12 Speed Chains

$104.90$209.99

** Note for Full Race Optimisation Prep see separate ZFC Fully Optimised Race Chain product here ***

***Click Here for Important 12 Speed chain compatibility and information***

SRAM

Finally it is here! The latest version of the YBN 12spd Gen 5 all colours have passed all extensive testing at ZFC to finally enable me to stock.

All 12 speed chains below are ultrasonically cleaned and treated with mspeedwax. Some chains have an additional option to be Ceramic speed UFO treatment / Rex Black Diamond / Silca Hot Melt prep.

*Lead time for Silca Hot Melt approx 3 days, Rex Black Diamond, 3 to 5 days due to needing time time slot for its specific ultrasonic application. 

ZFC has conducted over 100,000 km’s of machine controlled longevity testing in-conjunction with outright chain efficiency data from Ceramic Speed test labs (and where possible a bunch of field testing) to bring the most up to date object test information to ascertain a) What products should ZFC stock and what we should not, and b) provide detail information to help guide what product selection is right for you. If you already know what chain you need / want – select away. For the best independent information on chains available, refer to detail in product description below.

SKU: 12SPEED Categories: , Tags: ,

** Note for Full Race Optimisation Prep see separate ZFC Fully Optimised Race Chain product here ***

***Click Here for Important 12 Speed chain compatibility and information***

SRAM

Sram Eagle and AXS Eagle are an 11/128 standard chain, same as 10 & 11spd chains, they are just EXTERNALLY thinner.

Sram AXS Road or “Flat Top” chains are a completely different standard. They are internally and externally thinner vs 11/128 standard, and have oversize rollers.

This chain is not compatible with eagle, or any other 12spd systems.

If you run AXS road or flat top chain, all physical components that touch that chain must be Flat Top compatible. Ie – you cannot use an Eagle cassette, or mech.

A “Mullet” set up is one where Sram road / xplr drop bar shift levers are paired to sram Eagle mtb components. This is fine, however as they are eagle components – the chain needs to be eagle (11/128 standard), or other 11/128 standard chains such as YBN SLA 12spd.

Shimano 12spd chains are NOT compatible despite being 11/128 standard due to extended inner plate links as part of their hyperglide + shifting system.

IT IS possible – and has been field tested by many – to run a YBN SLA 12 or KMC 12 chain on sram axs Flat top systems – despite these chains being a completely different standard – however at this time ZFC advice would be to be EXTREMELY careful. As the chain ring and cassette is machined for a thinner chain with larger rollers, to run a normal 11/128 standard chain – the components would appear to the chain to be very worn components. New chains on worn components can jump under load. Chains jumping under load can jump off chain ring / snap etc – and if you are in a stand up sprint when this happens, you are likely to experience a significant emotional event + injury.

YBN / KMC do claim compatibility with ALL 12spd systems including sram flat top. Sram claim you MUST run flat top chain. If you buy, and try, and crash or suffer damage – send your lawsuit to the place that claimed it was compatible, not ZFC. ZFC strongly advises against.

*There is a huge wear rate longevity jump from GX eagle to XO1 and XX1 eagle, GX are not worth the money, get X01. Similar with Rival to Force & Red level. The higher levels have HARDCHROME which is extremely wear resistant, lower levels do not and wear MUCH faster.

Shimano

Over time and further field testing – overall it is recommended for shimano 12spd to stay with shimano.

Due to extended inner link plates as part of hyperglide + shifting, this chain may have these plates rub on other systems cogs / ring that is not profiled for these links in the larger cogs = higher chain line angles.

There is a significant wear durability increase for Ultegra / XT & Dura Ace / XTR 12spd over shimano’s 11spd chains, however the efficiency losses have also increased. DA 11spd is one of the fastest chains in  the world, 12spd is notably slower. As such some choose to run either YBN or Campagnolo 12spd chains for lower losses, however you are giving up hyperglide + shifting and wear life durability vs shimano 12spd chains.

YBN

The YBN SLA is a great all round 12spd chain. It is a VASTLY faster chain for sram eagle systems (and very smooth) however at notably lower wear life – however still impressive if immersive waxing / top lubricant choice.

It is also a go fast upgrade for shimano 12spd systems again at cost of wear life vs Shimano, and also giving up hyperglide + shifting (it will still shift very well, just not hyperglide + which is the new benchmark yet again from shimano). It also enables you to get away from boring ol grey to have some colour in your life.

As per information in sram section – YBN claim compatibility with Sram Axs flat top system, however at this time ZFC recommends against as they are a completely different standard, and I would not like anyone to suffer a significant emotional event / injury as I believe there may be an increased risk of chain jumping under load due to being a completely different standard (it is wider internally, externally and with much smaller rollers vs Flat top system. Sram advises MUST RUN flat top chain if you are on flat top compatible components). If you do run and crash / damage – send your claims direct to YBN.

Campagnolo

The Campagnolo super record 12spd chain is blisteringly fast, but has about 50% lesser wear life vs Record 11spd chain. Being 11/128 standard chain it is compatible to run on campy 12, as well as shimano (giving up hyperglide + shifting) and sram Eagle (not axs road flat top / xplr flat top).

CHECK chain length! These chains are only 114 links long and may not be long enough for many eagle systems, nor some road systems with oversize pulley wheels and large chain rings.

They also do not come with master links – if you are waxing, refer to master link FAQ guide below;

https://zerofrictioncycling.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Master-Link-FAQ-Guide.pdf

Chain Speed vs wear life DATA

To help guide your purchasing decisions – pls find the best data consolidation of chain wear life and chain speed in the world below.

(*yes Force is faster than Red, yes X01 is faster than XX1, yes that is unusual*)

https://zerofrictioncycling.com.au/chaintesting/

Weight 0.33 kg
Dimensions 23 × 10.5 × 2.5 cm
Chain

YBN SLA Ti-N Silver, YBN SLA Ti-N Rainbow, YBN SLA Ti-N Black, YBN SLA Ti-N Gold, SRAM AXS UFO, SRAM AXS Road Red (114 Link), SRAM AXS Road Red Silver (120 Link), SRAM AXS Road Red Rainbow (120 Link), SRAM AXS Road Force (114 Link), SRAM AXS Road Force (120 Link), SRAM Eagle XX1 Rainbow, SRAM Eagle XX1 Black, SRAM Eagle XX1 Gold, SRAM Eagle XX1 Copper, SRAM Eagle X01 Silver, KMC x12 Eagle UFO, KMC x12 Eagle Gold, Shimano M9100 (116 Link), Shimano M9100 (126 Link), Shimano M9100 (138 Link), Shimano M8100 (126 Link), Shimano M8100 (116 Link), Campagnolo Super Record

Service

Ceramic Speed UFO, Fully Optimised Race Prep, Ultrasonic Clean & MSpeed Wax, Ultrasonic Clean & Silca Hot Melt Prep, Ultrasonic Clean and AbsoluteBlack Graphene Prep, US Clean Rex Black Diamond, US Clean + Rex BD + Race Day Drip Treatment, Rex Black Diamond Wax 4+1, None