[Closed] 12 speed shimano chains

I know that the shimano 12spd quick link doesn't play nicely with some non shimano 12spd chainrings. You could try a sram quick link and see if that helps?

Compatibility
Shimano GRX cranksets including RX600 and RX810
Drop-Stop® FT tooth profile is compatible with 9, 10, 11 and 12-speed chains (including SRAM Flattop)
Not compatible with Shimano HG+ 12-speed chains

based on this info from a wolftooth chain ring i'm guessing a non shimano chain should work

A non shimano chain won’t work at the back. My guess would be that you are going to need a shimano 12 speed compatible ring.

Yep, 12 speed shimano chains are narrower on the inner links than any other chains. You need a shimano 12 speed compatible chainring, other chainrings won't mess properly with the chain and other 12 speed chains won't mesh properly with the shimano cassette.

Best bet might be to switch the shimano 12spd cassette for a SRAM one and use a SRAM 12 spd chain.  Shifter and mech should work with that in most cases. (Cassette spacing is about 0.09mm different I think). I've got a 12spd shimano setup running perfectly on a SRAM GX cassette with a SRAM Eagle chain.

Another option is AbsoluteBlack do a 104bcd chainring to fit a 12spd shimano chain, no idea what the BCD on your GRX crank is.??

https://absoluteblack.cc/oval-chainring-104bcd-for-12spd-shimano-hyperglide-hg-plus-chain/

“A non shimano chain won’t work at the back” -

Thats fake news. Any 12 speed chain will be fine. I’ve used both Shimano and KMC with absolutely no problems at the back at all.

When you say it won't play with the chainring do you mean that it keeps coming off? I found this and on inspection found it was derailing at the quicklink. When new, the quicklink can be a bit stiff, if you put the bike into a gear that gives a straight chainline and then spin the cranks for a few minutes this will ease off the quicklink and then you should be fine.

Thats fake news.

and that’s an inflammatory statement. Though I cant question your experience.

Mattbee, did you notice any difference in the quality of the shifting?

At the rear, minimal difference.
I changed originally as the Shimano chain didn’t like my Praxis Wave chainring so the whole chain caught on the teeth at release point and it made a lot of noise. Shift at the rear was ace, it just sounded like the chain was full of grit even when it was perfectly clean as each plate caught the teeth of the chainring.
Switched to KMC and it’s fine at the front. The rear shift may not be quite as fast but I can still dump/grab handfuls of gears whatever I’m doing, sprinting, winching up climbs, etc. It actually shifts better the more load it’s under, just like the Shimano chain.