A mountain bike cassette is just a collection of cogs that work together to create an array of gearing ways to allow you to pedal effectively without having to slam the pedals or be completely spun out depending on the terrain. Cassettes usually have a sequence of splines to help secure the connections between the cassette and the hub which is the component of your bike that converts pedalling effort into rear-wheel forward momentum. A threaded lockring normally holds the cassette in place just on the hub. Of course, not all cassettes are compatible with all bikes as well as drivetrains.
- Part 1: Introduction to Mountain Bike Cassettes
- Part 2: What Factors Should You Consider While Selecting A Cassette For One’s Bike
- Part 3: Are Mountain Bike Cassettes From Different Manufacturers Compatible With Each Other
- Part 4: Guide To Change Mtb Cassettes
- Part 5: What Does The Size Of A Bike Cassette Mean
- Part 6: What Is Really Important In mountain Bike Cassette
- Part 7: Conclusion
Part 1: Introduction to Mountain Bike Cassettes
A mountain bike cassette is a group of sprockets on your bike’s rear hub that slot into a freehub body and are kept in place by a connected cassette lockring. A standard cassette can have anywhere from five to thirteen sprockets, though most current bicycle drivetrains have 9, 10, or 11 sprockets. High-end groupsets, like SRAM AXS, SRAM Eagle, & Campagnolo’s latest Record as well as Super Record drivetrains, have recently featured cassettes with 12 shafts more regularly. Cassettes provide your chain with a wide range of gearing possibilities. The range of gear ratios allows you to change your pedalling cadence to maximize efficiency. Making a more “comfortable” gear bypassing your chain through a longer shaft (with more teeth). This reduces the torque required to drive the rear wheel, which is good for hills but means you have to pedal more rotations to go the same distance.
Running your wheel on a sprocket using fewer teeth maximises torque, which means you’ll have to pedal less frequently but harder. On a downhill stretch or sprint, this will allow you to maintain pushing power to your drivetrain without spinning out pedalling at an uncomfortably higher number of rotations). Having a wide range of gears on the cassette allows you to dial in the right amount of torque vs. pedal speed.
Part 2: What Factors Should You Consider While Selecting A Cassette For One’s Bike
At first sight, the variety of cassettes available may appear overwhelming. There are a variety of sprocket combinations to suit different tastes terrains, and disciplines. Cassettes for triathlon bikes, for example, are very different from those for mountain bikes. The spreading of gear on the cassette is the most important factor to consider. The narrower the tooth gap between the highest and lowest gears, the smoother the gear change. As a consequence, the gearing ratio is less appropriate for climbing and difficult terrain.
Cassettes For Mountain Bikes
Due to the vast range of grades seen on an off-road trail, mountain bike cassettes feature a bigger range of sprocket sizes.
Riding a level woodland trail and then tackling a hard technical climb necessitates a significant gear change. Mountain bike cassette sprocket sizes must be larger to do this, losing some smooth sharp shifting.
The emergence of 11, 12 and now even 13-speed cassettes was indeed a watershed moment in mountain biking. Having more sprockets allows the biggest gear to have more teeth, making impossible climbs simpler and reducing gear jumps. Mountain cyclists may ditch their triple chainsets, which incorporated the “granny ring” escape device.
Mountain cyclists, on the other hand, can use dual or single chainsets, which reduce weight, clutter and the frequency of maintenance problems. Cassettes for 10-speed mountain bikes are now available in sprocket ranges of 11-32, 11-34, 11-36, and 11-42.
The Shimano HG81 SLX 10 Speed Cassette is Wiggle’s best-selling 10-speed mountain bike cassette. Meanwhile, 11-speed mtb cassettes are available in even bigger sprocket ranges, such as 11-40, 10-42, and even 11-46, giving you even more gear ratio options. The Shimano-Deore XT M8000 Cassette is Wiggle’s bestselling 11-speed mtb cassette (11-46).
MTBs can also be equipped with 12-speed transmissions. The 10-45 and 10-51 Shimano 12 speed ratios are available. If you want to upgrade to 12-speed, you’ll almost certainly need to replace your freehub. SRAM 12 speed cassette can only be employed with the SC Freehub body, whereas Shimano 12 speed cassette can only be utilised with the Micro spline freehub body.
