Bob Dopolina 

I was looking to purchase a new Campagnolo 11spd cassette to throw on some spare wheels when I started thinking about aftermarket cassette options.

I'm running SR so I don't want to run a crappy cassette just to save a buck. Whatever I buy needs to function VERY well and be less expensive than SR.

SO...who is running cassettes OTHER THAN ones from the big 3?

What are the ratios? Weights? Durability? and prices like compared to the big 3?

abstractform20

bdop asking for advice? this should be interesting...

teamtrinity

The only aftermarket cassette I've used is by Recon. I have bought several of their alloy cassettes. The 11-23 weighed around 90g. The 11-25 was around 105g. And the 11-28 was around 135g. Price was around $160 from Fair Wheel Bikes.

They worked very well...except that it took FOREVER to get them setup right. They're very sensitive...so you really have to spend a lot of time adjusting your rear derailleur. Durability...not bad for an alloy cassette. But...it's an alloy cassette. I'm not sure on exact mileage because I ride many different road bikes and wheelsets...but it definitely wore out faster than my SRAM Red cassettes. BUT...they're a heck of a lot cheaper than Red at retail, and lighter as well!

I continue to use them on my weight weenie type bikes and sometimes for race days.

Bob Dopolina 

Sure. Sometimes I like to hear from the hoi polloi.

Bob Dopolina 

@teamtimerity, the Recon and the KCNC cassettes are the only ones I've found info on but not so much on end user experiences.

cplager

Out of curiosity, do you know who makes the Nashbar-branded cassettes? These are generally lower end, but the reviews seem in line with what they're trying to replace...

Bob Dopolina 

^^^ I have no idea.

Is there really a demand for aftermarket 10spd cassettes at the Ultegra level(ish)?

rpenmanparker 

Bob, I ride exclusively SRAM Red cassettes. I can routinely buy these as takes offs or demos, maybe with a few miles on them, for under $150 on ebay. Just got one in pristine condition for $140 delivered. I have never gotten one that had any significant wear. I'm willing to ride 11-25 or 11-26. These become available from all the folks that want one of the extremes, 11-23 or 11-28. Is there a similar opportunity for Campy 11v? There are a lot of Campy 11v cassettes listed on ebay, many Chorus besides the R and SR. Would that work for you, or are you looking for specifically an ultra light knock off in Ti or Al?

Robert

RT

BDop, personal preference aside, what is that makes an Ultegra cassette that much better than a Tiagra cassette? I have been running the 4600 12-30 and it seems like a fine ride. 1,500 miles or so and still shifts great.

I have used a Nashbar 9 speed cassette, busting a tooth, and my guads are not that impressive. The guys at Performance said that the Nashformance brand is made by the same manufacturer. I have always been curious about Miche but have no experience with them.

carpediemracing 

I've tried Miche and BBB. I realized about a month ago that I had been racing the BBB for 2 years (they were on my primary race wheels). It skipped on one cog for the life of the cassette but since it was the 19 I just avoided using the cog. I double checked to make sure the cog wasn't on wrong and then left it alone. I still haven't checked the cog closely.

Miche I've used a few cassettes. A local rider reported he broke cogs regularly. I never broke one. They were my main training cassettes for 3? years.

Both are like Veloce or Centaur but more shiny. Separate cogs, very shiny. Individual cogs available for Miche I think.

As far as performance goes... I can't tell one from another except when I pick them up or clean them. I had Miche/BBB in my last round of cassettes and I just changed them all (and two chains on two bikes). Now I am running a Centaur, Record, and Record cassette on my three main wheels (training, racing, racing). I bought the Centaur to race on and planned on buying BBB/Miche but then I bought 3 (used) Record cassettes. One is unsuable but the other two are on my race wheels and the Centaur got moved to my training wheel. I wouldn't know one from another from just riding on them.

I have new DA chains, KMC Missing Links, and my drivetrains are 10s. I have a mix of Chorus/Record mechanical bits, Nokon housing.

RollCNY

I have also tried Miche and BBB. Miche has been very comparable to SRAM and Shimano cassettes that I have had (never had a Campy cassette). I would not buy a BBB again. Stamped spline forms were jagged, and caused almost immediate damage to freehub body. It took some significant hand work on burrs and plating tree before it was usable.

Gerry Hull

BD if you like I can demo way to make cogs from different cassettes work together-
That is, if the goal is to have your very own configuration.
Is not too hard to do.
Is limited, though- for the most part- to cassettes that employ individual cogs, not mounted on carriers.

