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Cassette Spacing - What do I need?

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Cassette Spacing - What do I need?

Old 06-06-20, 08:21 PM
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DarKris
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Cassette Spacing - What do I need?

I have 3 bikes with 2 wheelsets each for a total of 6 different rear wheels that I need to keep track of. All of the cassettes that I run are Sunrace except for 1 which is Shimano. The hubs are either Shimano/SRAM 10 speed or 11 speed freehub bodies. Here's the breakdown of what I'm running:
  • 10 speed - 11-42 Sunrace (10 speed hub - No Spacer) & Shimano (11 speed hub - 1.85mm spacer)
  • 11 speed - 11-46 Sunrace (11 speed hub - 1.85mm spacer)
  • 12 speed - 11-50 Sunrace (10 speed hub - No Spacer) (11 speed hub - 1.85mm spacer)
I noticed mainly when switching wheelsets that I might not have proper cassette spacing, so I looked around around this image:




Looking at this, it seems like I need to add a 1mm spacer to the 10 speed Shimano cassette, but what about the rest? I'm not sure if Sunrace cassettes are spaced similar to either Shimano or SRAM. What's also complicated was that the 11 and 12 speed mountain cassettes are supposed to be spaced similar to 10 speed cassettes, so I'm under the impression that I still need the larger spacer. I guess I just need to know if I need to add the 1mm spacer to my Sunrace cassettes.
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Old 06-06-20, 08:24 PM
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Andrew R Stewart 
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I suppose one could test fit all and record the needed bits for each combo. I prefer to test fit and use my judgment and experience. Either way I assume on fine tuning the der's limits and the cable to get the best shifting. Andy
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Old 06-06-20, 08:38 PM
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It'll be obvious when you install them. One of my 10sp Sunrace cassettes needed a 1mm spacer on a 10sp hub, and the other Sunrace cassette didn't. My Sram 10sp cassettes don't need spacers on my 10sp hubs but the Shimano ones do (1mm).

I have a number of bikes and wheelsets (trying to keep everything 10sp for now) and I find what works for me is to keep a stock of 1mm and 1.8mm spacers in the parts bin just in case.
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Old 06-06-20, 09:21 PM
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The spacers recommended are not to position the cassette to make the wheels interchangeable, but to position the cassette so that the lock ring properly clamps the cassette instead of bottoming on the freehub body, while still engaging a sufficient number of threads to be secure..
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