Originally Posted by
Sy Reene
Is there such a thing as cassette shims, exactly to address this?
You got me, but I would assume so.
One thing to keep in mind is that the experiences of someone like Noodle Soup and psimet, who see and service a ton of bikes, are going to be different than what a typical rider will experience. I wouldn't spend too much time working out how to address worst-case scenarios when the likelihood is that any problems encountered will minor and easily addressed.