Ease of cleaning.

[pwa]

I recently bought a new 9 speed cassette, just a like for like replacement due to wear. Except that instead of going for a budget option I went for a considerably more expensive Shimano XT, with its alloy carrier. I know cheaper options work almost as well on the bike, but having recently cleaned a cheaper one I decided to pay more because I know from experience that the XT is more open at the back, meaning that when I take it off the bike and get the white spirits out I can get an old toothbrush into more of those hard to get to places.

Would anyone else pay more for ease of cleaning, with this or any other component?

[Cyril Haearn]

How much more, in this case?

[Paulatic]

No I certainly wouldn’t. But, I would spray it from new with Flaer Guard http://flaer.com/guard/ Dirt will fall off when washing no matter what shape.

[pwa]

How much more, in this case?

I paid £59, which is about £20 more than I would have paid for a decent cassette that is less easy to clean. But it's not just the practicality of cleaning. It is the enjoyment of cleaning. I actually enjoy seeing the gunge come off the sprockets and those shiny surfaces emerge, and a cassette that has bigger gaps at the back is much nicer at cleaning time. I don't buy cassettes very often, so the extra cost over time is not a big deal.

[meic]

Paulatic:
Flaerguard costs £10 for the smallest 750cc container, so you have just paid £10 "more" for ease of cleaning.

I will pay more to avoid things that are irritatingly difficult to clean, I dont actually see any benefit in cleaning off dirt buried in the recesses of a cassette where it can not get onto your chain.
The XT style cassettes are no easier to clean when giving them a "flossing" on the bike than are other cassettes. Cleaning to the extent of flossing the cassette already puts me in the manic obsessive class of bike maintenance.

Something that came and went but I would like to have to avoid cleaning in the first place was the derailleur "boots" that came with some LX derailleurs (front and rear) over a decade ago.

[reohn2]

Having had both types(the XT one came on a bike I bought)I can't say either is anymore easier to clean,though the XT is the only cassette on which I've ever bent a sprocket.
My regeme for cleaning cassettes is,(with the chain removed) a 2inch paint brush dipped in Astonish degreaser and worked vigorously between the sprockets whilst the wheel is still on the bike,this way I can work behind and below the axle using the freewheeling action so the brush stays below the axle and bearings,I then hose off the degreased chain behind and below the wheel axle,the force of water from the hose causes the cassette to freewheel and centrifugal force spins the water and muck outward.I then give the cassette a good squirt of GT85 to chase out any remaining water.
This method done carefully is IME all that's needed for keeping a cassette perfectly clean

EDIT:- I paid £20 for 10ltr of Astonish degreased off EBay some years ago,it's very good stuff

[Mick F]

My regime to clean a cassette, is to take it off.

Most - if not all - of the cogs come apart with all the spacers too. Drop them in a wide dish and soak them in your favourite degreaser.
Use a stiff brush and a cloth, then wipe them dry. Refit them, and hey presto, a nice clean cassette to go with your nice clean chain.

[pwa]

Ah, my habit is to take the cassette off if I have already gone to the extent of taking the chain off. A chain that comes off gets dropped in a bath of white spirit. Then I unhitch the rear brake, pop the bike over, get the wheel out and a minute later the cassette is off and in another bath of white spirit. Bit of a shake, then an old toothbrush goes in to dislodge anything still hanging on. After cleaning I I leave it all to dry off to avoid new lube being contaminated with white spirit.

An open back on the cassette makes this much easier. From the back, on an XT, I can reach the inner surface of about 80 - 90% of the tooth area from the side, which is easier than flossing.

[Paulatic]

Metic said

Paulatic:
Flaerguard costs £10 for the smallest 750cc container, so you have just paid £10 "more" for ease of cleaning.

I suspect £10 is less than the difference in low and high cost cassettes and not a cost you’d shell out with every cassette.

A recent offer I got 5 litres with 2 free x 750 for £30 delivered. But, that’s by the by 3 squeezes of the spray, 10 pence, and the cassette is covered. I do whole bikes with the stuff, [i]made in Glasgow, [i] especially moving parts.

[flat tyre]

I might pay more for something that's easier to clean, but it wouldn't be one of my key criteria for weighing up the pros and cons of a possible purchase. Also, I'm not sure how you would know about the ease of cleaning before purchase unless you had previous experience of the product.
I just cleaned a well gunged up cassette by leaving it in a bucket of warm water with washing up liquid for a day, then going at it with a toothbrush. I was wondering whether to try cleaning it in the dishwasher, but Mrs FT hasn't been out of the house long enough for this!

[Sweep]

EDIT:- I paid £20 for 10ltr of Astonish degreased off EBay some years ago,it's very good stuff

Is this the stuff they describe as "engine degreaser?"

In truth I sort of have the impression that for bike purposes most degreasers are much of a muchness, so just get the cheapest, near cheapest. A fair impression folks?

[pwa]

https://www.performancebike.com/shop/sh ... te-50-6947

This looks like the cassette in question. Access for cleaning from the back is very good.

[reohn2]

EDIT:- I paid £20 for 10ltr of Astonish degreased off EBay some years ago,it's very good stuff

Is this the stuff they describe as "engine devreaser?"

In truth I sort of have the impression that for bike purposes most degreasers are much of a muchness, so just get the cheapest, near cheapest. A fair impression folks?

Yes it is sold as engine degreaser and is quite strong stuff too.
Like everything else in life the price has gone up but still not a bad price:- https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/6-x-Astonish ... SwU1NaxnvI

[Sweep]

EDIT:- I paid £20 for 10ltr of Astonish degreased off EBay some years ago,it's very good stuff

Is this the stuff they describe as "engine devreaser?"

In truth I sort of have the impression that for bike purposes most degreasers are much of a muchness, so just get the cheapest, near cheapest. A fair impression folks?

Yes it is sold as engine degreaser and is quite strong stuff too.
Like everything else in life the price has gone up but still not a bad price:- https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/6-x-Astonish ... SwU1NaxnvI

Thanks reohn.

Re its strength, do you take any special precautions for you or the bike?

I gather the likes of toolstation and screwfix are also a good source of degreaser.

[deliquium]

In order to 'make' custom 13-32 x 8 speed Shimano cassettes for all my bikes, I have to grind the rivets off to separate the cogs and spacers - so cleaning is an oh so simple doddle - just slide them off the freehub* and into whatever cleaning solution one prefers

*bearing in mind the plastic spacers are not all the exact some thickness, so best kept in order