Anyone wax a 12 speed SRAM AXS chain yet? Difference between Force AXS and Red AXS Chain?

Equipment
65

Probably late to the party, but a mate in my club is a swanny/mechanic on Pro Conti team. He was told specifically by SRAM to NOT use wax. Their tests came out very negative and potentially damaging. Other OEMs haven’t indicated one way or another.

Sample of 1 but he had no axe to grind.

66

90% of noise in AXS originated from cassette. Force AXS cassettes is crap. Bike with SRAM Red AXS. Waxed chain. Quiet on the road. I bought Force AXS (who cares of cassettes on trainers?) cassette for trainer … Oh! The noise is horrible. Replaced with Red AXS - all smooth and quiet.

67

I’ve been running axs force on my gravel bike since October. Moltens sped wax, drivetrain is quiet. I’m not very particular about drivetrain noise, but my force cassette has never been noisy in my opinion.

68

I have the same experience as Aleksandr_Dorofeev.

I also have a new SRAM Force drive train for a few weeks. Also noisy. Tried everything here. Tried Red chain, no difference.

Purchased Red cassette and it is silent now. Can’t explain this but the difference is quiet dramatic: something is going on.

I also tried swapping the Force/Red cassette on Tacx / bike and vv. Force cassette is noisy either way. Red is silent either way.

69

Has anyone tried a Ybn 12sla on AXS yet?

71

Thanks

So my only options are sram force or red

72

I have. It works well. I’m using Red AXS 10-28 cassette and 50/34 11-speed Red chainrings.
It is silent and shifts perfectly well, but as always the front derailleur doesn’t work for everyone.
I also have an AXS Force chain and the only slight difference that I see is the speed of the rear shifts. Just hair quicker with the AXS chain.

73

I recommend the YBN 12SLA for XX1 Setup… It’s lasting twice as long as the SRAM and KMC chains I had.

1 Like
74

Sorry I’m looking for something for red axs

75

I’ve got 2 Red and one force 12spd flat-top chains I run on my Madone Force AXS. Thus far they seem to be fine. The wax seems to wear out a bit faster than on my KMC 11 spd, and the Red may have a bit shorter wax life than the force, but not by a lot. I haven’t really tried to compare. I generally get about 300 miles on the road before swapping chains.

That said, I wax more frequently than “needed” because I really like a quiet drivetrain, so my mileage is likely less than what you can safely get.

-Tim

76

I wax my 11s every 200 miles, just hate extra noise.

77

It seems the consensus regarding noise is that the Force cassette is the cause … the Red cassette solves it.
But …

Cassette

  • I run 1x with the (original black) Force 10-36 cassette which is not available in Red
  • There is a 2021 version of the Force cassette. According to SRAM: “SRAM Force XG-1270 cassettes sold prior to 2021 have a black finish. In 2021, the design was updated to a nickel-chrome finish.” My question = does the 2021 cassette reduce the noise … ??
  • What non-SRAM cassettes can be used as an alternative. I have not found an XDR compatible cassette with ~10-36 gearing.

Chain

  • The PowerLink chain does not take wax very well. My very initial impression is that the Rival chain is more compatible with MSW than the Red chain. Adding Squirt lube does quiet the chain.
  • One of the chain friction sites notes that the finish on PowerLink chains does not take wax well. The ultimate solution is to use Shimano chain (which is low friction and takes wax very well) and gears, but SRAM shifting … this for MTB use.
  • are there any PowerLink chain alternatives??
    • I’ve tried the 12x YBN chain. It shifts fine, but the rollers seem to rock on the cassette teeth which is noisy and just can’t be good.
  • is there some processing I can do to my PowerLink chain to make it take wax better. Like pickling or running it dry or ??
78

Reading through this is surprising at least from my own experience and of a good riding buddy running an identical setup. Red AXS with Force Flattop chain and Rotor 50/38 chainrings. Every bit as quiet as anything I’ve ever run. I use Smoove for lube and never notice it getting any louder from a fresh application even 300-400 miles later.

79

Hi Henrik! It seems that these videos are now private. Do you mind making them public again? I’d like to compare the noise against my Force cassette. Thanks!

80

Try now!

man. 13. jun. 2022 kl. 19:14 skrev axva1663 via TrainerRoad Forum <notifications@trainerroad.discoursemail.com>:

81

Thanks! I can access the Force video, but not the Red one. Mind trying again for that one?

82

Apologies, it should be up now.

83

My red cassette and crank with a waxed force chain made less noise yesterday then buddies 11s shimano and he uses normal lube and as quite as friends 11s dura ace waxed