recommended cassettes??

[puffinbilly]

Hi we've got a Carrera Gryphon as one of our bikes - looking to use it to hit some serious hills in Lake District -I'm trying to find out if I can put a HG50 cassette 11-34 on it. Will it need a longer cage or just simply swap the cassette? Hoping @snakey_75 will be able to advise-did you use other Gryphon components or just the frame?

 

[Stephen C]

I had an HG50 8-speed (12-25) on my road bike, and it lasted well over 5500 miles of all year commuting. I've since changed to a 13-23 which is more suited to the rolling flats of Cambridgeshire as it gives me more choice in the mid-range gears, the replacement only cost me £25 (chain and cassette).

 

[jack smith]

Hi we've got a Carrera Gryphon as one of our bikes - looking to use it to hit some serious hills in Lake District -I'm trying to find out if I can put a HG50 cassette 11-34 on it. Will it need a longer cage or just simply swap the cassette? Hoping @snakey_75 will be able to advise-did you use other Gryphon components or just the frame?

you should be fine, just dont stick it in the extremities or you may be facing problems, but you shouldnt be on the big ring on the largest cog anyway

 

[LutherB]

Cassette lifetime will depend on what you do with your chain. Maintain it well and replace it before it gets too worn and your cassette will last for ages....

Can you explain why please Patrick? I took my bike in to LBS for a service yesterday, they checked the chain and it was badly stretched, and i was told i'd need a new cassette too. I trust them but not knowing what signs of damage show on the cassette that makes them needing replacing, I have to take their word for it. The teeth looked fine to me, none broken or badly worn that i could see.

 

[uclown2002]

Some shops just recommend a cassette change with a new chain as it'll work. The more stretched the chain is the more likely a new cassette will be needed. I find if I replace my chain @ 0.75% wear I usually don't need a new cassette until the chain wears for the second time. I've not got more than 2 chains per cassette but others can get 3 chains out of it.

 

[LutherB]

Some shops just recommend a cassette change with a new chain as it'll work. The more stretched the chain is the more likely a new cassette will be needed. I find if I replace my chain @ 0.75% wear I usually don't need a new cassette until the chain wears for the second time. I've not got more than 2 chains per cassette but others can get 3 chains out of it.

Thanks for the info!

 

[Christopher]

I do what uclown does but don't replace the cassette until a new chain skips on it. Don't think I have ever gotten more than 3 chains worth of wear out of a cassette though. Even then I break up the old cassette for the spacers...

 

[PatrickPending]

Can you explain why please Patrick? I took my bike in to LBS for a service yesterday, they checked the chain and it was badly stretched, and i was told i'd need a new cassette too. I trust them but not knowing what signs of damage show on the cassette that makes them needing replacing, I have to take their word for it. The teeth looked fine to me, none broken or badly worn that i could see.

What happens is with a new chain and a worn cassette is that the chain may skip when you put pressure on the cranks. Normally in your most used gear - you can still ride like this but it will be annoying and probably lead to your chain becoming worn more quickly. So there are 2 schools of thought - run the chain to death and replace the whole transmission, or replace regularly....oh you can also do things such as rotate a number of chains on your bike so that you have a number of chains with the same amount of wear which will match your drive train. I tend to replace early enough so the cassette doesn't get too worn.

Hope this makes sense!

oh and spotting wear isn't always that easy, but it sounds like the shop gave the correct advice

 

[LutherB]

What happens is with a new chain and a worn cassette is that the chain may skip when you put pressure on the cranks. Normally in your most used gear - you can still ride like this but it will be annoying and probably lead to your chain becoming worn more quickly. So there are 2 schools of thought - run the chain to death and replace the whole transmission, or replace regularly....oh you can also do things such as rotate a number of chains on your bike so that you have a number of chains with the same amount of wear which will match your drive train. I tend to replace early enough so the cassette doesn't get too worn.

Hope this makes sense!

oh and spotting wear isn't always that easy, but it sounds like the shop gave the correct advice

Thanks, it does make sense. I picked up the bike and it's riding like new, changing the gears feels tighter and sharper.

 

[uclown2002]

Did you get new cassette too or just a chain?

 

[LutherB]

Did you get new cassette too or just a chain?

I got both - the bike was in for a full wash & service, bar tape, brakepads & pedals replaced, so seemed a good idea to get everything sorted at the same time. Bike feels like new again!