Sram GX / XO1 / XX1 12 Speed mileage

[TyronLab]

Out of interest have you ever tried the HG701 Ultegra chain from Shimano? I'm due for a chain replacement on my 11sp SLX group but I'm struggling to justify the 50% increase in price. From what I've read the 701 should give me the same R/km (https://cyclingtips.com/2019/12/the-best-bicycle-chain-durability-and-efficiency-tested/) but without the hefty R900 bill to swallow the same month my next offspring is popping out.

 

Just looking for some actual experiences from hubbers.

 

Just stay on top of your chainwear. On 6000km+ on my XO1 11spd cassette, and 3000km+ on my GX Eagle cassette with no signs of wear yet. I use XX1 chains now, but that was a recent thing after reading a thread somewhwre on the Hub about them - but before that just your standard GX chains for me.

What I can say, I am buying alot less chains since going XX1 - it's like it just doesn't stretch at all! Per km, it's by far the cheapest chain.

[Grease_Monkey]

Out of interest have you ever tried the HG701 Ultegra chain from Shimano? I'm due for a chain replacement on my 11sp SLX group but I'm struggling to justify the 50% increase in price. From what I've read the 701 should give me the same R/km (https://cyclingtips.com/2019/12/the-best-bicycle-chain-durability-and-efficiency-tested/) but without the hefty R900 bill to swallow the same month my next offspring is popping out.

 

Just looking for some actual experiences from hubbers.

I have no experience with any road chains whatsoever unfortunately.

 

And to be honest, very little with Shimano chain in the last 4/5 years. Since Sram went 1x11 I haven't owned any Shimano drivetrain parts. Although, I will likely be giving 1x12 SLX a go when the time comes to replace my ageing 1x11 XO1 groupset - the price makes it very appealing.

[DieselnDust]

Out of interest have you ever tried the HG701 Ultegra chain from Shimano? I'm due for a chain replacement on my 11sp SLX group but I'm struggling to justify the 50% increase in price. From what I've read the 701 should give me the same R/km (https://cyclingtips.com/2019/12/the-best-bicycle-chain-durability-and-efficiency-tested/) but without the hefty R900 bill to swallow the same month my next offspring is popping out.

 

Just looking for some actual experiences from hubbers.

I had it on my training /road bike and it didn’t provide any benefit.it corroded quickly with rust specks showing up after a few weeks. I replaced it with a std chrome Ultegra chain and that hasn’t corroded yet

[cadenceblur]

Off topic... Compatability of xx1 chains with Shimano narrow wide? A buddy was told they don't work. I find this strange. I'm running GX chain with an XT chainring with no issue.

[DieselnDust]

Off topic... Compatability of xx1 chains with Shimano narrow wide? A buddy was told they don't work. I find this strange. I'm running GX chain with an XT chainring with no issue.

Your buddy was probably lied to by a rep

[cadenceblur]

Your buddy was probably lied to by a rep

I also found it strange

[DieselnDust]

I also found it strange

 

If its the new 12speed stuff there may be some merit. I've been told the new 12s Shimano MTB chains re narrower than the SRAM 12s chains (which I find flippen hard to believe as they won;t last very long if they are).

However the spacing between the sprockets is the same as is the pulll ratio of the shifter and rear derailleur (hence a SRAM Eagle shifter will shift a Shimano SLX, XT or XTR rear derailleur on either a Shimano or SRAM Eagle cassette reliably and accurately)

Also the peeps in the UK who have done the homework also tested with a Shimano chain and a SRAM chain so I suspect there is a lot of fear mongering to boost the sales of Shimano 12speed systems

[Marcv]

If its the new 12speed stuff there may be some merit. I've been told the new 12s Shimano MTB chains re narrower than the SRAM 12s chains (which I find flippen hard to believe as they won;t last very long if they are).

