The new 12-speed cassette from E-Thirteen not only has more teeth than the competition - we know that from E-Thirteen already - it also gets its own name: Helix R. Compared to the TRS+ cassette with 12 sprockets, however, it is considerably lighter and is back at the top of the list of the lightest 12-speed cassettes for mountain bikes. There are also colour options to adapt the cassette to your own taste.
According to the manufacturer, the two-piece cassette works with both Sram and Shimano12-way circuits equally well. Newly designed climbing aids should ensure improved shifting performance. The largest aluminium sprocket pair is now available in four anodised colours and also with a different, shimmering blue coating, which is said to last twice as long.
Price, weight, range - E-Thirteen remains the best
The usual mounting for E-Thirteen cassettes has not changed. The aluminium sprockets are still clamped onto the XD freehub. The steel body, which holds the remaining ten gears, is engaged there. At 345 grams, the Helix R cassette is almost 50 grams lighter than the identically geared TRS+ cassette. This means that with the Helix-R cassette, E-Thirteen once again has the lightest 12-speed cassette compared to Sram and Shimano. And compared to the one-piece cassettes of the competition, the worn parts can be replaced individually with E-Thirteen. This can save costs in the long term.
Speaking of costs, the accessory specialist also remains below the top cassettes of its major rivals in terms of price. 12 gears (9-50 teeth) with 556 per cent bandwidth cost 289 euros at E-Thirteen. An 11-speed version with 9-46 teeth is also available. It is also lighter than the previous 1x11 cassette from E-Thirteen and weighs 325 grams according to the manufacturer. Cost: also 289 euros.
Sebastian Brust
Editor
