Alternative cassette for 12s SRAM AXS flattop chain

[SZDW]

Any ideas/suggestions that there is something worth of buying in 1/2 or 1/4 price of the 12s SRAM AXS damn expensive cassette?
I've heard that tha cog spacing is a little bit different than regular and it is not working buttery smooth.

[Daviddavieboy]

Any ideas/suggestions that there is something worth of buying in 1/2 or 1/4 price of the 12s SRAM AXS damn expensive cassette?
I've heard that tha cog spacing is a little bit different than regular and it is not working buttery smooth.

I did a little experimenting with my 12 speed road SRAM setup.

 Shimano chain and everything else SRAM and found it noisy and shifting was OK at best.
 Shimano cassette with the rest SRAM is quite good but only if trimmed gearing near the middle of the cassette.
 Shimano chain+cassette shifting was better but still a bit noisy.
 Shimano chain/derailleur + changing out the derailleur pully wheels made the most difference. Shifting was great and noticeably quieter.

 

 I am using a Shimano cassette on my trainer but have gone back to full SRAM on the bike as I picked up a 10-36 SRAM cassette at a local shop for $150 and the Rival flat top chains are just as cheap locally as the KMC Shimano are on Aliexpress.

 I am swapping in a re waxed chain every 500-800 km to get the most life out of the parts.

 I have tried all the above scenarios for a couple weeks each except for the Shimano chain alone as I was not happy with it.

[jfcb]

search for XDR 12 speed cassette on aliexpress. I use the goldix 10-33t  and it shifts similar like a force cassette. It's also very durable. I had to use it with  a flattop chain though for optimal shifting conditions. 
Strange thing I notice, on my gravel bike I use the aliexpress 10-44T casettes and there it works perfect with a shimano chain.
i.e. https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005005981411703.html

[ejump0]

Shimano chain and everything else SRAM and found it noisy and shifting was OK at best.
 Shimano cassette with the rest SRAM is quite good but only if trimmed gearing near the middle of the cassette.
 Shimano chain+cassette shifting was better but still a bit noisy.
 Shimano chain/derailleur + changing out the derailleur pully wheels made the most difference. Shifting was great and noticeably quieter.

slight off topic.
im considering a mix setup for my tribike.
if im going Rival etap xplr 12sp(with blips) + x12 kmc chain + 11-36shimano cassette + PassQuest chainring bcd110(shimano), this will work, but works even better if i swap the jockeys to shimano profile?
sounds like a plan

[Daviddavieboy]

this will work, but works even better if i swap the jockeys to shimano profile?
sounds like a plan

 I have no experience with the older ETAP system as I am using the Force AXS derailleur. The newer AXS works with the 36t cassette and has the larger pully profile. Not sure if the older ETAP derailleurs are the same.

[stalkersk]

slight off topic.
im considering a mix setup for my tribike.
if im going Rival etap xplr 12sp(with blips) + x12 kmc chain + 11-36shimano cassette + PassQuest chainring bcd110(shimano), this will work, but works even better if i swap the jockeys to shimano profile?
sounds like a plan

I have used xplr with rotor 11-39 cassette and by my experience the KMC chain was bad, Sram perfomed much better so in your case, I would go for shimano chain. No need to change jockey wheels.