New roadbike. Poor cassette quality control?

Asked by: Daniel Baggett

How do I choose a new cassette on my road bike?

The rule of thumb for choosing the right bike cassette is that the closer the number of “teeth” from the largest and the smallest cogs, the smaller the variation between gears, which ensures a smooth gear change.

Is more teeth better on cassette?

If you ride a lot of hills or struggle with hill climbing, a cassette with a lower ratio largest sprocket (27 or more teeth) may be beneficial. It will allow you to keep spinning for longer, rather than grinding. When selecting a cassette for your road bike, ensure your derailleur can accommodate the largest sprocket.

Do I need a new derailleur if I get a bigger cassette?

You’ll have bigger jumps between the gears, but you’ll have a bigger range of gears. With a wider range cassette, you may need a new rear derailleur with a longer cage.

How long does a cassette last on a road bike?

Very Roughly: bike cassette can last between 4000 to 6000 miles, and some can last up to 10,000 miles, an equivalent of 3 to 4 chains, it depends on the quality of the cassette itself, maintenance, and riding conditions.

What cassette do pro cyclists use?

The most common cassette size used in the peloton is an 11-28t. That is positively humongous compared to the 11-21t cassette that was common a few decades ago when you’d be lucky if you got an 11-23t for the mountains. Since Shimano went to 11-speed though, the 11-28t cassette has become popular.

What cassette is best for climbing?

All other things being equal, the 34T sprocket on the 11-34T cassette is going to give you the easiest gear. If your bike is currently fitted with an 11-28T cassette, switching to an 11-34T cassette will make climbing less of a struggle.

Is 11/32 cassette Good for hills?

Most riders can get away with a compact chainset 50 / 34 and an 11 – 32 cassette for their steepest hills. Many touring bikes and tandems still use triple chainsets, but they often have heavier loads to haul.

Is a 11/28 cassette Good for hills?

When you have built up your leg muscles and are powering up most hills, swap a lower range cassette, such as an 11-28, back in. You don’t need to do this if you are a frequent cyclist, young, with strong legs, fitter than average, or if you live in a flat place with no hills.

Do the teeth matter on the cassette?

The tooth count does not matter, but the cassette on the trainer may be in slightly different position in relation to the derailleur than the cassette on your wheel. This is true even if they were the exact same cassette.

Is a 7 speed bike good for hills?

The 7-speed bike is made for flat ground terrain and you can conquer good amount of incline. The 7-speed bike is great all-around bike. It has low enough gear to go up a pretty steep incline and also has a high gear to go pretty fast.

Do I need to change my chain when I change my cassette?

You should change your chain at the same time as the cassette and/or chainset. “A worn chain on a new cassette or chainrings will only accelerate the wear,” says Chris McKenney.

Can I use a SRAM cassette with Shimano derailleur?

Buyers are free to use a SRAM chain and cassette with their Shimano groupset, and vice versa, just as a SRAM chain can be paired with a Shimano cassette, and vice versa. SRAM’s cassettes and chains are compatible with all of Shimano’s groupsets, and vice versa.

What gear ratio is best for uphill?

You will need even lower gear ratios for steep hills that are 8% or more. The most preferred gear ratios on such tracks are 50/34, 40/34, 36/40, 34/36, 34/32, 34/30, and 32/20. However, remember that using gears with such a low ratio will cause you to pedal more, but it will require less effort.

Which gear is best for cycling uphill?

Low Gear = Easy = Good for Climbing: The “low” gear on your bike is the smallest chain ring in the front and the largest cog on your cassette (rear gears). In this position, the pedaling will be the easiest and you’ll be able to pedal uphill with the smallest amount of resistance.

What is the best gear ratio for road bike?

Most new endurance and entry level road bikes are specced with 50/34 chainsets, racing bikes with 52/36, and time trial bikes with 53/39. This is good news for most riders as the gearing corresponds to the type of riding for which the bike is intended.

How do I know what cassette to get?

Quote from video: It may be time to replace the cassette an old trick to estimate cog wear is to pull the rear brake. And then push down on the pedals.

How do I know what size cassette to get?

Quote from video: All comes down to gearing. So to make it simple the numbers indicate the smallest. And the largest number of teeth.

How often should bike cassette be replaced?

4,000 to 6,000 miles

Most bike mechanics recommend replacing the cassette after 4,000 to 6,000 miles. I typically replace mine every season or every other season, depending on how often and how hard I’ve been riding that particular bike.

When should I replace my cassette on my road bike?

“The easiest way to determine if your cassette is worn out is to install a new chain. If the chain skips under pedalling load then it’s time for a new cassette.

Do I need a new chain with a new cassette?

Most chain manufacturers recommend that their chains are replaced when they have elongated by 0.75%. Because the chain wears slightly faster than the cassette, this is the point where you can usually just replace the chain (and not the cassette) if both were new to start with.

How long do Chainsets last?

Chains can last and last and last. I had one still in use at 7,500miles, but I looked after it to get it that far. Most folk seem to discard chains at about the 2,000 to 3,000miles mark. Perhaps your chain cleaning regime isn’t too good, as chainsets can seemingly last forever.