SoSmellyAir

Very nice! Making me debate between the 12-27 and the 12-28 models.

Kimmo 

Wait, who's got a 12-27?

SoSmellyAir

Edco, which now ships to the USA:

(1) Monoblock Cassette Shimano/Sram 11-spd – EDCO Europe

Kimmo 

I just looked on the Recon site and saw what was in stock, got a steel 12-25 on the way, 6g lighter than the Edco one. Seem to recall there weren't any 12-25s in stock when I started this thread.

Kimmo 

The Recon shifts about as well you'd expect with Di2, pretty flawless. Sounds a little crunchy during the shift compared to a Shimano cassette, but that's to be expected comparing CNCed to stamped. Possibly a tinier bit more sound when pedaling, hard to say.

The bike is down to 6.24 and it looks mad on the bike, with the red cassette body showing through, matching all my other red bling, so I'm pretty happy with it.



ETA: oh yeah, the splines are a beautiful fit, no slop.

cyclezen

WOAH !!! I just tripped over this thread...
I'm in the process of putting together another bike, and have been 'forced' to stay with 10 speed in the past few years, because the cassette selection in 11 spd is so limited.
Having an 11 cog is just a ridiculous waste for me, and I'm certainly not gonna take it in exchange for the much used 16 or 18... I have a bunch of good single-step cassettes in 10. And Brifters...
...But I'd love to give 11 spd a try...
The only single-step 12-X I've found is the Dura ace, and frankly $350-$400, for me, is too much... I'm sure it's sweet, but I'm okay with less sugga...
The Recon link you gave - a 12-27 Cro-Mo at $200 - definitely would work, if durability is half-decent...
Any one have experience with this ??? There's seems plenty of chatter about the Ti version, but nothing I could find on the Cro-Mo.
If the steel is anything decent, it should give good service under my Ligament-tearing, muscle rending 200 watts ... LOL!
Bueller ?
Thx
Yuri

Kimmo 

Can't see why not - in fact, if you have one of these poxy cartridge bearing hubs with an aluminium cassette body instead of a proper Shimano hub, it'll prevent your cassette body from getting chewed to hell, or allow you to use an already ruined one.

Russ Roth

Also curious as to how durable they are. I picked up a 12sp campy compatible edco version for 100.00 and I've had it sitting in a drawer waiting for the current chorus cassette to wear out which it doesn't seem to be doing as quickly as I expected.

SoSmellyAir

Prestacycle Uniblock 11 speed cassettes on sale for $169, no tax, free shipping:

Prestacycle UniBlock Cassette | 11-Speed Shimano / SRAM /Campagnolo for HG 11 Freehub - Prestacycle

This is < Dura-Ace money. But please note that gearing is not necessarily same as Shimano cassettes. As noted above, 12-28 is totally whack, so I bought a 11-27.

t2p

???

it should be < Dura Ace - I don't believe it compares ? (prob weighs significantly more ?)

( the link I clicked on might not be intended cassette ?)

if not Dura Ace - why not go with an Ultegra cassette ? Ultegra 11-28 cogset might be around 250 g

SoSmellyAir

The Prestacycle Uniblock cassette is made from a single piece of chromoly steel; I think old school car guys call this "billet."

Using the 11-28 gearing as a comparison:

Prestacycle Uniblock: 187 g
Shimano Dura-Ace: 193 g
Shimano Ultegra: 251 g.

Dura-Ace has the 5 titanium cogs which may wear faster.

t2p

I assumed the Prestacycle Uniblock cassette would weigh much more

Sy Reene

Interesting for the ingenuity behind these designs. Not sure the value is really there. A Centaur 12-32 cassette for ~$60 or one of these for +$100 but saving ~70 grams.

SoSmellyAir

None if you are neither a weight weenie nor looking for an 11 speed 12-28 cassette, which is my holy grail.

Sy Reene

got it.. Campy's 12-29 was my favorite for many years, so I kinda understand.

t2p

Prestacycle 11 spd cassette also available in 11-32 and 11-34 ... Dura Ace stops @ 11-30

hmmm ... interesting ...

SoSmellyAir

Those options are neither close ratio nor particularly light weight. And if you need those gear ratios either Ultegra or 105 work just fine.

SoSmellyAir

I received a response from Prestacycle this morning to my inquiry regarding the gearing of its 11 speed 12-28 cassette, and Prestacycle advised me that (a) it does match the Shimano Dura-Ace gearing, i.e.: 12T, 13T, 14T, 15T, 16T, 17T, 19T, 21T, 23T, 25T, 28T; and (b) the gearing on the Prestacycle website is incorrec; and (c) my order has been switched from the 11-27 cassette to this 12-28 cassette.

I am overjoyed.

SoSmellyAir

I received my Prestacycle UniBlock 11 speed 12-28 Cassette today. The label on the box lists the wrong gearing, but the actual gearing on the cassette is correct and follows the Shimano Dura-Ace gearing.

Kimmo 

Looks like the same design as the Recon, but different finish. I prefer that one to the shiny chrome on mine, not a fan of chrome.

Imagine they could make these from stainless! That would be sweet

SoSmellyAir

Prestacycle states that its cassette is "machined from a solid block of cold-forged Chrome Molybdenum alloy steel, then heat-treated, tumble-finished and electroplated." Recon states that its cassette is "made of CrMo hardened steel."

Prestacycle UniBlock Cassette | 11-Speed Shimano / SRAM /Campagnolo for HG 11 Freehub - Prestacycle
RECON-One-piece Cr-Mo Cassette / Racing / Shimano 11s (recon-harry.com.tw)

Chromoly steel is generally stronger than stainless steel.

What's Stronger - Stainless or Chrome Moly Steel? (masteel.co.uk)

How is your Recon cassette wearing, by the way?

SoSmellyAir

I like the Prestacycle Uniblock 11s 12-28 cassette so much that I bought a second one as a spare or for the other bike I am building; have not decided yet.

Prestacycle is down to a single 11s 12-28 cassette in stock. Act now if you want this cassette.

Edco does not seem to make the 12-28 anymore. Monoblock Cassettes | Edco Wheels UK (edco-wheels.co.uk)

Kimmo 

Been gathering dust, I'm afraid. But it's plated and hardened cromo - I'd expect close to double the life of stamped cogs, given the extra squareness of the CNCed edges and the hardness of the material.

My preference for SS is based purely on cosmetic and wank factor; making anything complex and/or shiny from stainless is a big deal; it's the embodied blood, sweat & tears.
​​​​​

SoSmellyAir

Why?

The Prestacycle Uniblock cassette is now on sale for $107:

Prestacycle UniBlock Cassette | 11-Speed Shimano / SRAM /Campagnolo for HG 11 Freehub - Prestacycle

Although most of the close ratio versions are sold out. I ordered an 11-34 for my gravel bike.

SoSmellyAir

The 11-34 cassette (305 g) follows the Shimano gear ratios: 11T, 13T, 15T, 17T, 19T, 21T, 23T, 25T, 27T, 30T, 34T.

On a road bike I would hate the two teeth gaps between the smaller cogs but this cassette works surprisingly well for gravel.