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Custom cassette: will this work?

Old 11-24-22, 05:40 PM
  #26  
vespasianus
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Originally Posted by dedhed
It's as if none of you ever rode old bikes with unramped and 3-4 tooth difference cogs that people had no issues riding and shifting.
Yeah, in the old days, since all the cogs were individual, it was very easy to mix and match and get the cassette you wanted. Was the shifting perfect? Maybe not but it worked just fine. As long as the space between the cogs is maintained for 8 speed, the shifter will work and if the derailleur has the capacity, it will work fine as well.
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Old 11-24-22, 08:13 PM
  #27  
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Originally Posted by anga
Thank you so much.
Again Wolftooth Roadlink is not available here.
$22 in the US and $101 if imported!
Too expensive.
Will look for alternatives.
​​​​​​https://www.aliexpress.us/item/32801...andl_shipto=IN
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Old 11-25-22, 02:14 AM
  #28  
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Originally Posted by 70sSanO
There are a ton of knock-offs. It is probably as low tech as you can get. Hopefully you can find one in your area.

John
Originally Posted by Hondo6
This appears to be available on Amazon India. It might be what you need. If I've done the currency conversion correctly, it appears to cost the equivalent of <$20 US. Not sure about shipping/handling costs to your location in India.

https://p-y3-www-amazon-in-kalias.am.../dp/B08GQ48ZQG

There may be others available on Amazon India, or locally, at lower cost. This was the first I found.

Best of luck, both with the bike and the knee.
Originally Posted by dedhed
Thank you so much.
While I searched for Road link was unaware of knockoffs.
Contacted several bikeshops that are open to customising bikes. They had never customised a cassette. They were willing to try (one offered to try at no cost) but since I live a round trip of 10 hours away, had to give up.
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Old 11-25-22, 08:55 AM
  #29  
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If it is your intention to buy those three cassettes, break them down, and use the cogs you want with spacers in between, make sure noe of the cassettes use ‘spiders’ that combine several cog outer rings with a common inner mount. Typically seen on more upscale cassettes to save weight, less common on lower end units. Often, cassettes are held together with rivets or long thin screws, which are primarily for ease in installing and removing the cassette as a unit. These will have to be removedin to re-order the cassette. Rivet heads are easily ground off with a Dremel tool, screws are removed using a small Allen key.
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Old 11-25-22, 09:43 AM
  #30  
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Originally Posted by 70sSanO

I’ve never compared an individual cog, for example a 21t, side-by-side to see if the ramps and teeth configurations from different mfg’s match. I haven’t had shifting issues, but have not tried to build a 10 or 11 speed (can’t imagine a full cog offering).
Isn't it pretty straightforward and visible to see if there's a mismatch. Eg. the below being a standard lined-up teeth cassette:

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Old 11-25-22, 10:07 AM
  #31  
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I have used custom cassettes and no issues with shifting. I mixed 10 speed , 11 speed cogs and different brands and it never made a whole lot of difference.
You can also just file down the long tab on the cog and put it in any position you like.
My advice to the o.p is get the gearing you need.
By changing cassette or chain ring. Trial and error. Your knee will thank you.
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Old 11-25-22, 01:21 PM
  #32  
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Originally Posted by Sy Reene
Isn't it pretty straightforward and visible to see if there's a mismatch. Eg. the below being a standard lined-up teeth cassette:

Nice pic. I was referring to comparing individual cogs of different mfg’s.

In my experience, I have not found any issue with using an 18t from a cassette paired with a 15t preceding it and using a 16t instead. And then a 20t after if that was designed to work with a 17t preceding it. I’ve never experienced any lag in the shifts.

I assume that mfg’s design enough variability so that a particular cog will work in more than one cassette configuration. It would be a very poor business model to have unique designs in that 17t to 28t range.

And as dedhed pointed out people have been using non ramped cogs for years. My old 74XX drivetrain with Retroshift levers was pretty quick and smooth. Could probably upshift multiple cogs faster than STI’s, Di2 excepted.

John
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