mm feels tight.

When I mounted the MicroShift long cage derailer the mount pivot of that
thing did not instill confidence. I shall see but it doesn't look like
it will live anywhere close to the Shimano 600 derailer which is still
good after 36 years. Heck, I might be able to sell it on EBay :-)

--
Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com/

On Wednesday, November 21, 2018 at 3:05:12 PM UTC-8, Joerg wrote:
On 2018-11-21 14:37, jbeattie wrote:
On Wednesday, November 21, 2018 at 1:21:49 PM UTC-8, Joerg wrote:
Just when I wanted to hack an 8-speed muntain cassette to make it
7-speed for my road bike I read that some sites say the KMC Z50
chain (which I have here) is also 8-speed compatible:

https://www.jensonusa.com/KMC-Z50-Chain

So, some say 5-6-7, others say 6-7-8. The manufacturer says ...
nothing useful:

http://kmcchain.us/chain/z50/

What do thee say?

-- Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com/

Go to http://kmcchain.us/chains-list/ go to road, mountain, CX,
ebike tab and click "7 and below" -- and the z50 comes up. It is not
in the "8 sp" chain line up.


Hmm, that would mean Jenson and others screwed up?

Just did the cassette. Turns out the spacers and cogs are about the same
thickness as the old 7-speed so I used the old ones, except for the
bigger spider between 40T and 36T. The only way to get it in was to
leave out the 15T cog. So now there will be ... 18T - 13T - 11T. Sort of
a "dual overdrive". If that feel uncomfy I'll re-hack but that would
require machining.

Now we have to make some more Limoncello and then it's on to mounting in
an extender, a new derailer and a new chain. I left the tire on for now,
a Zafiro at almost 1500mi. That's a record for me for a cheap tire and I
want to see how long it goes before threads show.

6, 7 and 8 speed cogs and spacers should be identical. The only thing that changed was axle length. After that the spacing and cog thickness changed.

On Wednesday, November 21, 2018 at 3:17:36 PM UTC-8, AMuzi wrote:
On 11/21/2018 3:22 PM, Joerg wrote:
Just when I wanted to hack an 8-speed muntain cassette to
make it 7-speed for my road bike I read that some sites say
the KMC Z50 chain (which I have here) is also 8-speed
compatible:

https://www.jensonusa.com/KMC-Z50-Chain

So, some say 5-6-7, others say 6-7-8. The manufacturer says
... nothing useful:

http://kmcchain.us/chain/z50/

What do thee say?


KMC discontinued 7.8mm (5/6 speed) chain in that series.

Use 7.3mm Seven chain for 5-6-7 now.
Eight chain are 7.1mm

--
Andrew Muzi
www.yellowjersey.org/
Open every day since 1 April, 1971

Wasn't that only flattening the distance the pins stuck out?