Cassettes

[bennydorano]

I (quite foolishly now it appears) got my LBS to change my cassette from a 12-25 to an 11-23, since that the shifting has been woeful, on top of this I've a very ropey knee atm and could do with the bigger rings again, before I go back to the LBS with my tail between my legs I want to check is it a job i could do myself?

Does the tool come with the cassette (ordered from Evans most likely)? I would be in the notion of changing it myself as judging from current performance I doubt there was much altering done gear wise when the cassette was changed in the first place.

 

[Smokin Joe]

You need a lockring removal tool (which one depends on whether you are on Campag or some other stuff) and a chainwhip. The job is dead easy, use the chainwhip to hold the sprockets while you undo the lockring and viola.

Loads of videos on Youtube.

 

[HLaB]

I (quite foolishly now it appears) got my LBS to change my cassette from a 12-25 to an 11-23, since that the shifting has been woeful, on top of this I've a very ropey knee atm and could do with the bigger rings again, before I go back to the LBS with my tail between my legs I want to check is it a job i could do myself?

Does the tool come with the cassette (ordered from Evans most likely)? I would be in the notion of changing it myself as judging from current performance I doubt there was much altering done gear wise when the cassette was changed in the first place.

Shifting shouldn't be ropey if it is the lbs have mucked up.

The need for a larger cassette however,

The actual job is easy enough you just need a Lockring tool (campy or Shimano), a large spanner to turn this and a chainwhip to hold the cassette whilst you do so. You need to buy the tools separately from the cassette though. The Bicyle Tutor web site gives a quite good description/ video.
If the shifting is still ropey you may need to adjust the tension of your gear cables after.

 

[661-Pete]

What the others said. Be prepared to give it some welly, especially if the shop have gone OTT in tightening it! And wear gloves. Tooth-shaped chunks gouged out of the flesh of your hands are not nice! I have a makeshift chain whip made out of a length of old chain clamped in the jaws of a mole grip, but failing that, get a proper chain whip.

One point: did you replace the chain at the same time as the cassette? If either is a bit worn, you usually have to. And if you go back to an old, worn cassette, you may have to go back to the old, worn chain. Mix'n'match here usually doesn't work.

 

[Cubist]

You need a lockring removal tool (which one depends on whether you are on Campag or some other stuff) and a chainwhip. The job is dead easy, use the chainwhip to hold the sprockets while you undo the lockring and viola.

Loads of videos on Youtube.

Is that the one next to the banjo Joe?

 

[Smokin Joe]

Is that the one next to the banjo Joe?

shoot, I meant to post that In Friday night is music night

 

[bennydorano]

Cheers folks, on this occasion I think I'll go back to the LBS as by the time I buy everything I'll be out a chunk of change. Going to invest in a proper toolkit shortly thou

 

[Alembicbassman]

Try this tutorial

and buy the dude a coffee, he looks tired.

http://bicycletutor.com/replace-cassette-cluster/

 

[Zoiders]

The one thing you havent mentioned is if you changed the chain at the same time.

If the cassette and chain had more than a few thousand miles on them then you need to change them both at once, they wear together you see and you cant just drop a new chain or casstte into the mix and expect it all to mesh together.

 

[bennydorano]

Only bought last it September, changed the Casette October time I think, chain would have been fine.

Took a half day today and went for a spin in the sunshine, christ the shifting (on rear) was annoying. The trouble seems to be when I'm on the big front ring, when in the middle ring (triple obv) it's 100% and it's only shifting down, shifting up is fine on any front ring. Maybe I'm just a bollix?

 

[nickb]

Just a thought: the cassette does have the correct number of sprockets doesn't it?