Shimano 600 compatibility
 

I'm fairly new to the biking, so this may be a stupid question. I purchased a used 1990 Cannondale 3.0 Criterium, and I need to change the rear cassette to make the bike easier for climbing.


I was in the process of switching out the 11/25 8 speed rear cassette for a 12/32 8 speed rear cassette, and discovered the new one doesn't fit!

The old cassette is a Shimano 600 8 speed, and was switching to SRAM 850 8 speed. The hub on my wheel is too big for the SRAM to fit! Aren't SRAM and Shimano compatible?

Thoughts?

Perhaps your rear wheel is a newer nine speed compatible. Check your old cassette to see if you removed a spacer in addition to the cassette. If so, put the spacer on before the SRAM 850 and you should be good to go.

If not, I don't know. As you mentioned SRAM and Shimano cassettes are interchangeable.

problem solved!
 

I figured it out!
For whatever reason, the SRAM 850 came with a black plastic cylinder in the middle of the cassette. I had to pry it off so the cassette would slide onto the hub. I'm not sure the purpose of the the black cylinder covering, but I removed it so the cassette would fit correctly. Problem solved!

Gosh darn packing material.