12sp chain on 11sp SLX chainring?

As above, I want to swap the cheap 11sp crankset on the new bike to my nearly new SLX 11sp chainset from the old bike.

The new bike is all 12sp Deore, cassette, mech and chain included.

I *think* from a quick search that 11sp and 12sp chains are both the same width internally and different widths internally so both will and won’t work well… —wink emoji—-

I understand the same. In the road world they are ok I understand it. At least those that Shimano had to make in a hurry for the dodgy ones.

The risk is in shifting. So not a problem in 1x. Basically the pins do or don’t pick up the chains as they should.

I am currently running a surly single speed chainring with an 11 speed group set. It’s fine because it works with 9speed which also has the same inner dimensions.

Schrodinger’s chain – you won’t know if it works until you open the box and see…….

…but if the new bike is all 12spd except the cheap 11spd crankset – then do you not already know that the 12spd chain works with 11spd bits (even if not a shimano crankset)

I’m using a 12speed chain on a cheapy 10/11 speed N/W ring, with a 9 speed cassette on my CX bike… works fine.

On the flip side, wife is looking to swap her 170mm 11 speed SLX cranks out for shorter ones (165mm most likely). All I can find in the shorter lengths are 12 speed, any experience in running a 12 speed *chainring with 11 speed everything else?

*Assumes the bolt pattern is different between 11s & 12s, I may be pleasantly surprised if we can swap the chainring over.

You’ll be fine.

I use the same chainrings on both bikes – 11spd and 12spd.

Works perfectly, been doing it for last 18 months

Excellent, thanks!

Same. I’m running a 12sp chain on an 11sp groupset.

Thanks all.

Yes and no….

Generally 12 speed chains on 11 speed cranks is no problems. However Shimano’s 12 speed chains feature extensions on the narrower plates that intrude into the space between the rollers. This means there’s less room for teeth (mud, grit etc.). On a 12 speed ring it has a revised tooth profile that will accomodate this. If you put a 12 speed shimano chain on a new ring of any other type my experience is that its noisy and annoying until its not – when the chain has worn the ring to match. Putting it on a used ring therefore could be just fine out of the box (or it will drive you insane/and or possibly skip when dirty).

12 speed chainrings are good with everything else.

Ok, I’ll keep an ear out for that.

Of course I can buy a new chainring, but I’m tight and would rather wear this one out… The ring has a few hundred miles on already.