wide range 8 sp cassette for 1x8?

[Silvergoat]

Re:

My DX mechs could easily run a 34t sprocket and 50t ring. Here's one link I've seen regarding customised cassettes: http://cycleseven.org/customising-shima ... e-cassette

 

[ultrazenith]

In the end I opted for the 11-34 HG 41 wide range cassette, paired with a 30 t middle chainring. On today's test ride, I only needed to change from middle ring one or two times, once for a fast road section, and once for a really steep climb where the 34 x 30 wasn't quite low enough. In effect, it's a 1x8 set up, but with the other two rings still there just in case. Ideally I'd add a 36 or 38 cog (removing the second smallest one to make room), but that's going to require some thought and additional expense.

 

[FluffyChicken]

Re:

The second to bottom used to be hard to remove as the small cog rests 'in' it, at least BitD.

9sp and that would be easy, just buy it and maybe fit an 11 instead of the 12,tooth on a 12-36 setup.

8sp, maybe pinch the cog from a 9sp one and have big jumps they're pretty much the same width.

 

[fagin]

In the end I opted for the 11-34 HG 41 wide range cassette, paired with a 30 t middle chainring. On today's test ride, I only needed to change from middle ring one or two times, once for a fast road section, and once for a really steep climb where the 34 x 30 wasn't quite low enough. In effect, it's a 1x8 set up, but with the other two rings still there just in case. Ideally I'd add a 36 or 38 cog (removing the second smallest one to make room), but that's going to require some thought and additional expense.

So it's actually a triple anyway...?

 

[ultrazenith]

So it's actually a triple anyway...?

Yes

But my interest in having 1x8 is not to save weight or for the clean look of it (although both are not to be sneered at), but to minimize or eliminate the need to shift between chainrings.

 

[FluffyChicken]

Re:

I never get why shifting a chainring is such a hardship, I twist or move a lever and it changes, no problem, no hassle.

To be fair I do like the idea of optimising your riding ratios as you are doing, which most people do not as they leave it at default ring sizes... until they start faffing with 1x setups.
I still think you would be better off running 9/10 at the back and have the nicer run of gears on the rears.


...
You could 11-36 and run a standard not ramped rings for smoother running and less chance of pickup in the 11 cog and move your big and small to get out rings like a around the 3 largest cog being you climbing steep gear with two extra get outs and similar for your big ring for fast runs on the 12/13 cog.

 

[ultrazenith]

Thanks for the advice guys.

I've just fitted an 11-36 8 speed shimano cassette, which I constructed from an HG41 11-32 with the 15 t removed to make way for a 36 t which came off an Alivio HG300 9 speed cassette.

The indexing seems fine, but I'm getting some pickup in the 11 t when using the middle ring, and when in the 36 t the jockey wheel's noisier than I'd like. I think I might be pushing beyond the limits of my MT62 rear mech.

Anyway, I'll test it properly off road on Tuesday and report back.

 

[Twisty]

I've done a fair bit of 1x? speeding where ?=3-8. I call it Rearspeeding
I like to use my hackbike/commuter to wear out all the random spare cogs I have.
I've never gone above 32T at the back, but sunrace do appear to make quite a range of rear cassettes, 11-36T should be quite a useable range.

 

[ultrazenith]

Today's test of the 11-36 x 30 t went well. A 50 km all off road ride with some long, tough climbs and fast fireroads, and I felt I had all the gear ratios I needed while in middle ring. I'm pleasantly surprised that the Deore DX MT62 rear mech seems able to handle the 36 t cog, although I did have to reverse the B tension screw to get enough distance between the cog and the upper jockey wheel.

 

[olivermajewski]

Re: 8 speed wide range

I made something like what you guys are talking about. Check it out on blueliquidlabs.com/articles

It's an 11-46t 8 speed cassette. I've been using 8 speed exclusively since 1997. Probably a lot of the guys on this board feel similarly about 8 speed.