Replacing Cassettes on Road Bikes

Doug R. said:

Can a Shimano XT cassette be used to replace a Shimano Ultegra cassette? I would like to change
from a 12-25 to a 12-32.

It will fit on the hub with no problem. If you have the short cage "double" rear derailer, you'll
need to replace it.

If you have the long cage rear derailer, it may work, though this is about the limit.

Otherwise you'll need a new, long cage (so-called "mountain"😉 rear derailer. Deore, LX, XT, even
Alivio or STX.

You'll also need a new chain, partly 'cause you should always replace the chain when you install a
new cluster, and partly 'cause the old one won't be long enough.

Sheldon "Gearing Down" Brown +------------------------------------------+
| Do, or do not. There is no 'try'. | -- Yoda |
+------------------------------------------+ Harris Cyclery, West Newton, Massachusetts Phone
617-244-9772 FAX 617-244-1041 harriscyclery.comharriscyclery.comOpen ↗ Hard-to-find parts shipped Worldwide
captainbike.comcaptainbike.comOpen ↗ sheldonbrown.comsheldonbrown.comOpen ↗

[email hidden] (Doug R.) wrote in message
news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Can a Shimano XT cassette be used to replace a Shimano Ultegra cassette? I would like to change
from a 12-25 to a 12-32.

To add to this question and clarify things for myself.....

Changing from 12-25 to 11-32 9spd cassette. Current rear der is Shimano Tiagra. Not able to tell if
the der is a "short" cage model. I have a spare Shimano XT mega 9 rear der.

Should I even attempt to use the current rear der or just use the XT since I have it?

Assuming that I do need to replace the chain, appropriate chain length? Came across the following
discussion and want to know if the method described by Sheldon works with the longer rear der? If
not, what adjustments are needed because of rear der?

groups.google.comgroupsOpen ↗
m&rnum=1&prev=/groups%3Fhl%3Den%26lr%3D%26ie%3DISO-8859-1%26q%3Dchain%2Blength%26meta%3Dgroup%253Dr-
ec.bicycles.tech

TIA - Please email directly as well as post.

maurice [email hidden]

golfmaster-<< Can a Shimano XT cassette be used to replace a Shimano Ultegra cassette? I would like
to change from a 12-25 to a 12-32.

Yep, probably need a long cage rear der, like a XT or such, for enough chain for big-big combos and
no rubbing, noise in small ring/bigger cogs.

Peter Chisholm Vecchio's Bicicletteria 1833 Pearl St. Boulder, CO, 80302
(303)440-3535 vecchios.comvecchios.comOpen ↗ "Ruote convenzionali costruite eccezionalmente bene"

Sheldon Brown <[email hidden]> wrote:
: You'll also need a new chain, partly 'cause you should always replace the chain when you install a
: new cluster

Does that mean that if you alternate between two clusters, you should also have 2 chains?

--
Risto Varanka | helsinki.fi~rvarankaOpen ↗ varis at no spam please iki fi

Quoted message said:

Sheldon Brown <[email hidden]> wrote:
: You'll also need a new chain, partly 'cause you should always replace the chain when you install
: a new cluster

Does that mean that if you alternate between two clusters, you should also have 2 chains?

Yep, ideally you should do this, unless you're pretty sure that both cassettes are getting
essentially equal use.

Also, if you have two clusters, they're probably different sizes, and want different chain lengths.

Sheldon "Match 'Em Up" Brown +---------------------------------------------------------+
| I don't like spinach, and I'm glad I don't, because | if I liked it I'd eat it, and I just hate
| it. | --Clarence Darrow |
+---------------------------------------------------------+ Harris Cyclery, West Newton,
Massachusetts Phone 617-244-9772 FAX 617-244-1041 harriscyclery.comharriscyclery.comOpen ↗ Hard-to-find parts
shipped Worldwide captainbike.comcaptainbike.comOpen ↗ sheldonbrown.comsheldonbrown.comOpen ↗

Sheldon Brown <[email hidden]> wrote:
: [email hidden] wrote:
:> Sheldon Brown <[email hidden]> wrote:
:> : You'll also need a new chain, partly 'cause you should always replace the chain when you
:> : install a new cluster
:>
:> Does that mean that if you alternate between two clusters, you should also have 2 chains?

: Yep, ideally you should do this, unless you're pretty sure that both cassettes are getting
: essentially equal use.

: Also, if you have two clusters, they're probably different sizes, and want different chain
: lengths.

Hmm, one could suppose so with 11-23 ultegra and 11-32 deore :-) Darn... is there something like
SRAM powerlinks for Shimano 9 speed chains?

