I am setting cassette production for 2025 and, with more 12 speed on the market, I am wondering what we should set as a priority.

So, if you are still running 11 speed Shimano/Sram, what gearing do you prefer?

See the attached poll for results and thanks to the BF braintrust.

12x28

We won't do any 1st position 12T as it requires completely different tooling for not only the cassettes but also the lockrings. It's just not worth the investment for us.

I used to get by with 11/28 but as I'm aging, those hills are getting steeper. 11/32 is now my preferred and what I buy for replacements.

11-40T

Why was it not listed, or 11-34T, 11-36T, 11-42T, etc.?

11-34 with a 50/34 crankset.

Can’t answer because it would all depend on where I was riding. So 11/28 to 11/40.

Plus one

Some pretty steep hills around here. 11-34 with a 52/36 is my preferred setup so I went as big as poss on the poll.

We are seeing a lot of that.

Not listed because we don't make those in 11-speed. We do make 11-34T in 12-speed.

If you would like to pay for the tooling and order a few hundred cassettes, we can make 11-36 for you.

We only make 11-34T in 12-speed.

No, but thanks. SRAM makes 11-36T and Shimano makes those others.

Seriously?

Our cassettes are structurally different and therefore have different design limitations.

what are the weights, compared to Shimano?

That doesn’t change my answer. Perhaps your poll should have included “something else”.

They are .machined from a single piece of alloy and are therefore lighter than Shimano.

I understand but we don't have tooling to make something else so it really wouldn't help with my forecasting. It might be something for the future, however, but not an immediate concern.

pretty light it seems. only negative is they specify a rider weight limit.
https://bdopcycling.com/product/bdop...m-11spd-1132t/

In fairness, when I posted that, I was simply trying to answer the question in your poll.

I did not realize you were using the forum for free advertising and market forcasting for your company. If I had, I would have just ignored it (or reported it).

I do agree there are limits to what you can do if you make your cassettes out of aluminum instead of steel. I wonder if there might be some reason the major manufacturers don't do that?

Ah...several manufacturers use alloy...

That was more of a wattage thing. Early testing included some beefy pros who were hitting 1500 watts. We saw increased failures (a few broken teeth) so we decided to be overly cautious and we landed on a conservative weight estimate as the best way to deal with that.

Including every manufacturer who uses steel (which is also an alloy).

Even Shimano and SRAM use aluminum on their largest cogs (eg 40T, 42T, etc). Gosh, I wonder why they don't use them on 11T, 12T, etc?


Why not make them out of balsa wood?

Oh look, another internet materials expert telling a manufacturer what's what.

I guess I'm imagining the Miche full alloy cassette I have on my desk.

Thanks for your input.

None of the above, 12-25 or 12-27. Asking end users what they want to see in product (and acting on it) sounds like a good idea, but isn't.
Why not market a "build your own" with extra cogs, (you know sprockets) spacers, and maybe a toy like a Happy Meal.... "Know your customer"