One Piece Cassette Options on Shimano Drivetrain

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bpsmith

Veteran
Fed up with the noise on my Ultegra cassette, when riding on the sprockets that aren't part of the one piece spider that holds the lower gears together. They rattle, despite being properly fitted.

Interested in options for cassettes which are either machined from one piece or are actually held together. Experience of their use very welcome too.

A colleague told me about SRAM Red's new cassette, which does look amazing, but very expensive.

Can I assume the Shimano and SRAM cassettes are fully compatible for11 speed?
 

winjim

Straddle the line, discord and rhyme
 

Andrew_P

In between here and there
Yes they are compatible I have a Force cassette with Force Chain and Red everything else. and it doesn't rattle at all, surprised you say the ultegra does.
 
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bpsmith

Veteran
Yes they are compatible I have a Force cassette with Force Chain and Red everything else. and it doesn't rattle at all, surprised you say the ultegra does.
I am a tad anal over noises on the bike. Got mine set up so well now, that even tiny noises are noticeable when they appear. Other people may actually suggest the noise I have is normal, but it just so annoys me. As soon as I cross over to a sprocket that's connected, the noise stops!
 

raleighnut

Legendary Member
^^^^^^^ +1 They should all be locked together by the lockring (the clue is in the name). I've actually got a couple of cassettes where every cog and spacer is separate, this was done so that individual ratios could be 'tailored' to riders needs, but seems to only be on 'top-flight' kit (one is a rare Dura-Ace 8spd the other a Super Record 10)
 
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bpsmith

Veteran
Is the freehub body all chewed up? They shouldn't rattle so the fact that they do suggests something is wrong and it may be nothing to do with the cassette itself.
Have had the cassette apart and freehub is perfect condition.
 
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bpsmith

Veteran
^^^^^^^ +1 They should all be locked together by the lockring (the clue is in the name). I've actually got a couple of cassettes where every cog and spacer is separate, this was done so that individual ratios could be 'tailored' to riders needs, but seems to only be on 'top-flight' kit (one is a rare Dura-Ace 8spd the other a Super Record 10)
Er, yes, I think we know what the locking does. Mine is correctly tightened.

Perhaps rattle is not the right word. It's not loose in any sense. Perhaps a better description is that it sounds noisier in those gears with spacers between than those without.

I have changed the chain already, on 0.75%, but cassette looks fine. I think I might buy a new Ultegra cassette to test this out. If noise goes, then there's the fault. If it doesn't, then I have a spare in readiness for when it is needed.

The noise isn't huge, but shouldn't be there nonetheless.
 

raleighnut

Legendary Member
Er, yes, I think we know what the locking does. Mine is correctly tightened.

Perhaps rattle is not the right word. It's not loose in any sense. Perhaps a better description is that it sounds noisier in those gears with spacers between than those without.

I have changed the chain already, on 0.75%, but cassette looks fine. I think I might buy a new Ultegra cassette to test this out. If noise goes, then there's the fault. If it doesn't, then I have a spare in readiness for when it is needed.

The noise isn't huge, but shouldn't be there nonetheless.
Have a twiddle with the 'B' screw, that may quieten things down. Just remember how many turns you gave it so you can return it to where it was if it doesn't alter the clatter.
 
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bpsmith

Veteran
Have a twiddle with the 'B' screw, that may quieten things down. Just remember how many turns you gave it so you can return it to where it was if it doesn't alter the clatter.
The B screw has no effect on my bike for some reason. Posted about it before but didn't get anywhere tbh.

Have looked it up online before and believe that I am doing it right.

Any pointers, in case I have missed something?
 
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bpsmith

Veteran
Have a twiddle with the 'B' screw, that may quieten things down. Just remember how many turns you gave it so you can return it to where it was if it doesn't alter the clatter.
The B screw has no effect on my bike for some reason. Posted about it before but didn't get anywhere tbh.

Have looked it up online before and believe that I am doing it right.

Any pointers, in case I have missed something?
 

TheJDog

dingo's kidneys
I'm using an Ultegra cassette with SRAM red drivetrain, and they seem to be completely compatible. (I've not noticed the cassette being terribly noisy).

I'd be wary of even looking at a SRAM red cassette if it's noise you want to avoid. The new ones are supposed to be quieter, true, but the previous model OG cassette can make every gear change (and even just riding) sound like a bag of spanners. The newer ones have some rubber bands in there to dampen noise. They are fairly light, though.

I think Force cassettes are much like the Ultegra ones, with a single piece for 1-4 and the rest are separate, with spacers.
 
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bpsmith

Veteran
That's good to know @TheJDog, thanks.

I have borrowed a mates rear wheel with the same 11-28 Ultegra cassette fitted. Plan to swap it out and do some testing. The noise is so easy to recreate that it should prove if it's cassette or wheel related.

Roll on tomorrow afternoon for testing.
 
Whilst the lock-ring may be correctly tightened, is the serrated washer between the lock-ring & smallest sprocket missing??

My Ribble didn't when it arrived, & it took a couple of rides to figure out where the rattling noise was coming from. Once I'd installed one, from my bits-boxes, it was silent.

If it's not there, the cassette might not tight correctly, and/or work loose
 
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