When to change your cassette...

[Danimal]

Got a new chain and my smaller cogs are skipping the chain. Is this a fo shure sign that my cassette should have been changed as well.

Anyone have any experience with this and is this what happens?

Thanks in advance.

[wokerhopper]

you probably have some shark finned teeth on the cassette. If the teeth look to be finned, the chain will definitely pull off of them easier and cause a skip.

[Benjamin Severns]

generally at the shop we recommend replacing the cassette at the same time you replace the chain. and i personally recommend replacing chain rings every 2 or 3 cassettes...


your old cassette though it may look fine has worn down to a uniform shape to your old chain, so if the chain needs replacing, so does the cassette.

so get a new cassette with similar gearing, and shift happy with your new chain/cassette

[Ish]

Yes. If it is skipping, replace the cassette.

[dejorn]

I have found that if you replace the chain before it stretches too much you can greatly increase the service life of chain rings and the cassette. I can generally get 2-3 chains per cassette. What you will find is that the cassette/chain combo will work just fine until you purchase a new chain. At that point the new chain no longer "meshes" correctly on the worn cassette and the chain will "ride" up on top of the teeth and under load will skip over the top.

You can always save the "old" chain and cassette for use on a winter beater.

[Slimpee]

On a related note, I am putting a bike back together and the cassette is new but as of right now I have the old chain on it. I rode it a bit before taking it apart and everything seemed to work fine but i'm now thinking that i'll get more life out of the drivetrain if i just buy a new chain. Is that a good plan or should I measure the old one and if it's good just keep riding it?

[Tomg]

New cassette, new chain. Using the old chain with the new cassette will just accelerate the wear on the nice new cassette you just bought.

[badandyruh]

The Rohloff cog wear indicator is a great tool. Not a for sure thing like a chain checker, but it gives you a pretty clear idea if you need a new cassette or not.

[nigel]

Regardless of wear I change my chain every 1500 miles and cassette every 3000 miles. You can usually go a bit more than that but just don't see the point of even possibly having bad shifting :)

[Kingbozo]

In my case I realized I needed a new cassette when my oh so keen eyes noticed a few missing teeth.

[4Screws]

http://www.rohloff.de/en/products/hg_ig_check/index.html

[Jackrabbit Slim]

I have found that if you replace the chain before it stretches too much you can greatly increase the service life of chain rings and the cassette. I can generally get 2-3 chains per cassette. What you will find is that the cassette/chain combo will work just fine until you purchase a new chain. At that point the new chain no longer "meshes" correctly on the worn cassette and the chain will "ride" up on top of the teeth and under load will skip over the top.

You can always save the "old" chain and cassette for use on a winter beater.

What he said.