Cmon bob, say BRING IT ON, G. Gimme a chance to make just one last little video. Seriously, this is doable. And the shifting is neck-snapping fast.

Also- figured out decent revisions to the bottle-cage spare tube holder that you suggested- thx for those.

Re: Roll's remarks- that is such a shame. Is like, if you have alloy freehub you gotta be on your guard. The frequency of mfr. oversight and negligence on something as easy to produce as a properly splined cog is .... a disgrace. A 105 cassette can saw a freehub to pieces too.

Re: RT - ya, being a post-doctoral student of cassette cog-tooth micro-analysis, the Perf/Nashbar house brand stinks, almost to point of being a safety issue.

datlas 

No.

Bob Dopolina 

First, Campagnolo doesn't have the spline damage issues due to a superior design.

Second, with 11spd I can get exactly what I want already.

I used to train on Centuar cassettes and race on Record when I had Campagnolo 10spd. That worked fine for me. I will most likely go this route again but I am curious about what is out there. Now.

There are some aftermarket cassettes I've seen that combine several cogs in a single carrier much like Shimano does with DA that don't carve up alloy freehubs. My preference is for something like this even though I run Campagnolo.

Last thing, I've been riding long enough that I remember starring at a cog board while I figured out which cogs I was going to install on my 6spd free wheel for the race that day. So, been there done that. It's not what I want to do with my current set up. 12-25 and I'm good to go.

merlinextraligh

For SRAM/ Shimano, I don't think there is hardly a demand for aftermarket cassettes at any level.

On the low end, you can get a 105 cassette for $40. So not much money to be saved.

On the high end, a SRAM X-Dome cassette shifts great, no longer has a noise problem, and weighs 134 grams (in 11-23). So not much weight to be saved.

Which only leaves a tiny sliver of people willing to pay a pretty penney for a disposable cassette to save 39 grams.

Bob Dopolina 

I think those are apples and oranges. Budget cassettes are what they are and not really the target for the aftermarket manufacturers.

What about a high end alloy cassette that is both cheaper and lighter than DA or SR? That's really where I'm looking and it is starting to hold my attention.

Oh, and SRAM cassettes bite rock hard moose dick.

merlinextraligh

^ have you used the X-Dome cassettes? They don't have the noise problem of the previous model, are very light, and in my experience, I can't see any dfference in shifting between them and a Dura Ace cassette, when used with either sram or shimano drive trains.

Bob Dopolina 

^^^ Honestly, no. But I'm tired of riding with SRAM users and listening to their *****ing being drown out by their clattering drive trains.

Who knows, it could be chain related or whatever but I haven't been left with a positive impression of their cassettes.

How many Shimano users have SRAM cassettes? My guess is that it is a lot fewer that SRAM users with Shimano cassettes.

teamtrinity

I have Shimano Ultegra on my training bikes...and SRAM Red on my race bikes. I find my SRAM drivetrain almost as quiet as my Shimano drivetrain...as long as it's adjust properly. But the SRAM cassette is very loud when something is adjusted poorly.

Psimet2001 

OOoof....yeah not around here. I do still occasionally buy Shimano cassettes for riders, but I buy way more SRAM ones. At wholesale - its REALLY hard to beat some low end SRAM pricing. There is a market for uber high end stuff. That's it.

Gerry Hull

Oh my lord it is atrocious. In violation of all laws of god and man.
"racket-dome"

i havent heard the x-dome- maybe it really is better!

sticking to the stated object of your search, though:
is waste time, most likely.

the mfr Action-Tec has not been mentioned- they do a lot of custom and preassembled Ti cassettes for a reeasonable price, but I'm not sure they got what you want.

Bob Dopolina 

^^^ not my preferred vendor.

Gerry Hull

Christ.

Action-Tec isn't on my list of ever-used-even-once vendors. But you asked a question. And if you have experience with them, it'd be gentlemanly to share it, instead of being exclusively preoccupied with improving your own gear.

Man I am so in the wrong crowd here.

maybe not in most gentlemanly mood myself this morning.

well, best of luck to you, then.

Bob Dopolina 

"Action-whatever" doesn't exist.

Even if it did maybe I am not so keen to crap all over some factory I have no experience with?

Yes. You are in the wrong crowd.

rpenmanparker 

My Red setup nearly drove me crazy from the noise until I switched to the KMC SL10 chain. Dead quiet. I had though it might be the hollow carved out cassette body, but apparently not. The new chain solved it all.