The Best Shifting Cassettes

If the sprockets on your bike are worn out and need to be replaced, then you're probably in the market for a new cassette or freewheel. Many bicyclists do not have a clear understanding of the difference between these systems and use these terms interchangeably even though they are not the same. It is important to know whether your model of bike uses a freewheel or a cassette before selecting the best cassette.

  1. Cassettes and Freewheels

    • A freewheel is a cluster of sprockets that can be attached to the rear hub of a bike with a traditional threaded hub. A cassette is a set of sprockets that can be attached to a newer bike without a threaded hub. The ratchet mechanism attaches to the hub on newer bikes without threaded hubs. This allows the bicyclist to replace only a single sprocket, when necessary, rather than having to replace the ratchet mechanism as well. To tell whether you are actually looking for the best shifting cassette or the best freewheel, you can simply check whether or not the hub is threaded.

    The Spider

    • Some cassettes use a device called a spider, which is essentially a set of metal arms attached to a crank. The spider attaches the sprockets to the body of the hub. In Eyebike.com's reviews of shifting cassettes for 2006, all of the recommended models were designed with spiders, which the reviewers described as solid and smooth and from which the three top rings could be taken off but the others could not. These cassettes, including the Shimano XTR CS-M960, the Sram PG990 and the Shimano XT CS-M760, were found not to damage the hub after long periods of use.

    Durability and Popularity

    • Out of the shifting cassettes recommended by Eyebike.com, the Shimano XTR was rated highest in overall durability. Biking.com's 2011 review of shifting cassettes also found that Shimano cassettes were the most popular brand among bicyclists overall but gave high marks for durability to American Classic and Campagnolo. Some cassettes are designed for specific bikes and functions, in which case they can cost much more than the standard set. The higher price in this case should not be taken as an absolute indicator of higher quality.

    What to Avoid

    • When looking for the best shifting cassette on the market, the cassette reviews at Eyebike.com advise against any cassette that damages the freehub over long distances. This can occur with any cassette in which the design does not evenly distribute the torque across the body of the hub. If the design will cause the torque to be focused on a small area of the hub, this will put too much pressure on that one area, resulting in damage.