Custom cassettes with less than 8 sprockets?

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WesCarroll
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by WesCarroll

Modifying a cassette to remove unneeded sprockets. Has anyone attempted this? I searched the forum and did not see any mention of it.

I am new to the game and not an advanced mechanic.

custom cassette idea:

1. remove the cassette
2. take out the thin bolt that holds the sprockets together, if there is one
3. Pull out unneeded sprockets... get it down between 3 or 7.
4. reassemble without the thin bolt
5. Use extra cassette spacers to fill in the space left over (plastic ones for more weight savings?)
6. Reattach cassette (a handful of loose sprockets and spacers at this point)
7. Adjust your rear derailleur so you can't shift out of the now-smaller cassette

concerns and complications

* sprockets have ramps and pins(?) -- this may affect quality of shifting

* your rear derailleur might not be adjustable enough to keep it within the range of this smaller cassette. Possibly remedied by replacing one of the adjuster screws

* the smallest sprocket will not thread past the outer edge of the cassette body (since these sprockets have what I would describe as a "lip"). You can still use the smallest sprocket, but only if your build allows you to align the custom cassette to the outside of the cassette body. Alternatively, if you are willing to drop the smallest sprocket, you could place your new cassette anywhere on the cassette body

I have not given this a try, but I'm considering it. Any thoughts?

by Weenie


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bm0p700f
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by bm0p700f

Miche sell cassettes made of seperate spockets and comes in shimano or campag varients. There is your solution without any effort what so ever.

The veloce cassette is also made of seperate sprockets but the spacer thickness varies along with sprocket thickness makgin this a more complicated option.

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prendrefeu
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by prendrefeu

WesCarroll wrote:7. Adjust your rear derailleur so you can't shift out of the now-smaller cassette


Your adjustment would be in the shifter's ratchet, not the derailleur.
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Tenlegs
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by Tenlegs

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Last edited by Tenlegs on Sun Jun 16, 2013 6:09 am, edited 1 time in total.

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prendrefeu
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by prendrefeu

Perhaps I'm missing some information, but is the OP using a friction shifter or an indexed one?
If indexed-type, the pull per 'click' is for a specific distance.

Setting the derailleur limits is a given* however the index-type shifters are typically designed for 9 or 10spds. Unless you adjust the ratchet mechanism in the shifter, there will be a lot of empty clicks at best. No?

*(I mean, really, who doesn't adjust or check up on the limit screws when doing a build? So moot point, moot step),
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Tenlegs
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by Tenlegs

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Last edited by Tenlegs on Sun Jun 16, 2013 6:09 am, edited 1 time in total.

bm0p700f
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by bm0p700f

Which is why I am suggesting that the OP uses a Miche casette with supplied spacers. He picks the sprockets he want and then uses freehub spacers from a single speed kit to pack out the remaining space either side of his new casette. Then he can limit the mech movement with limit screws. Not the OP's orignal plan but this would work and it would be cheap.

WesCarroll
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by WesCarroll

bm0p700f - never heard of miche before. sounds great. Thanks for the tip

Tenlegs
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by Tenlegs

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Last edited by Tenlegs on Sun Jun 16, 2013 6:09 am, edited 1 time in total.

WesCarroll
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by WesCarroll

I guess it comes down to grams... based on what I've seen on this board... it might be!

If I attempt this I will update the thread with details. Thanks all

latman
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by latman

Didn't the lenticular Ghibli disc wheel use 7 of the 10 campagnolo sprockets (because of a shorter freehub) and the largest 3 were discarded ?

latman
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by latman

whoops it was 9 of 10 and they are on clearance at PBK http://www.probikekit.com.au/bicycle-ca ... 68342.html

sigismond0
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by sigismond0

prendrefeu wrote:
WesCarroll wrote:7. Adjust your rear derailleur so you can't shift out of the now-smaller cassette


Your adjustment would be in the shifter's ratchet, not the derailleur.


Limit screws on the derailleur would be the correct adjustment. The shifter would just use a smaller range within its existing design.

by Weenie


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