youthcom

Looking to replace my 9 speed sram combo that is slipping alot especially when powering from stop even when they were new (now over 2 years old). Derailleurs & chainrings are Shimano 105. Using this on a cyclocross frame with 105 barend shifters in friction mode.

fietsbob

mainland china copies lots of stuff ..

ThermionicScott 

New cassettes and chains should not skip at all -- are your chainrings worn?

SunRace is the cheapest cassette I see on Universal Cycles.

youthcom

Not looking for cheapest, but best price/performance ratio. Not something high end nor bottom of the barrel & preferably something I can just go to the local Performance bike shop to get.

I don't remember since it's been awhile but never felt the shifting was good. I had replaced the middle chainring & the derailleur cogs when I replaced the cassette & chain at the time. Maybe the shifters need to go too but I just want to try just a new cassette & chain for now.

Maybe the question should be what does everyone using a 9spd setup with similar wheel spacing like to use here.

Andy_K 

I like SRAM chains -- the PC-951 is a decent value. I've been happy with both SRAM and Shimano cassettes. Replacing the chain at around 2500 miles I haven't yet put appreciable wear on a cassette, but I change them out a lot and ride a lot of different bikes, so I'm not sure I've put much more than 5000 miles on a cassette. You can still get 9-speed Tiagra cassettes, which I think are a pretty good value.

Check you derailleur pulleys to see if they're getting pointy.

Andy_K 

New shifters are likely to be a bigger upgrade. Friction shifting is as precise as you make it. For the front friction shifting is perfect. For 9-speed rear, indexed will probably be better on average than you are seeing with friction. You can get new Shimano 9-speed bar end shifters for under $100. A good chain and cassette will cost around $50 and may not solve your problem.

mstateglfr 

As usual, little is said and even less is useful.

fietsbob

want brand name , buy them. too lazy to do your own seartch don't be in a hurry .. or fussy

mstateglfr 

These forums are for discussion. Often times that discussion revolves around opinions on what to do, how to do it, and what to use. Experience of others helps sort out what often times feels like too many options and is especially helpful when the product/service cant be tested before buying.

Asking what people think is the best cassette and chain combo for 9speed is a more than reasonable question. Perhaps it would be better to ask in the mechanics forum, but its a very reasonable question.


hypothetical poster- 'Hey, what are some inexpensive panniers that aren't cheaply made?' fietsbob- 'china makes stuff.'


Good insight.

HardyWeinberg

I was wondering if the wheel is in a different part of a horizontal dropout than the derailer was adjusted for.

I have always defaulted to sram chains and cassettes for 2 bikes w/ the exact situation the OP describes, 9 spd w/ bar-end. Also for my 1x7 w/ downtube.

edsall78

9-speed cassetteShimano Tiagra HG-50 9 Speed 12-23 Cassette

9-speed chain:
KMC X9 Chain w/ Missing Link 9 Speed Each Silver / Gray

I don't have any evidence to support this--but I think running a chain +1 speed higher leads to a smoother drivetrain. In your case; 9-speed cassette/10-speed chain. I have 8-speed cassette/9-speed chain--and I swear it's smoother/quieter than 8/8 combo.

youthcom

I reexamined my skipping/jumping issues & decided to try a whole new derailleur & that seem to have done the trick. I had replaced cassette (sram), chain (kmc), middle chainring, derailleur pullies two years ago, but it looks like the derailleur was the main cause of my issues. Looks to have developed play, wasn't smooth at the dropout pivot, & spring tension on chain had weakened. Replace with a new 9 speed Deore shadow derailleur & haven't had skipping & barcon shifters in index mode now work properly.

RubeRad

I have no problem with KMC X9.93 chains, which include a missing link. They're pretty cheap, you can get one for about $13 shipped from eBay.