However the spacing between the sprockets is the same as is the pulll ratio of the shifter and rear derailleur (hence a SRAM Eagle shifter will shift a Shimano SLX, XT or XTR rear derailleur on either a Shimano or SRAM Eagle cassette reliably and accurately)

Also the peeps in the UK who have done the homework also tested with a Shimano chain and a SRAM chain so I suspect there is a lot of fear mongering to boost the sales of Shimano 12speed systems

 

I know when i upgraded the first thing i was asked was what chainring do i have and was told that it wouldn't work with the shimano chain and i should go with the KNC or change the Chainring. i did some research post that and the advice was right, the shimano 12s chain has a slightly different design and shape.

[cadenceblur]

If the xx1 chain is the chain to get, I would think one would ensure the chainring would work with it? 

Cassettes another matter though.

I have always used either Csixx or Shimano chain rings with a variety of chains without issue.

 

Will be replacing my current GX chain with the XX1 when it's time and don't expect any issue the Shimano chain ring it will be paired with.

[Jehosefat]

I know when i upgraded the first thing i was asked was what chainring do i have and was told that it wouldn't work with the shimano chain and i should go with the KNC or change the Chainring. i did some research post that and the advice was right, the shimano 12s chain has a slightly different design and shape.

 

Yup, I tried to upgrade my bike from 1x11 XT to 1x12 XT without getting a new front chainring and it didn't work. Had to get the M8100 crankset and chainring. Apparently Woolftooth now make Shimano 12 speed compatible chainrings as well but you can't use the shimano chains on "normal" chainrings

Edited February 21, 2020 by Jehosefat

[DieselnDust]

I know when i upgraded the first thing i was asked was what chainring do i have and was told that it wouldn't work with the shimano chain and i should go with the KNC or change the Chainring. i did some research post that and the advice was right, the shimano 12s chain has a slightly different design and shape.

 

 

On the chainring side Shimano do profile the teeth to mesh more smoothly with the additional chamfers that have on the inner side of their current 12S chains. I don;t think other chain rings are incompatible but they may be noisier or not retain the chain as well as the Shimano chainring in adverse conditions. The chains do not use unique dimensions so they cannot be incompatible.

 

Its this kind of deliberate confusion that Shimano sows in the market to create fear that I find unpalatable. 

[DieselnDust]

Yup, I tried to upgrade my bike from 1x11 XT to 1x12 XT without getting a new front chainring and it didn't work. Had to get the M8100 crankset and chainring. Apparently Woolftooth now make Shimano 12 speed compatible chainrings as well but you can't use the shimano chains on "normal" chainrings

 

 

But you can use normal 12s chains on the Shimano 12s Drivetrain..

[Jehosefat]

But you can use normal 12s chains on the Shimano 12s Drivetrain..

 

Apparently so but I have no first-hand experience of this so I didn't want to comment 

[Vishal72]

Yup, I tried to upgrade my bike from 1x11 XT to 1x12 XT without getting a new front chainring and it didn't work. Had to get the M8100 crankset and chainring. Apparently Woolftooth now make Shimano 12 speed compatible chainrings as well but you can't use the shimano chains on "normal" chainrings

I am using a new CSixx chainring with a SLX 12 speed chain and cassette, works quite well.

[Jason.greenlees]

I was just wondering how I could get a few more out of my 12sp gold xx1 cassette. Have rotated three chains 1k per change. At 8k started to not mesh all that well with the replacement so let it go. Chain check didn’t even seem to be .5 back then.

 

Up to 11,000km now and has started to slip under pressure. I think 11k might be reasonable after reading all this

, although I had a friend who got 13k out of his which would have been nice. Still heaps better than my old 10s xt cassettes that use to get 2-3k.

[Christofison]

I was just wondering how I could get a few more out of my 12sp gold xx1 cassette. Have rotated three chains 1k per change. At 8k started to not mesh all that well with the replacement so let it go. Chain check didn’t even seem to be .5 back then.

 

Up to 11,000km now and has started to slip under pressure. I think 11k might be reasonable after reading all this

, although I had a friend who got 13k out of his which would have been nice. Still heaps better than my old 10s xt cassettes that use to get 2-3k.

Keep the cassette clean, rotate chains after 500km and sit and spin in a larger cog rather than stand and crank in a smaller cog...or just ride how you like and accept that 11k is fine.