wide range 8 sp cassette for 1x8?

[Titiritero]

Re:

How did you manage to get the pins in the cassette out so you could mix and match sprockets? I read everywhere how people customize cassettes or use the spacers from an old 8 speed cassette to make 7 speed clusters work in modern hubs so I decided to do the same.

Long story short, it took me ages, a lot of sweat, and using the tools of my father-in-law to remove those pins. Now I have 5 nice spacers in the tool box, but if I ever need a 6th one, I’ll definitely pay the 1.5 EUR to buy a new one rather than going through the ordeal again. Am I missing some insider trick?

I’m slowly preparing our retro bikes for a long 2 year trip in about 2 years time, and my wife’s will probably be getting a 3x8. A 8 speed wide range cassette would be nice, but although the easy to find 11-34 would be enough with a triple at front, the jump from the second last (26t) to last (34t) is way too much for what we need…

Choice seems to be between a wide but steep 11-13-15-17-20-23-26-34 or a more balanced but not as wide 12-14-16-18-21-24-28-32. Only exception is Sunrace CSM680, with a whopping 11-40, which might be interesting for the OP here (and it's quite inexpensive), but to me it's just too wide for a triple. Jumps at the end are 28-34-40.

 

[integerspin]

I think I chopped the heads of the rivets off and the cassettes fell to bit's.
I have several cassettes in bit's in my bin of "shitty old cassettes that I should really have chucked in the bin, but you never know there maybe a use for them"

I just had a look at the 28T sprockets in said bin full of goodness. I have knocked the heads of the rivets with a flap disc by the look of it.

 

[Silvergoat]

Re:

I clamped the cassette between 2 blocks of wood in a vice then carefully used a drill on slowest speed to bore the ends of the pins out. Then carefully prised apart the cluster of cogs.

 

[Silvergoat]

Re:

Once the rivets are loosened, you can dismantle the cassette and clean the parts. Smooth off the rivet ends with a file so you can insert them back into the customised cassette – although you can actually live without them too. Try and keep a note of the order and orientation of parts for reassembly.

 

[gogmagog]

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Ok, here’s a trick. SRAM cassettes are held together with tiny Allen bolts so are really easy to customise. Plus, the 8 speed and 9 speed sprockets are all the same thickness, it’s just the spacers which differ. I know this is an 8 speed thread, but as an example I made a hybrid 9 speed touring cassette from a 12-26 Road 8 speed and a 11-32 mountain 9 speed to give 12-13-14-15-16-18-21-26-32 which gives a nice close set of gears in the 50 to 80 range with a couple of low granny gears. I don’t mind the gap between the 26 and 32 at all, it’s a chance to go a bit slower!! You could obviously pick your combination and keep the 8 speed set...

 

[syncrosfan]

Interloc Racing Design is still making wide range 8 speed cassettes. 13-40t
Here's the link:
http://www.interlocracing.com/cassettes ... compatible

 

[Silvergoat]

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I quite like the idea of the Interloc 13-40 cassette!

 

[gogmagog]

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Looks fun, but 11-34 actually covers a (very slightly!) wider range anyway...

 

[Silvergoat]

Re:

I'd probably end up tinkering with it, swapping or adding an 11t cog for higher end grunt.