--
Risto Varanka | helsinki.fi~rvarankaOpen ↗ varis at no spam please iki fi

risto.varanka asked:

Quoted message said:

Darn... is there something like SRAM powerlinks for Shimano 9 speed chains?

Yes, SRAM Powerlinks!

Sheldon "Just The Thing" Brown +--------------------------------------------------------+
| One man's theology is another man's belly laugh. | --Robert A. Heinlein |
+--------------------------------------------------------+ Harris Cyclery, West Newton,
Massachusetts Phone 617-244-9772 FAX 617-244-1041 harriscyclery.comharriscyclery.comOpen ↗ Hard-to-find parts
shipped Worldwide captainbike.comcaptainbike.comOpen ↗ sheldonbrown.comsheldonbrown.comOpen ↗

<[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Hmm, one could suppose so with 11-23 ultegra and 11-32 deore :-) Darn... is there something like
SRAM powerlinks for Shimano 9 speed chains?

I use Powerlinks with my Shimano chains. Seems to work fine.

RichC

Quoted message said:

Hmm, one could suppose so with 11-23 ultegra and 11-32 deore :-) Darn... is there something like
SRAM powerlinks for Shimano 9 speed chains?

There is controversy on this subject, with some saying yes and no, and SRAM advising against I
believe. It could simply be SRAM's way of getting people to buy their chains, although I do that
anyway to save money and not have to fiddle with ridiculous standard joining links.

Where in Finland are you? Helsinki area I presume from your email address. I've been all over the
country and have spent a good deal of time there. My favorite short hike in Scandinavia, the pieni
karhunkierros in Oulanka, and fav castle, Olavinlinna, and many good memories are there. From
Helsinki to Kauhava to Raahe to Oulu to Rovaniemi to Kuopio to Joensuu to Mikkeli to Aland and on.
From campgrounds to small plane rides to lakeside cabins to homes to schools and more. So many
places and people I met. Great, great memories!

Doug

Quoted message said:

is there something like SRAM powerlinks for Shimano 9 speed chains?

The Sram links work fine on Shimano chain.

Risto Varanka said:

Quoted message said:

You'll also need a new chain, partly 'cause you should always replace the chain when you install
a new cluster

Quoted message said:

Does that mean that if you alternate between two clusters, you should also have 2 chains?

Yes, so the chain you wear out on one cluster doesn't cause excessive wear on the other one.

No, not mechanically necessary, because if the chain is long enough for the wider ratio, and works
on the 11t sprocket, then it will work on the 11t of both clusters equally well, the largest
sprocket is not an issue because it is no larger than the one for which the chain was fit.

If you have not uses a Power Link you should be aware that when used (dirty) the link is difficult
to separate by hand. As shown in the second picture, the side plates must be pushed together to
enable disengagement. This is not possible if there is micro-grit between the side plates... as
there usually is on a used chain.

See pictures:

sram.comindex.aspOpen ↗

Jobst Brandt [email hidden] Palo Alto CA

Mark Janeba said:

Quoted message said:

If you have not uses a Power Link you should be aware that when used (dirty) the link is
difficult to separate by hand. As shown in the second picture, the side plates must be pushed
together to enable disengagement. This is not possible if there is micro-grit between the side
plates... as there usually is on a used chain.

I certainly acknowledge this could be your experience (i.e. "not possible"😉, but it hasn't been
mine (slightly difficult, but not impossible).

I've found the links to be impossible to open without pliers when the chain is dirty (pc-48). I get
my hands more dirty with the pliers than a chain tool.

Jan

"jan lindström" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Mark Janeba said:

Quoted message said:

If you have not uses a Power Link you should be aware that when used (dirty) the link is
difficult to separate by hand. As shown in the second picture, the side plates must be pushed
together to enable disengagement. This is not possible if there is micro-grit between the side
plates... as there usually is on a used chain.

I certainly acknowledge this could be your experience (i.e. "not possible"😉, but it hasn't been
mine (slightly difficult, but not impossible).

I've found the links to be impossible to open without pliers when the chain is dirty (pc-48). I
get my hands more dirty with the pliers than a chain tool.

Same experience here. I changed to the Wipperman Connex connector and it works great, even with
Sram chain.

Mish

"jan lindström" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I've found the links to be impossible to open without pliers when the chain is dirty (pc-48). I
get my hands more dirty with the pliers than a chain tool.

Me too, although there has been a variation, with some links opening without too much difficulty,
even when new and dirty, others being impossible. Recently, I've found a couple that wouldn't close,
brand new, on the chains they came with. I think they're having manufacturing tolerance problems.