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Calling cycling (tech) experts - cassette 'play'


Utah 01

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Posted

I've searched google and searched Youtube but can find no definitive answer so............

The bike - a Vitus Razor Claris 2019 fitted with a Shimano 8-speed 11-28T cassette on a KT 130mm hub.

The mission - to replace the 11-28 with a 11-32 to help ease the hills. The Claris can take up to a 11-32 without any modifications (according to the Shimano data sheet).

After a massive effort to remove the 11-28 (another story) I fitted the 11-32 and gave it a road-test. Gear changing was fine, no strange noise so all was well - or so I thought. There is no wear or scoring on the hub itself.

After yesterday's outing I noticed some 'rattling' (over less than perfect tarmac, it's true but I hadn't picked up on it before the change) so had a look at the cassette afterwards.

The lock nut was firmly in place but behind the firmly secured 11T cog (which is the only separate gear in this set up (the other 7 cogs are connected as one), there was 'play' in that the cassette could move laterally (along the hub) by about 1mm and there was also general looseness around the entire hub but probably no more than 1mm.

I put the old cassette back on and to my surprise this one was 'loose' but perhaps not quite to the same degree.

It appears to me that the locking ring tightened against the 11T but just isn't compressing the 11T cog against the rest of the cassette and thus against it's rear stop on the hub as the lateral 'play' is between the main cassette and the 11T.

There was no spacer supplied with the new 11-32 cassette nor did one come off the 11-28 (as far as I can recall).

And so to the questions:

1. Is a degree of 'play' of the cassette on the hub normal and acceptable?
2. If so, how much?
3. If there shouldn't be any 'play' would a 1mm spacer be the answer to 'solidify' the 11T/rest of cassette combination.
4. Where would the spacer be best placed?

All advice and opinions will be very much appreciated.

Posted
7 hours ago, Utah 01 said:

All advice and opinions will be very much appreciated.

When your wife/girlfriend inevitably starts rolling her eyes - buy her some flowers.

Posted
20 hours ago, Utah 01 said:

I've searched google and searched Youtube but can find no definitive answer so............

The bike - a Vitus Razor Claris 2019 fitted with a Shimano 8-speed 11-28T cassette on a KT 130mm hub.

The mission - to replace the 11-28 with a 11-32 to help ease the hills. The Claris can take up to a 11-32 without any modifications (according to the Shimano data sheet).

After a massive effort to remove the 11-28 (another story) I fitted the 11-32 and gave it a road-test. Gear changing was fine, no strange noise so all was well - or so I thought. There is no wear or scoring on the hub itself.

After yesterday's outing I noticed some 'rattling' (over less than perfect tarmac, it's true but I hadn't picked up on it before the change) so had a look at the cassette afterwards.

The lock nut was firmly in place but behind the firmly secured 11T cog (which is the only separate gear in this set up (the other 7 cogs are connected as one), there was 'play' in that the cassette could move laterally (along the hub) by about 1mm and there was also general looseness around the entire hub but probably no more than 1mm.

I put the old cassette back on and to my surprise this one was 'loose' but perhaps not quite to the same degree.

It appears to me that the locking ring tightened against the 11T but just isn't compressing the 11T cog against the rest of the cassette and thus against it's rear stop on the hub as the lateral 'play' is between the main cassette and the 11T.

There was no spacer supplied with the new 11-32 cassette nor did one come off the 11-28 (as far as I can recall).

And so to the questions:

1. Is a degree of 'play' of the cassette on the hub normal and acceptable?
2. If so, how much?
3. If there shouldn't be any 'play' would a 1mm spacer be the answer to 'solidify' the 11T/rest of cassette combination.
4. Where would the spacer be best placed?

All advice and opinions will be very much appreciated.

Just use your car.

Posted

1mm sounds like it wouldn't be crucial (on a mountain bike :)) I don't know at all but I have a work colleague and BFF who know everything there is to know about bikes (handy as) so I will ask their opinion tomorrow :) 

Posted

There should be a spacer ring or a stop ring that goes at the back of the hub, if either are missing it could cause a problem.

Posted

Thanks both Bees.

There was no spacer on the 11-28 I took off and as far as I can find out, the 11-32 replacement should have been just a straight swap.  I think that with the 11-32 showing just a bit more 'play' than the original, a spacer might be the answer and I have one on its way.  I'll let you know if it works.

 

Posted
On 6/3/2020 at 12:29 AM, Utah 01 said:

And so to the questions:

1. Is a degree of 'play' of the cassette on the hub normal and acceptable?
2. If so, how much?
3. If there shouldn't be any 'play' would a 1mm spacer be the answer to 'solidify' the 11T/rest of cassette combination.
4. Where would the spacer be best placed?

All advice and opinions will be very much appreciated.

1. No

2. None

3. Pop into a local bike shop (or online) and grab a couple of different width spacers and try them. Sometimes a 1mm* will be too much.

4. On the spokes side of the cassette

If you have play, you'll eventually damage the splines on the freewheel, although it takes some force. 

On that subject, the freewheel itself can have play if it's getting on a bit. So the cassette can be as tight as anything, but if the freewheel wobbles...etc. So try wiggling that when the cassette is off. 

 

* I can't actually picture a 1mm. My spacers are categorised as "the quite thick ones", "the normal ones" & "the really really thin ones".  

  • 2 weeks later...
Posted

Just to bring the original problem to a conclusion - 1mm spacer did the trick and the cassette is as solid as a rock.  Thanks to those that provided constructive comments.

Posted

Damn, too late.  I was about to suggest the spacer as I was scrolling through.  I've probably got one in my drawer of random bicycle parts. 

You'd be suprised how often a little spacer here or there is required on a supposedly straight swap on bikes bike components and yeah you don't usually know about it until you go for a ride and the bike decides to try to spontaneously dismantle itself. 

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