Cheap vs Expensive Cassettes - Thoughts Please

[steve30]

My Specialized Turbo e-bike will soon be in need of new parts (again) and I'm just wondering what people's views are on cheaper vs more expensive parts.

It originally had a SunRace 11-speed cassette and a KMC chain, which lasted me about 18 months (probably about 5000 miles). I swapped those for an ebay special 11-speed cassette and an inexpensive KMC-manufactured chain from Decathlon. These have also lasted OK.

I stocked up on a few of the Decathlon chains as they were quite a good price. But I'm just wondering about their cassettes. They have some 11-sp cassettes for about £25 as well as Shimano ones for £45. If anyone has used these, are they decent?

On one hand I don't mind spending more for better quality longer lasting parts since its an ebike which gets a lot of use, but it also gets typical winter dirt which sits there for weeks [months] before I get round to cleaning it properly which I'm sure doesn't help with the longevity.

Oh, and I need a new [better] front chainring and a new crank because the chain keeps falling off the chainring , and the crank is wobbly and feels like it will fall off at some point . </rant>

 

[N0bodyOfTheGoat]

Is your ebike mid motor or rear hub motor?

I think rear hub motors like my GT Bolt put less wear through the whole drivetrain compared to a mid drive.

 

[silva]

"Shimano" and "crank is wobbly" in a same text.
Run Baby Run!

Until a past, one would have said go expensive, in the end you win on work and bucks.
But it's since some years not that clear anymore.
Even a same brand and same model still doesn't suffice to judge, manufacturing date also matters.
A "fake" can perform better than a "real", if profit margin difference allows it.

So such questions became hard to answer.
Leaving the buy one, asap test it, and if thumbsup, asap buy a stock.
Which is what I do, not limited to bicycles.

Stocking up purely based on price has a risk equal in both directions.
Test Baby Test!

 

[fossyant]

He's back !

 

[Sharky]

crank is wobbly

In what way?
What sort of BB?
Chainring bolts tight?
Single or double chain rings?

 

[Ajax Bay]

gets typical winter dirt which sits there for weeks [months]

Why does your bike sit dirty for months? Is this a conscious decision?
I recommend branded cassettes - SRAM or Shimano - rather than "e-bay specials". Consider what the lowest gear you need is and if you can manage with a longer one, cassettes without a dinner plate will be a lot cheaper.
Is it SRAM PG-1130, 11-42 tooth, 11-speed?
Thank your lucky stars you haven't got a 12sp.
To assist our helpful friend, please share the make of chainset currently installed. Is it Praxis? Assume 32t chainring.

 

[Jameshow]

Why does your bike sit dirty for months? Is this a conscious decision?
I recommend branded cassettes - SRAM or Shimano - rather than "e-bay specials". Consider what the lowest gear you need is and if you can manage with a longer one, cassettes without a dinner plate will be a lot cheaper.
Is it SRAM PG-1130, 11-42 tooth, 11-speed?
Thank your lucky stars you haven't got a 12sp.
To assist our helpful friend, please share the make of chainset currently installed. Is it Praxis? Assume 32t chainring.

Cause we're human!!🤣😭

 

[midlandsgrimpeur]

IME, more expensive components do seem to last quite a bit longer. I had a Dura Ace 11 speed cassette and crankset, the cranks were still in great nick after 5 years and circa 50,000km. The cassette lasted 3 and a bit years with 000's of km on it. I have 105 12 speed on another bike. For the same mileage, cassette lasts about 8-10 months and chainrings around 18 months. The price difference is huge, but the longevity of DA is far greater.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

He's back !

 

[Ajax Bay]

an ebike which gets a lot of use, but it also gets typical winter dirt which sits there for weeks [months] before I get round to cleaning it properly

Why does your bike sit dirty for months? Is this a conscious decision?

Cause we're human!!🤣😭

If you ride and e-MTB through the winter and it gets "a lot of use" and accumulates "typical winter dirt", it has to be a conscious decision to NOT clean it properly, even occasionally. Don't think you can blame this on the human condition.
A dirty chain/sprockets will increase the rate of wear.
Maybe "properly" is doing some heavy lifting.

 

[Tom B]

My commuter bike gets dirty through winter and stays dirty. I don't clean it properly and resign myself to changing the chain and cassette in spring.

Simply because it's used 6days a week and when the weather is grottiest, coldest, the roads are wet grubby and salty I don't fancy cleaning it daily outside in sub zero temps in the dark. Besides the kids usually want their tea. It gets a mickle weeklyish and a squirt of lube dailyish.

It's a bike not an ornament.


Anyway back on topic. I find Shimano cassettes are best form durability and sweetness of use, but I bought a bunch of microshift cassettes cheap so use them without much complaint. I always use KMC chains.

 

[SteveH80]

I had the Specialized, chainring and falling chain experience when I got my e-bike. The answer was to ditch the wave pattern chainring and put on a wide/narrow one.

 

[steve30]

OK, I completely forgot to read/reply to my own thread for some reason.

The e-bike gets dirty because it gets used frequently and gets shoved in a garage with no space and I only tend to get the opportunity to clean or repair it on alternate Sundays. I'm going to try and put more effort in to keeping it clean in the future.

I was getting a bit confused over cassette pricing as I was mixing up the e-bike ones with my road bike ones. The e-bike has a much wider range (11-42 ish) and is hence more expensive. I got a Shimano Deore one this time for about the same price as my ebay special.

The wobbly crank is a Praxis M30 type, and it seems that these becoming wobbly over time is a common problem. I managed to get a direct replacement from Certini, but it seems that the splines on the spindle are slightly worn as well (albeit not too badly), so I might have to get some adhesive to deal with that long term. Looks like you can get aftermarket replacement cranks from Praxis for these Specialized SL motors but it may be pot luck as to what sizes you can get.

The chainring which is a bit worn out and regularly drops the chain (even when fitted the right way round) is a Praxis Wave 44T.

It seems you need a lot of good luck to find a 44T (or similar) single speed narrow wide chainring. But China came to the rescue: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/153219632231. Its not particularly safety critical so I thought I'd give a cheap chinese one a go. Lets see how well I get on.

 

[SteveH80]

Don't forget the nuts and bolts for the new chainring.

 

[rogerzilla]

You're paying extra for lighter weight as you go up the Shimano range. The cheaper ones like Alivio are fine. Cassettes should last 3 chains if you change the chain at 1/16" per foot elongation.