With my bike build well on its way( I wish) im up to my next problem!!! chains and cassettes? im turning my M770 XT crank-set in to a double ring with bash guard and now having picked up a medium gage XTR rear dérailleurs and set of wheels I now need to think about rear cassettes and chains? do I have to match like for like or can I run what I think? is there different pitches for chain and cassettes that need to match up? I not know?
Any thoughts someone please….

Nah, just run what you want – though obviously if running 9 speed rear mech/shifters you’ll need a 9-speed cassette/chain (but you knew that didn’t you). No different in pitches etc. as long as it’s the matching 9/10 speed. You can even match SRAM and Shimano if you want.

What wheels you got? If it’s a Hope setup then they haver an alloy freehub so I’d recommend XT cassettes.

And after trying SRAM and KMC chains I’ve gone back to good ‘ol Shimano XT ones with a powerlink fitting.

thanks breatheasy for that and yes yr right i did know about 9/10 speed, as fo the wheels im not sure yet but there are Commencal Jalco Double Wall with a shimano FH-M475 rear hub so i best to keep it all in the family i guess, u use a power link? are they OK? and fit OK to a shimano chain ok? i know its alot easier them having to use a new chain pin every time u wanna take the chain off….

Steel freehub – SLX cassette.
Alloy freehub – XT cassette.

Rose normally very good on price but I’d only buy if there is other stuff you want due to the postage. They are very cheap for shimano cables – XTR kit is £15!

Chain – KMC X9 93. Comes with a powerlink thingy but I would suggest buying a spare pack of 2 just in case. Normally get mine from Parker International or some cheap packs of KMC links on ebay.

edit: just saw your post above.

SLX will fine then as steel freehub. Also look at the deore which will be cheaper but heavier.

For chain – either Sram or KMC links will work with the shimano chain. Not used the Sram ones but I get on very well with the KMC ones. Just practice with them a few times when it is first fitted and use it regularly to take the chain off for cleaning and lubing.

also take a look at this: http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=31059

HG61 – lighter version of the HG50 non-alloy carrier cassette.

HG80 is the SLX one.

XTR CN7701 chains work well for me, as did KMC. Had a SRAM one snap a side plate, no more SRAM chains.

For balance I snapped a 7701 (side plate) after 200 yards. Done it to SRAM chains too though.

PC971 or 991 as an all-rounder, with SLX or XT cassette.

andyl thanks for the advice and fo the edit version just looked up the shimano hub looks cheap as chips but will do for now!!!
I guess its OK to put a alloy cassette on a steel hub?

the kmc links sound like the way to go I think I have heard alot of negative reports about the plates on the sram chains.

I go with the cheap KMC, X9-93 I think it is (though they’re not so cheap now, boo). Better to get a tough, reasonably inexpensive chain and replace it more often than a blingy lightweight one that you’ll want to make last forever and end up not changing in time.

Also, the more metal in the chain, generally the better it’ll do in bad conditions- I had a really nice flash KMC once, used it at 10 Under the Ben and by the third lap it was bent in half a dozen places because it couldn’t survive chainsuck- perfectly strong when pedalling but too easy to twist.

thanks for that northwind just picked one up on ebay.

cassette with alloy carrier is fine on a steel freehub. Just use a very light smear of grease on the freehub as you would fitting any cassette to prevent corrosion and seizing.

for chain, as I said above: http://www.parker-international.co.uk/7184/KMC-X9-93-Silver-Grey-Bike-Chain.html

Buy 2 and you get free postage.

sram and shimano are different ratio ! id stick with all sram or all shimano…. i tend to have shimano cassette, rings n chain…

That’s only shifters though (rear for 9-speed, not sure about 10).

Any 9 speed cassette will work with any 9 speed chain and derailleur setup. Likewise 10 speed.

For shifters and derailleurs Shimano 9 and 10 speed are not compatible due to pull ratios. A Derailleur just does what the shifter tells it but the ‘language’ between 9 and 10 speed shimano is different so the deraileur (rear anyway) will move the wrong amount.

No idea about Sram stuff but I’m sure I’ve seen 9 speed shimano and Sram derailleurs and shifters mixed just fine.

As for chains, cassettes and chainrings they should all be interchangeable just fine as long as you stick with the teeth range the derailleur is designed for.