Bicycle Mechanics - Confused! Cassette identification issues... (BONUS: Name that Chainring!)

So... I'm a little on the lazy side when it comes to replacements. I've been riding the same cassette for the last, oh I'd say 4 years, and it's part of a bike I purchased used, and prior to that had been through hell. It's sort of a jalopy of parts, all on a Heckler X frame (not sure what year, as far as I know it's sometime between 99 and 2002). The lockring says it's a Shimano Hyperglide (of course not which model, that would be simple and well thought out!) of some kind, biggest ring is a 32, but the back side of the stack is black, which gives me SRAM vibes... I don't recall Shimano ever doing color on their cassettes, but of course I could be wrong. Is the lockring just misleading and probably just a spare the dude I bought it from had lying around? Is this some kind of crazy mishmash of parts? Or am I on stupid side? Probably the latter, hence why I came to ask you gents and ladygents.

Long story short, I've been through 3 chains on this cassette, which means it's more than primed for replacement (as I recall, every new chain deserves a new cassette), I just have no idea which! I know it's gotta be 8-speed (I'd rather not replace any shifters this time around, unless all the currently available 8-speed cassettes are garbage) and that's pretty much it.

BONUS: To whoever can tell me what the pluck this crankset is, 10 internet kudos points to you. I know it's a Raceface (it kinda screams it at you on the crankarm) I just need to replace the biggest ring because it's missing a tooth. Does it matter which one I get as long as the number of holes is the same for mounting, or do I have to find one from that era? I was looking at all their newest models, and they seem to be of the 4 bolt variety, and mine has like 6, so I'm assuming I need to find something that can fit. Any ideas? Suggestions? This bike is absolute perfection for me... fits likes a dream, ugly as fudge (no one steals ugly bikes) and takes a beating wherever it ends up. I feel like I need to mount a bottle opener on this thing somewhere...

Thanks in advance, you guys and gals have always done right by me on here, so I got faith in ya', and sorry for the truly awful pictures, I'm sure there's a "worst photography" award somewhere with my name on it.

And for posterity's sake, the whole bike:
http://i640.photobucket.com/albums/uu126/shmef/th_IMG_1093.jpg (http://s640.photobucket.com/albums/uu126/shmef/?action=view&current=IMG_1093.jpg)

The crank is an old 5-bolt RF Next, pretty much the MTB gold standard after XTR for the early decade/end of the 20th. There are still some online retailers who can hook you up -- try Cambria, Chain Reaction, maybe even Jenson.

Uh, I counted 9 gears on that cassette.... Shimano and SRAM both drilled their cogs.

Wow.

You have no idea how hard my palm just slapped my face in stupidity right now, so here's Kirk Picard to demonstrate:
http://www.bingegamer.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/facepalm-original.jpg

I can't believe I didn't catch that... then I suppose my shifters are just 8 speed... they're all scratched up so I can't read em... then again I could count the clicks... wow I feel like a moron... thank you for pointing that out, this actually simplifies things.

Well that opens up my options then! 9 speeds... well thats pretty nifty! I pretty much stick in 4 or 5 back there and the big one up front, very rarely shift anywhere else unless duckering around on stuff in the woods where I gotta drop down a bit. So does it matter if I go with SRAM or Shimano in that regard? I mean, money isn't a huge obstacle, but I'm not shelling out 100+ for Ti rings or something, just need something that will last I suppose. The SRAM PG990 seems to have solid reviews, and it comes in heinous pink, and a plethora of others, but that obviously isn't a deciding factor. Any suggestions are welcome!

Yeah, that's 9spd... how did you get that wrong?

Anyway, aren't Shimano and SRAM spacings the same?

You should be able to find replacements for your chainrings easy enough.

I pretty much stick in 4 or 5 back there and the big one up front, very rarely shift anywhere else unless duckering around on stuff in the woods where I gotta drop down a bit.

Maybe grab a road cassette instead. With your granny ring, you'd still get pretty close to 1:1 with 11-23.

Believe me, I feel like I'm naked in a mall right now, all those goth kids that hang around drinking orange Julius's and loath life staring at me. The spacings are the same, but I've been told "road" cassettes tend to have a skinnier spacing and the "mountain" designated ones usually are more resistant to dirt. I dunno, that's just what I've read on Sheldon Brown's site.

The spacing of all SRAM and Shimano 9 speed cassettes are the same, just choose one with the right number of cog teeth you need that fits your budget.
As for chain rings, you need to know the Bolt Circle Diameter and the number of teeth.

..I've been told "road" cassettes tend to have a skinnier spacing ...

Well, no. For the same number of gears, spacing and sprocket thickness is the same between "road" and "MTB" for the shimano(compatible) family.
"Road" cassettes tend to run tighter ratios though, as the expected speed range for a road bike is narrower than for a MTB. Apart from that the definition is kinda arbitrary. Plenty of road/touring riders in mountainous areas who run supposedly mtb cassettes. Not that many MTB riders in flat territories that run "road" cassettes, but they do exist. Particulary for an urban commuter I think it's a great combo.


..the "mountain" designated ones usually are more resistant to dirt...
If they are, I've never noticed.
Main advantage IMO is that I can pick up low-end MTB stuff for ridiculous prices at a nearby department store: chain $6, cassette $17, crankset $17. For a winter beater that has to eat sand salt and slush for months and months and miles and miles that's hard to beat.


... I dunno, that's just what I've read on Sheldon Brown's site.

Maybe a re-read is in order then....

Wow.

You have no idea how hard my palm just slapped my face in stupidity right now, so here's Kirk to demonstrate:
http://www.bingegamer.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/facepalm-original.jpg
That's not Kirk.

now THAT ^^^^ is irony..!!!

That's not Kirk.


Yeah....

I'll just go find a shallow grave to fall in...


Well either way, thank you folks for helping me figure all this crap out, despite my very apparent stupidity on more than every occasion. This helped me narrow my search to what I need, thanks again!