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So I’ve built up a new frame with shinny new Shimano XT. There’s the obvious issue with micro spline hubs, so I’ve had to go with XT hubs but I’ve not seen anything about chain pitch. To save a few quid I went for a sram 12 speed boost chainset and the chainring does half a turn before spitting the chain off, clearly a very fraction of an inch difference in chain pitch. So two things, would a 12 speed sram chain give better results? Does this mean I can’t go for any other after market crank? I thought there would be a lot noise from the bike industry if they had to make a Shimano compatible chain ring? Anyone else experienced this?
“To save a few quid I went for a sram 12 speed boost chainset and the chainring does half a turn before spitting the chain off, clearly a very fraction of an inch difference in chain pitch.”
It can’t be a difference in pitch, bikes have had 1/2” pitch for ages, that definitely hasn’t changed! Presumably you’re getting the narrow and wide bits lined up correctly?
I believe there are chamfers on the insides of the shimano chain links.
Try a sram chain. You'll lose a bit of hyperglide + performance, but not by much.
You’ve gone this far - just put a Shimano chainset on it and sell the Sram one.
You’ve gone this far – just put a Shimano chainset on it and sell the Sram one.
This
Fwiw I've just built up a bike with 12 speed slx and used an old 9 or 10 speed slx triple chainset with a cheap ebay chainring on the middle position and everything is working fine.
Ie i used shimano m7100 everything Inc chain, but an older chainset.
As mentioned the chain inner shape is different for 12 Speed shimano. A worn older ring will work, newish non HG+ ones wont. You can get a new one for DM SRAM if you want to - https://www.wolftoothcomponents.com/collections/chainrings/products/direct-mount-chainrings-for-cane-creek-and-sram-cranks-for-shimano-12spd-hyperglide-chain
Absolute black do oval rings for Shimano 12 speed that fit Sram cranks. Pricey mind
https://absoluteblack.cc/sram-oval-boost-direct-mount-chainring-for-12spd-shimano-hyperglide-hg-plus-chain/
It feels like there should be quite the market for Shimano HG+ chainrings that fit SRAM DM cranks. I am surprised that the likes of Superstar Components and Works Components don't already offer them.
I had this when I first got Shimano 12 speed. It was very annoying until I realised it was the quicklink spitting the chain off. They tend to be a bit tight to begin with. Put the bike into a gear that results in a straight chainline, then either spin the cranks for a few minutes or ride the bike for a few minutes in that gear. This will loosen the quicklink and you shouldn't have anymore problems. You didn't say what chain you were using but I found the SRAM quicklinks weren't as tight as the Shimano ones.