Difficulty factor in swapping cassette on rear wheel?

Okay, here's the scoop - I am buying a Giant OCR A1 now so that I can continue cycling sooner (my intention is to buy a better bike {Specialized Roubaix or Cervelo RS] by the end of the summer and use this bike as a second bike in the future). The bike (Giant OCR A1) comes with lower grade wheels - Xero XSR-3 - that I will want to upgrade. The cog is Shimano 105 12/27T and I want to put it on the new wheelset that I intend to buy. How difficult is it to remove the cassette from one rear wheel and put it on another rear wheel?

Thanks,

Rob

Not that hard, but you will need a cassette tool, a wrench that is compatible with the cassette tool and a chain whip. Once you loosen the lockring, it comes off easily and then the cassette will just slide off. I swap mine around all the time, not to mention removing monthly during the season for cleanings. The chain whip is key since it holds the cassette steady while you loosen the lock ring.

I refer to this site when I get stuck on repairs (if Peter from Vecchio's is off line that is..):

http://www.parktool.com/repair/readhowto.asp?id=48

Just remember, chain whip = right hand, wrench = left hand, turn them towards each other.

It is also advisable to stick the skewer back into the wheel through the cassette tool while you are applying force to make sure that nothing important twists out of shape.

Tee hee-chainwhip left hand, wrench right hand, push down and get lefty loosey.

Just be careful when you take it off to put it on a table in "one piece" so all the spaces don't get all mixed up. Then you can easily transfer it back onto your new wheel.

I got my LBS to give me a lesson in this after I bought some expensive gear off them.....it's really very very easy once you've done it the first time.

You know you can turn both tools in two different directions, and they'll still be turning toward each other. One direction is a lot more likely to be successful than the other.....

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Alienator, now I'm getting confused. Are you trying to take this discussion into quantum "mechanics" ?

Note that Peter's instructions only work for right-handed people. I'm a lefty, so the big wrench always goes in the left hand, with the chain whip being held by the right. Seems to work fine this way (I have a left-handed chainwhip, of course).

But what's up with the price increases on Shimano cassettes? I just changed my Ultegra 9 sp cassette (and chain) last Friday after another 10K miles. Was surprised my friendly LBS mechanic wanted $99 for a new 12-27....last one I bought in 2006 was around $64. And the HG-93 chain was $43, not $33.

He wouldn't budge even when I threatened to go online and buy from my secret source in Uzbekastan for 30% off (w/free shipping and no taxes). You'll be happy to know that I decided to do the right thing and support my trusty LBS and my fair city

[QUOTE=rosborn]How difficult is it to remove the cassette from one rear wheel and put it on another rear wheel?


I learned this just last year. If you haven't already switched it, check out bicycletutor.com. Quite a few videos with great explanations.