How to Convert a 9-Speed Shimano Crank to a 10-Speed

If you have recently upgraded your Shimano road bicycle component group from the 9-speed cassette and setup to the 10-gear setup, your existing Shimano cranks will work with the system with one caveat. To switch over with the cranks you need to use the next narrowest chain in the Shimano HyperGlide chain series; this is the HG-94 HyperGlide chain. The narrower chain meshes with the larger gear cluster as it is shifted over the chain rings and cassette.

Things You'll Need

  • Bicycle work stand
  • Chain tool
  • HyperGlide chain pin for HG-94 chain
  • HyperGlide HG-94 chain
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Instructions

    • 1

      Place the bicycle into the work stand and turn the pedals. Shift the gears while the pedals are turning and set the chain onto the smallest gear on the cassette and the largest chain ring. Place the chain tool jaws over one link on the chain and align the pin on the tool to the pin on the link. Crank the tool handle clockwise to push the pin out and open the chain. Take the old chain off the bicycle.

    • 2

      Thread the new HG-94 HyperGlide chain over the large chain ring and the smallest gear on the rear gear cluster-cassette. Push the HG-94 link pin into the open end of the link on the chain. Bring the other open end of the chain and thread it together with the other end so the pin holes align.

    • 3

      Slide the chain tool over the link pin and turn the crank clockwise to push the pin down and into the link to connect and lock the chain together.

    • 4

      Spin the pedals and cranks to loosen the new chain and the locked-pin link. Shift through the gears and chin rings to ensure the chain is set to the gears and chain-rings system.