Shimano Cassettes

[blackgoff]

Can anyone recall when it was possible to the spit and join of their cassette sprockets, thus customise them, brilliantly!

 

[Ajax Bay]

Sheldon gives good information:

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/k7.html#custom

 

[Ajax Bay]

You might find this link useful too (as well as calculating %age changes it has a drop down list of all manufactured cassettes):

Here is 34-50, 12-25, where the jump is expressed as 'Gear Step %'.
http://www.gear-calculator.com/?GR=...16,17,19,21,23,25&UF=2125&TF=90&SL=2.6&UN=KMH

Edit: Looking at the jumps separately for each chainring
http://www.gear-calculator.com/?GR=...16,17,19,21,23,25&UF=2125&TF=90&SL=2.6&UN=KMH
http://www.gear-calculator.com/?GR=...16,17,19,21,23,25&UF=2125&TF=90&SL=2.6&UN=KMH

 

[fossyant]

8 speed - all sprockets can be interchanged and split.

 

[fossyant]

Some other's have a number of sprockets on carriers.

 

[Racing roadkill]

My 105 and Ultegra cassettes have the three largest sprockets bolted together, the others are interchangeable.

 

[winjim]

Some places will still make you a custom cassette but tbh, with 11 sprockets these days is there any need?

 

[raleighnut]

I've got a feeling you need to go to Dura-ace to get fully independent sprockets, time was you could see a rack with a full set of all available sizes.

 

[Cubist]

I have two 10 speed XT cassettes fitted with expander cogs, one 11 - 36 with a 42 and the other 11 to 34 with 40 . The 15 and 17t have both been swapped for 16 cogs on each cassette.

 

[Nigelnaturist]

So can 9sp, though the spacers are bit brittle. Whats more as an 8sp sprockets is 1.8mm wide and a 9sp 1.78mm wide, you can use an 8 on a 9 and vice-versa.

Measurements in mm, you can its really the spacer that makes the difference between 8 and 9 speed.

 

[andrew_s]

The last time true mix and match was possible on Shimano cassettes was with Uniglide, which must be 20 years ago by now.
All you needed was the right number of sprockets and the appropriate thickness of spacer (for 6/7/8 speed). You could even turn the sprockets round when one side was worn.

Hyperglide sprockets (as current) have ramps and gates and things that must be aligned with the adjacent sprockets for good shifting. You'll see code letters after the spocket size (eg 15au), and there are tables that show what works next to what. You are at the mercy of what Shimano choose to make, which is what they use on their own cassettes, so you may find what's needed, or you may not.
You can of course ignore matching the sprockets, but shifting will suffer.

Loose sprockets are available from Rose - go to "cassettes" and sort by cheapest first to see what's available.
I think that's 9, 10 and 11-speed up to 18 or 19T, after which it's groups of 2 or 3 sprockets on carriers.

 

[Blue Hills]

8 speed - all sprockets can be interchanged and split.

On all cassettes?

I've recently started using 8 speed (I know - mad fashion victim that I am) and never noticed. Does it involve massive nerdy fettling/shed work?

 

[Blue Hills]

Some places will still make you a custom cassette but tbh, with 11 sprockets these days is there any need?

yes, so that you can chuck at least two away

 

[fossyant]

On all cassettes?

I've recently started using 8 speed (I know - mad fashion victim that I am) and never noticed. Does it involve massive nerdy fettling/shed work?

Yep, there is usually a bolt or three with a hex socket on. Even SRAM have these.

 

[Blue Hills]

Thanks for the reply. I suppose the sad truth though is that with full cassettes often available cheap on discount it is usually easier and maybe more economical to just replace the whole thing. I do though wish you could buy bags of shimanos 11T sprocket which is i think usually loose and of course wears quickly on a low gear bike. clarification re my move to 8 speed - it is a converted 7, now my favourite bike. I have long had 9 speeds - have no intention of going any higher unless the bods of obsolescence force me.