As per title, I have used a 10 speed with a 1×8…

Apparently 10 and 11 speed sprockets are the same thickness so it *should* work in theory right? Or is there something I am unaware of?

it won’t be optimal

How so? Skippy, not meshing with the spockets?

What is the physical difference between a 10 and 11 speed chain exactly?

9 speed cassette spacing is wider than 10 or 11.
I am not sure why you are telling us two sizes you wont be using are the same size.

IMHO it will probably work but be a bit poor/erratic in some gears and wear quickly

Sprocket thickness for 10 and 11 speed is 1.6mm, 8 and 9 speed are 1.8mm, spacing obviously differs between them all.

like I said I already know there’s sufficient clearance between the plates to let a 10 speed chain interface with an 8/9 speed sprocket. I was simply asking if anyone knew if 11 speed chains have tighter clearances/tolerances…

Clearly the STW knowledge base is more limited than I realised… Nevermind…

rOcKeTdOg – Member
it won’t be optimal

What he said

Yeah alright…

I was simply asking if anyone knew if 11 speed chains have tighter clearances/tolerances…

No mate the sprockets are thinner but the chain is the same size as every other chain on the market
TBH i dont knoe why they say they are speed specific it will fit your thicker cogs with the exact same tolerances as the thinner ones it was designed for*

Clearly the STW knowledge base is more limited than I realised… Nevermind.

Well I can deduce the answers from the facts you have provided 😛

THIS it will work but it wont be the best solution out there.
If it helps a 9 speed chain works on a NW

* obvious sarcasm is obvious

Why do these questions get asked?

No mate the sprockets are thinner but the chain is the same size as every other chain on the market

A bit of hunting about an I find a wiki page telling me external widths of all speeds of chain vary 10 speed is 6.2mm 5.88mm, 11 speed is 5.5mm apparently, so are you trying to tell me the internal faces are spaced the same but the plates are thinner? Makes sense.

Of course that Means the outer pitch plates are closer to each other, which is a good thing for meshing with a N/W ring and retaining the chain…

Think I’ll just try it…