Durability of various 11spd mtb cassettes

[whattingh]

Just 2c on chain cleaning. I also had a chain the did not last very long but now have theory around it. I clean it with degreaser after every ride. Now this on its own is maybe not a problem but think in the past I did not flush out all degreaser always and as result the lube gets compromised as soon as applied. 

 

Also what conditions you ride in plays big factor. Me for example ride Jonkershoek and helderberg lots and lately is very loose and full of powder dust that gets in EVERYWHERE.  Have read before that in conditions like this you could expect faster chain wear. 

 

just some thoughts

[Odinson]

Whaaat? A new chain every ~500 km? Do you use grinding paste for lube?  At that rate you're are spending more on replacing chains than cassettes. 

 

Ja nee. 500km on a chain is hectic.

[Thermophage]

Whaaat? A new chain every ~500 km? Do you use grinding paste for lube?  At that rate you're are spending more on replacing chains than cassettes.

No idea. More likely on my second chain right now and not the third.

[droo]

So what cassettes are full steel ?

 

I want to upgrade soon but I see the top cog on the slx cassette is Alu , being A lazy fart I will most likely use that a lot and wear it out quick while the rest of the cassette is fine.

 

 

I'm A little weary of sunrace as i hear they Fuc# up chains 

 

No. Chains eat cassettes. Sheldon Brown explains it on his site, so I'm not going to regurgitate the whole story here again.

 

Buy steel if it makes you feel better, but all it's going to do is make your bike heavier.

[Stefan Cremer]

https://community.bikehub.co.za/topic/164982-xx1-casette-km-achieved/

 

Eventually retired the cassette at around 16000km... I have to mention though that I do not ever start a ride with a dirty drivetrain, I absolutely religiously clean my drivetrain after each and every ride.

 

For information: I use Smoove lube and clean with hot sunlight liquid and water mixture with a brush.

[Knersboy]

I currently have 4300km on my xt 11-40 cassette and still going strong. Check my chain every week and replace if necessary, that said I got 3400km on my last chain. I ride in the magaliesberg so no mud, and that silica grit falls off the chain easily when using squirt as lube.

[vulgar]

3 chains to a cassette if you catch it in time (.75) My rule of thumb

Type of rider(high torque/cadence) and conditions(dust grit grime mud) you ride in basically determines your wear on chain.

[Kom]

https://community.bikehub.co.za/topic/164982-xx1-casette-km-achieved/

 

Eventually retired the cassette at around 16000km... I have to mention though that I do not ever start a ride with a dirty drivetrain, I absolutely religiously clean my drivetrain after each and every ride.

 

For information: I use Smoove lube and clean with hot sunlight liquid and water mixture with a brush.

I still think nothing works better than Q20. Before washing the bike, I spray down the cassette and chain while rotating the crank in reverse, the oil and gunk drops off beautifully. 

 

Another one I've experimented with is stripping chain, cassette and blade off the bike and soaking in Parafin. This works too, but something i would do monthly. For between rides nothing beats Q20.

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

I still think nothing works better than Q20. Before washing the bike, I spray down the cassette and chain while rotating the crank in reverse, the oil and gunk drops off beautifully. 

 

Another one I've experimented with is stripping chain, cassette and blade off the bike and soaking in Parafin. This works too, but something i would do monthly. For between rides nothing beats Q20.

Carb cleaner. Essentially a mix of benzine and other degreasing agents. 

[BaGearA]

Sun Race it will be 

 

thanks all

[Stefan Cremer]

Re Q20. I use it regularly in many other applications, but generally don't use it on my bike, as the spray often finds its way onto the disks.

[wapad]

Just on cleaning agents etc, I use my old faithful chain cleaner, and I use dirtbike wash. Its bio-degradeable and removes most grime with a light water wash

 

it used to sell for R60 rand for 5L yes R60, amazing cleaner and then dry the chain and then Smoove.

 

I see now dirtbike wash has increased to R180 so maybe they realized that cyclists were sneaking into the motorbike market.

 

even when the chain looks clean the chain cleaner gizmo picks up a lot of grime etc. I use brushes on the cassette to remove the grime.

 

On cassettes I don't think the XT cassettes come close on mileage to the SRAM ones

[Skylark]

Best chain cleaner is a yogurt container of paraffin, one of clean paraffin and one dirty.

 

Chain with quick link, off comes the chain into the dirty paraffin leave to soak, shake it around every so often, then into the clean paraffin for final rinse - result is a spotless chain with a light oily coating and the paraffin gets reused endlessly, just leave it to stand and pour off the clean into another yogurt container.

 

Removing your cassette or chain rings from the bike to clean them is pointless, you can clean them spotless on the bike so rather just get a few decent brushes/cassette scraper tool.

 

Aluminum rings/cogs definitely wear faster than steel, it's one thing to maintain your chain perfectly/replace within wear limits but a long day out in the dust/working the grinding paste into the cogs/chainrings will wear aluminum faster than steel, there is absolutely no doubt about that.

[Kom]

Re Q20. I use it regularly in many other applications, but generally don't use it on my bike, as the spray often finds its way onto the disks.

How is that even possible?

 

If this does happen though, Q20 isn't like silicone spray that cant be easily cleaned off. In my post i recommend doing a soap wash of the bike after cleaning the drivetrain which should solve overrun, but again, I've never had Q20 blow sideways across the hub onto the other side of the wheel where the disc is.

[Kom]

Best chain cleaner is a yogurt container of paraffin, one of clean paraffin and one dirty.

 

Chain with quick link, off comes the chain into the dirty paraffin leave to soak, shake it around every so often, then into the clean paraffin for final rinse - result is a spotless chain with a light oily coating and the paraffin gets reused endlessly, just leave it to stand and pour off the clean into another yogurt container.

 

Removing your cassette or chain rings from the bike to clean them is pointless, you can clean them spotless on the bike so rather just get a few decent brushes/cassette scraper tool.

 

Aluminum rings/cogs definitely wear faster than steel, it's one thing to maintain your chain perfectly/replace within wear limits but a long day out in the dust/working the grinding paste into the cogs/chainrings will wear aluminum faster than steel, there is absolutely no doubt about that.

My biggest concern with this cleaning method is disposing the paraffin which you will have to do at some point.

 

In terms of removing cassette and blades for cleaning, I'm not a fan of brushing paraffin close to my paint job.

 

XX1 Cassettes are 99% Steel Chromoloy, hence their bullet proof nature, so agree with this point, in fact the easiest way to age an XX1 cassette is to look at the biggest gear which is the only one made from Alu.

[Wannabe]

My biggest concern with this cleaning method is disposing the paraffin which you will have to do at some point.

 

In terms of removing cassette and blades for cleaning, I'm not a fan of brushing paraffin close to my paint job.

 

XX1 Cassettes are 99% Steel Chromoloy, hence their bullet proof nature, so agree with this point, in fact the easiest way to age an XX1 cassette is to look at the biggest gear which is the only one made from Alu.

 

Makes excellent firestarters. Just soak a fairly porous halfbrick in it, place under your firewood, and there you go.