The teeth of the cassette melt like ice cubes in the sun during hard off-road use. At the latest when they are as crooked as shark fins on the sprocket and the chain can no longer find grip when pedalling, it is time to replace the cassette. Until recently, bikers essentially only had to ask themselves one question: Shimano or Sram? But since the introduction of the single-speed drivetrain at the latest, more question marks have suddenly appeared in people's minds. Is the range of the cassette sufficient to conquer steep climbs? Or: Are the individual gears still appropriately graded? Because Sram still only offers a single eleven-speed transmission and Shimano can only offer the XT cassette with sufficient range, more and more third-party suppliers are bringing alternatives onto the market. Larger range, more homogeneous gradation, lower weight - we have ridden the cassettes from E-Thirteen, Hope, Sunrace and Box Components and know whether they are suitable as gear replacements or not.
One thing quickly becomes clear during the first few kilometres of testing: they can all shift gears. Whether it's the inexpensive Taiwanese cassette for 80 euros or the 370 euro work of art - the chain moves quickly from sprocket to sprocket. If the shifting process is not correct, the thumb on the shift lever has not twitched precisely enough. Differences are only noticeable under load, but they are clear. Even when shifting up to a larger sprocket, the noise increases with Shimano and E-Thirteen, while the gears still engage quickly and precisely. With Hope, Sunrace and Box, shifting is as noisy as at a shooting match and the quality of shifting also suffers. It gets even worse when the chain is shifted to a smaller sprocket. The chain jerks downwards with a noticeable delay and makes your calves tremble. It's better to take some pressure off the pedal when changing gear. The Shimano and E-Thirteen chains move down faster and more smoothly, but still quite loudly. However, Sram offers the best shifting comfort - up and down: fast, precise and quiet. The GX cassette is also unperturbed by shifting under load. By the way: The expensive X01 cassette doesn't shift any better, but is a third lighter. Otherwise, only the Hope and E-Thirteen models milled from solid aluminium can come close to keeping up.
Anyone looking for maximum range will inevitably end up with the Americans anyway. At 511 per cent, the TRS Race has a wider gear ratio than Sram's new twelve-speed cassette. The gradation is surprisingly comfortable and without too many jumps. Sunrace and Box have the most even spacing. The XT cassette is the opposite: with five steps of two, the Japanese cassette is very finely graded at the bottom, an advantage on faster pedalling sections. However, this is penalised on steep climbs. The jump over nine teeth from the tenth to the eleventh sprocket is no problem for the gears, but the jump feels very unharmonious when pedalling. A 38 or 39 tooth sprocket in the penultimate position would be a much better choice here.
That leaves the question of durability. Determining wear in the laboratory is almost impossible. However, an indication of wear can be obtained by testing the material hardness at the Zedler Institute for Bicycle Technology and Safety. A diamond tip presses on the individual sprockets with a defined test force, leaving an imprint. The Vickers hardness can then be determined from this. Apart from a few outliers, the values here are at a similar level. Comparable wear can be expected with Shimano, Sram and Hope. The aluminium sprockets of the TRS Race are particularly hard, while the steel sprockets are somewhat softer. On the expensive Sram X01, which we ran for comparison, both materials have a very high degree of hardness. This means that the high financial outlay could be relativised over time.
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TECHNOLOGY IN DETAIL
Not every cassette fits every freehub. Sram's XD version is now widely used, but the Hope cassette only fits on a specially shortened model.
Shimano freewheel
The standard for mountain bike cassettes for years. This type of freewheel is compatible with 10/11-speed Shimano cassettes as well as 10-speed Sram cassettes and the PG-1130 model. Differently wide bars ensure that the sprockets can only be fitted in one position and that the shifting aids are always correctly aligned with each other. An end ring secures the cassette to the freehub.
Sram XD Driver Body
The special freehub body from Sram has a thread on the hub side onto which the cassette is screwed directly. This means that the freehub can be shorter and a small 10 sprocket can be fitted. An XD freehub can be retrofitted to many common wheels for around 45 euros. Some manufacturers even include it in the scope of delivery of a wheelset.
Hope freewheel
Hope relies on its own standard, which is only compatible with Pro 4 and Pro 2 Evo hubs. The shorter design also allows for a small 10 sprocket. The two-piece cassette is milled from one steel and one aluminium block. Similar to Shimano, bars hold the cassette in the correct position. An extended end ring secures the cassette to the freehub.
Tooth profiles
In many cassettes, hardly one tooth is the same as another. Behind this are sophisticated shifting aids. Only slightly noticeable in normal use, they help the cassettes to shift gears noticeably more smoothly and quietly, especially under load.
