XTR titanium cassette durability?

[Ken]

Shimano XTR cassettes come in both steel and titanium versions. The Ti version uses titanium for the
biggest few cogs. It weighs somewhat less and costs somewhat more.

My question is how durable are the Ti cogs? I assume they only use Ti in the largest cogs since your
load is distributed around more teeth. Do these cassettes wear out significantly faster? Are they
intended only for racers who can afford a steady stream of replacement parts? Thanks.

Ken

 

[Alan]

> My question is how durable are the Ti cogs? I assume they only use Ti in the largest cogs since
> your load is distributed around more teeth. Do these cassettes wear out significantly faster? Are
> they intended only for racers who can afford a steady stream of replacement parts? Thanks.
>
My cassettes have been very good for wear and I don't find it wearing out any faster than your
typical steel cassette. While they are intended for racers as that is what XT"Race" stands for, I
don't see why an average person looking to save a bit of weight not use it.

I think they're in the largest cogs because those gears are not used as much and also experience
less torque than the smaller gears.

alan

 

[Per LöWdin]

> My question is how durable are the Ti cogs?

Depends on what you do. I have heard from a friend that they bend more easily during extreme strain.
However, I have one that I have used for 4000 km, mostly quite technical singletrack, and it is
still going strong. Most important is that one changes chain every 2000 km or so depending on how
dirty it gets. Ride a lot in gritty conditions change more often, etc.

Per

 

[Matt O'Toole]

Ken wrote:

> Shimano XTR cassettes come in both steel and titanium versions. The Ti version uses titanium for
> the biggest few cogs. It weighs somewhat less and costs somewhat more.
>
> My question is how durable are the Ti cogs? I assume they only use Ti in the largest cogs since
> your load is distributed around more teeth.

No, it's because they're the biggest pieces of metal, where switching to Ti will save the
most weight.

> Do these cassettes wear out significantly faster?

I haven't used XTR Ti cassettes, but I did have a couple of SRP ones. Yes, they wore out faster --
perhaps twice as fast.

Normally I wouldn't buy such a thing, except they were available as 12-32 7 speed, which Shimano
were not. I got them for half price. Building a custom Shimano cassette from loose cogs would have
cost just as much.

> Are they intended only for racers who can afford a steady stream of replacement parts? Thanks.

XTR is for people who want the bestest, and will pay whatever it costs.

In my experience, the highfalutin', chromey-plated, XTR and XT cassettes don't last any longer than
the much cheaper HG50 ones. Buy the cheapest one that gives you the gearing you need. Don't feed
the beast.

Matt O.

 

[David Kunz]

Ken wrote:
> Shimano XTR cassettes come in both steel and titanium versions. The Ti version uses titanium for
> the biggest few cogs. It weighs somewhat less and costs somewhat more.
>
> My question is how durable are the Ti cogs? I assume they only use Ti in the largest cogs since
> your load is distributed around more teeth. Do these cassettes wear out significantly faster? Are
> they intended only for racers who can afford a steady stream of replacement parts? Thanks.
>

For me, they lasted about 1/3 longer than XT and cost more than 2x as much! Not a good trade in my
book -- unless that couple of grams really makes a difference to you .

David

 

[The Truth]

ITs the general consensus here that the cassette is one of those parts youre better off going with
XT for the reason you spelled out.

"Ken" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> Shimano XTR cassettes come in both steel and titanium versions. The Ti version uses titanium for
> the biggest few cogs. It weighs somewhat less
and
> costs somewhat more.
>
> My question is how durable are the Ti cogs? I assume they only use Ti in
the
> largest cogs since your load is distributed around more teeth. Do these cassettes wear out
> significantly faster? Are they intended only for
racers
> who can afford a steady stream of replacement parts? Thanks.
>
> Ken

 

[Paul Kopit]

I don't know about MTB usage but on road bicycles, the large cog either don't wear as quickly or the
wear is not as evident. The 17t cog seems to wear most on my stuff.

If that's the case, why can't one just buy the XTR and when it's worn, use the Ti cogs with an XT or
LX cassette?

 

[David Kunz]

Paul Kopit wrote:
> I don't know about MTB usage but on road bicycles, the large cog either don't wear as quickly or
> the wear is not as evident. The 17t cog seems to wear most on my stuff.
>
> If that's the case, why can't one just buy the XTR and when it's worn, use the Ti cogs with an XT
> or LX cassette?

Because the spider has all of the larger gears permanently attached to save a little weight. They
can't be removed and used with another cassette -- although I have used an 11 tooth XT in place of
the 12 on an XTR (the 3 smallest gears are individual).

David