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The cassette on your bicycle can be found on the rear wheel and is a cluster of sprockets that are a part of the drivetrain. They slide onto the freehub, the ratchet system that controls the drive of your bicycle when you pedal, and can have anything from 5 to 12 ‘speeds’.
How do I know what cassette is on my bike?
If you have external gears, stand behind your bike and take a look at the right side of the rear wheel. There should be a cluster of gears on the right-hand side. This is your cassette. Count the number of gears (or steps) in the cassette.
What does an 11 32 cassette mean on a bike?
The rear cassette is 11 speed 11-32. This means there are 11 cogs ranging from 11 teeth up to 32 teeth (the exact cogs are 11/12/13/14/16/18/20/22/25/28/32).
What do bike cassette numbers mean?
Your cassette is an integral part of your bike’s drivetrain. A cassette may therefore be sized as 11-32t. The first number refers to the number of teeth on the smallest sprocket (the highest gear, for fast pedalling at speed) and the second number to the biggest sprocket (the lowest gear, for climbing hills).
What is the difference between a freewheel and a cassette?
What is the main difference between freewheel and cassette hub? The freewheel is a single-unit and the act of pedaling tightens the freewheel to the hub. Whereas the cassette hub is a set of gears (cogs) that slides onto a cassette and is held in place by a lock ring.
Can I put any cassette on my bike?
Yes, almost any bike is compatible with bigger cassettes, bike drivetrain is groupset of components that works in perfect harmony, any miss reconfiguring can break the perfect functionality of the system, parts that need to be changed and reconfigured when putting bigger cassette which is long-chain, wide cage.
How much is a cassette for a bike?
It cost anything between $20 and $150 to replace a bike cassette, depending on size and brand. There are a few high-end cassettes, nonetheless, that cost as much as $300 or more. Note that you’ll need to factor in the labor cost and the chain cost (if it’s worn out), each averaging $20.
Why are cassette teeth different?
Each sprocket has a different amount of teeth. A higher amount of teeth makes it easier to pedal than a low number and vice versa. Most road bikes come supplied with a 12–25T cassette, where the smallest sprocket has 12 teeth and the largest sprocked has 25 teeth.
Is an 11 34 cassette good for climbing?
All other things being equal, the 34T sprocket on the 11-34T cassette is going to give you the easiest gear. If your bike is currently fitted with an 11-28T cassette, switching to an 11-34T cassette will make climbing less of a struggle.
What gear should I use on a flat road?
For riding on flat roads, it is recommended to use the middle gear. It is a common choice among bikers as it helps you reduce pressure from your feet onto the pedals.
Are all Shimano cassettes compatible?
All Shimano and SRAM cassettes up to 10 speed are broadly compatible. They all use Shimano’s Hyperglide II freehub body spline pattern. Cassettes with the same number of sprockets have the same sprocket spacing, sprocket width and overall width.
How do I know what kind of cassette to buy?
The rule of thumb for choosing the right bike cassette is that the closer the number of “teeth” from the largest and the smallest cogs, the smaller the variation between gears, which ensures a smooth gear change.
What is an 11 34 cassette?
Switching the cassette to an 11-30 decreases the speed from 14.1 to 13.2 km/h and switching to an 11-34 decreases it to 11.6 km/h. These cassettes have the same 11 tooth small cog, so maximum speed is not affected. However, the 11-34 cassette has easier gearing in every combination except while in the 11 tooth cog.
How do I know if I have a thread or cassette?
Find the tool fitting on the sprocket set. Spin the sprockets backwards. If the fittings spin with the cogs, it is a cassette system with a freehub. If the tool fittings do not spin with the cogs, it is a threaded freewheel system.
What is a chainset on a bike?
The chainset is part of a bicycle drivetrain that connects your chain to the cassette at the rear of the bicycle. Attached to the chainset are of course your pedals. It may seem a relatively simple component, but it can have a big influence on your riding.
Can I change freewheel to cassette?
You cannot convert a freewheel hub to cassette. You need a new rear hub. What he said. You’ll have to either get a whole new rear wheel or buy a rear hub and spokes and have them re-laced to your current rim.
How long does a bike cassette last?
Very Roughly: bike cassette can last between 4000 to 6000 miles, and some can last up to 10,000 miles, an equivalent of 3 to 4 chains, it depends on the quality of the cassette itself, maintenance, and riding conditions.
How big of a cassette can I put on my bike?
The vast majority of road bikes come with a 12-25 cassette, which is suitable for most cycling terrain when paired with a compact or standard chainset. If you ride a lot of hills or struggle with hill climbing, a cassette with a lower ratio largest sprocket (27 or more teeth) may be beneficial.
How much does a bike shop charge to change a cassette?
The cost to replace a cassette or freewheel can range anywhere from $25 to upwards of $300 on high end bikes and chainrings can run anywhere from around $40 to $250 on high end bikes.
