Cycling UK Forum

I have a Marin Larkspur with an HG30 11 – 32 cassette. After about 12- 1300 miles I have just had to change the chain at 0.75% wear (knew nothing about all this stuff a year ago so thanks to this forum!) and noticed that some of the teeth on the cassette looked worn so I am looking at replacing that as well. Interestingly the wear is only apparent on 3 or 4 teeth on 3 or so of the rings – is this normal? I accept only some of the rings would be worn ( I won’t admit to which ones!) but I would have thought the teeth would wear consistently on those rings?

I will stick with 8 speed and can get an replacement HG30 on Ebay ( none of the usual suspects still stock them) for about a tenner delivered. Or would I be better upgrading to another 11-32 or even 11-34 cassette and perhaps get a longer life out of it?

Firstly try the old one & see if it skips with a new chain - after that sort of mileage it may not, mine go about 1400 without serious damage on a 9 speed.
The cogs which wear are the smallest and the ones which are used most, so altering the size of the largest sprocket shouldn't make any difference, the larger ones already have enough teeth to share the wear & slow down the rate of deterioration.
Spa were still selling 8 speed stuff last time I looked at their ads.

I'm betting that the 3 or 4 cogs that you say are worn, arent. Wear would be apparent on all cog teeth, not just some.

Some shimano cassettes have three or four teeth that look worn (they are smaller profiled) to aid shifting. So before you replace, get it checked out.

My first thought was are you looking at the ramps that aid shifting on a hyperglide cassette.

Pictured here; http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/c ... loseUp.jpg

Thanks - so the 'wear' looks like a design feature. So when I do have to change it, any thoughts - stay with the HG30 or 'upgrade'? I can get 2 HG30s for about £19!

If you're happy & can get the spares then fine. I only went 9 speed 'cos the sources of decent 6 speed kit had dried up!

I have bikes with 8sp and 9sp and the 8sp's tend to be easier to set up and keep in adjustment as the 9sp works to finer tolerances.!0sp set up's are even more pernickity!
Why do we have the constant need to increase the numbers of gears -ask the marketeers!!

You can still get decent 8sp cassetes if you look around eg.Parkers mail order or Settle cycles.

ricardolamos wrote:I!0sp set up's are even more pernickity!

My 10sp is anything but pernickity! It's the smoothest, must accurate, most easy-changing, most regular system that I have ever had.

Mine too - and it's a frankenbike set up with Campag, SRAM & Shimano sorted out by a Shiftmate.

Mick F wrote:

ricardolamos wrote:I!0sp set up's are even more pernickity!

My 10sp is anything but pernickity! It's the smoothest, must accurate, most easy-changing, most regular system that I have ever had.

possibly correct .... but, its new and regularly cleaned. Lets have a review after a couple of years of once-every-three-months cleaning and see if it still works like new. My 6 speed stuff does!

Yeah, no doubt you're right, Pigman.

Same goes for anything more complicated or with finer tolerances. The more "agricultural" and basic, the less fuss and maintenance is needed. That's the beauty of a fixie!

My 10 speed bike has survived for the last few years without the type of rigorous cleaning routine that MickF employs, and so has my 9 speed one which I have used extensively since last July.

Is there anything wrong with having more gears than we had in years gone by and what is wrong with the manufacturers supplying them?

Pedant coming here, I ride 'fixed' not 'fixie'.

ianr1950 wrote: Is there anything wrong with having more gears than we had in years gone by and what is wrong with the manufacturers supplying them?

I've never seen anybody ask 'Where will it end?'

My other half has been running Campy Mirage/Veloce 9 speed on his Ribble alu/carbon hack for the past 5+ years of 60 mile per week commuting. All he ever does to it is wipe the chain and re-lube and it has been completely trouble free. He is ready for a new cassette and chain though but he might just end up waiting a few more months and replacing the whole bike as the frame is getting a bit tired. £200 carbon fork has help up admirably though.

I remember when 9 speed emerged it was greeted with just as much suspicion as 10 speed, seems to hold up well though.

ianr1950 wrote:Is there anything wrong with having more gears than we had in years gone by and what is wrong with the manufacturers supplying them?

in principle, nothing wrong with it. Improved technology is great .. for those who want or need it. Where it goes wrong is where its forced on everyone. Im quite happy with a 5 or 6 block for my pubber/commuter, where performance is less important than reliability and ease of maintenance. But parts are getting increasingly harder to source.

ianr1950 wrote:Pedant coming here, I ride 'fixed' not 'fixie'.

yeah .. the term is "fixed". "fixie" is for those that ride it purely as some sort of "modern retro" fashion