Part 3: Are Mountain Bike Cassettes From Different Manufacturers Compatible With Each Other
In rare cases, a cassette from a different manufacturer than the rest of the drivetrain is possible. SRAM and Shimano cassettes are interchangeable since the sprocket spacing is the same. How can I insert a new tape in my Campagnolo road cassette? Once you’ve chosen the right cassette for your bike, you’ll be glad to discover that installation is simple. In addition to the chain whips, a Shimano or Campagnolo specific removal tool, an adjustable spencer, and maybe gloves are necessary.
Part 4: Guide To Change Mtb Cassettes
After removing the back wheel, support the cassette with the chain whip and remove the lock ring using the removal tool and adjustable spanner. Replace the old cassette, then use the chain whip and a spanner to reattach the lock ring. Best Turbo Trainer Cassette Some cyclists utilize a turbo trainer with a specific cassette and chain. There are a number of causes behind this. To begin with, if you use a wheel-on trainer, you almost certainly have a specialized training tyre. Many riders carry a training wheel to avoid having to replace tyres every time they went for an indoor session.
A separate training cassette saves a lot of time with the spanners as well as swapping out the cassette. If you opt for this setup, it’s not a good idea to use your well-worn outdoor chains on the comparatively recent training cassette, as it will start gnashing its teeth. Many riders choose a dedicated turbo trainer tyre, wheel, cassette, & chain to keep things easy.
Because you won’t have to worry as much about weight, you’ll be able to choose more affordable versions. Direct drive instructors will frequently want a spare cassette that is compatible with their machine. In either case, you should select a cassette that best aids cadence training, as large mounting cassettes are not required. As a result, tighter cassettes such as 11-24 or 11-25, are more commonly used.
Part 5: What Does The Size Of A Bike Cassette Mean
1125 1128 or even 1140 – numbers signify gearing, so to put it simply the numbers reflect the minimum and greatest number of teeth. On an 11 28 for example, the smallest rocket has 11 teeth while the biggest sprocket has 28. The little sprocket is utilized for cranking speed, thus the fewer teeth on that small sprocket, the more power for cranking frequency.
To put it another way, the bigger sprocket is used for cranking speed, so the fewer teeth it has, the more power it has in flats and downhills. So I get a cassette with a tall little sprocket for speed and a large sprocket for climbing. This may work for you, but remember that a wide range in your cassette comes at a price.
The transitions between every gear become more noticeable and a little less smooth concern shift from one to the other. The best thing to remember is what kind of rider you are & what kind of situations you prefer if you really enjoy cranking it up hills but aren’t as strong as a climber the smartest way to keep in mind and what kind of rider you are as well as what kind of settings you prefer. That’s me on the left you can piss us off with a broader range when having 40 42 teeth are more important to you than having seamless transitions between gears.
On the other hand, if you just adore tuning in your frequency on those cross country rides, a smaller range might work out a little better. Choosing between 11:28 & 11:28 will enable you to fine-tune your speed as you switch between gears. Whichever option you pick, double-check with your local dealer to be confident your derailleur can fit the additional part.
Part 6: What Is Really Important In mountain Bike Cassette
When matching a cassette with a crank, the lowest ratio the highest ratio and the distance between ratios are all crucial factors to consider. Your struggling-to-get-to-the-top-of-this-damn-mountain gear has the lowest ratio. If you choose anything that isn’t low enough, you might have to walk your bike up. Lower ratios are indeed easier on the knees and less tiring on long climbs. The low ratio is by far the most crucial of the three factors to getting right.
Unless you’re racing, the high ratio of your super-speed gear is far less crucial. Aerodynamics allows you to tuck and cruise up steep hills at almost the same speed as pedalling. On the flats, unless you’re constantly going above 40 mph, a normal setup will suffice. So, what is the greatest option for me?
What you pick will be determined by the type of riding you undertake. Is it mostly flat? Choose a cassette with a limited range, such as a 12-23 12 teeth on the smallest 23 on the biggest. There are a few options for dealing with this problem. Users can use a triple crank and a cassette with a shorter range. It enables you to utilize a smaller large cog (narrower range) on the rear while preserving the same gear ratio. Then get two cassettes: one for major climbs and one for the rest of your rides.
Part 7: Conclusion
Your knowledge about mountain bike cassette compatibility, size, and functions should be complete now. You may also visit a local mtb cassette store to learn more about the finest cassette for your bike. A variety of cassettes is available in the market. The best suitable cassette will make your journey smooth. Have fun riding!