GEAR JUMPS IN COMPARISON
With Shimano, the smaller sprockets are very finely graded, but there is a huge jump of over nine teeth at the top. In contrast, the gear steps on Sunrace and Box are less fine, but more evenly distributed. The jump over one tooth (from 9 to 10) is only available from E-Thirteen.
THAT CATCHES THE EYE
Not all cassettes are the same. Manufacturers take different approaches to increase the range, improve the gradation or reduce the weight.
E-Thirteen manufactures its cassette from two individual parts and uses the Sram XD freehub for assembly. The three large sprockets are fixed to the freehub using a retaining ring. A special tool is supplied for this purpose. The outer part of the cassette is hooked into the ninth sprocket and secured with a chain whip. Two chain whips are required to remove the cassette - not exactly practical.
The tiny nine-pinion sprocket on E-Thirteen provides a huge range, but the pedalling is noticeably rough. This effect is also noticeable with Sram's ten-tooth sprocket. From eleven teeth upwards, these problems no longer occur.
The big jump from 37 to 46 teeth in the XT cassette is barely noticeable when shifting gears. The climbing aids do a great job here. When pedalling, however, the gradation feels inharmonious.
The cassettes from Hope and E-Thirteen are each milled from two individual blocks (one steel, one aluminium). This reduces the weight to less than 300 grams. Only the top cassettes from Sram (XG-1195: 264 grams) are lighter. Such low weights cannot be achieved with riveted models. However, at least with Shimano, individual sprockets can be replaced if necessary or worn.
Gradation, structure, climbing aids - apart from the colour and logos, the Cassettes from Sunrace and Box like two peas in a pod. This becomes even clearer when you compare the black Sunrace version. The shifting quality is also identical. Why you should pay 40 euros more for the Components box was not really clear to us.
THE TEST RESULTS
BOX COMPONENTS Two 11-46
Info www.boxcomponents.com
Price 120 Euro
Weight¹/freewheel 479 gram/standard
Variants none
Material Steel (1 to 10), aluminium (11)
Ratio/bandwidth 11-46/418 %
Gradation 11-13-15-18-21-24-28-32-36-40-46
Material hardness² Steel 538 HV / aluminium 183 HV
RATING
Weight 2 out of 10 points
Switching function high 6 out of 10 points
Switch function down 5 out of 10 points
Wear and tear 7 out of 10 points
Conclusion If you take a closer look at the box cassette, you will notice that it resembles the Sunrace down to the last detail. Spider, construction, shifting aids, gradation, weight - everything is identical, except for the colour and logo. This makes you wonder about the price. You pay 40 euros more for the box. The gradation is even and without too many jumps, but less fine at the bottom than Shimano, for example. The function without load is still okay, although not very smooth. Under load, the chain climbs rather reluctantly and drops loudly onto the next sprocket when shifting down. Although the gears always land on the correct sprocket, the box shifts quite slowly at the bottom.
E-THIRTEEN TRS Race
Info www.cosmicsports.de
Price 369 Euro
G
weight¹/freewheel 290 grams/Sram XD
Variants 9-42 / 9-44 / 9-46
Material Steel (1 to 8), aluminium (9 to 11)
Ratio/bandwidth 9-46/511 %
Gradation 9-10-12-14-17-20-24-28-33-39-46
Material hardness² Steel 475 HV / aluminium 197 HV
RATING
Weight 8 out of 10 points
Switching function high 8 out of 10 points
Switch function down 6 out of 10 points
Wear and tear 8 out of 10 points
Conclusion At 511 per cent, the E-Thirteen TRS Race offers more range than Sram's 12-speed cassettes, while remaining surprisingly light. Without load, the chain moves smoothly over the sprockets. Under load, it plops onto the next smaller sprocket rather than shifting. Shifting up is sometimes as smooth as butter, sometimes rather hard and often tough on the smallest three sprockets. This could be due to irregularly distributed climbing aids. The tiny 9-pinion is unique, but pedalling is noticeably rough at higher speeds. Tools are supplied for mounting, but two chain whips are required for dismounting.
HOPE 11 Spd Cassette
Info www.hopetech.com
Price 225 Euro
G
weight¹/freewheel 277 grams/Hope
Variants 10-40 / 10-44 / 10-48
Material Steel (1 to 7), aluminium (8 to 11)
Ratio/bandwidth 10-44/440 %
Gradation 10-12-14-16-18-21-24-28-32-38-44
Material hardness² Steel 575 HV / aluminium 181 HV
RATING
Weight 10 out of 10 points
Switching function high 6 out of 10 points
Switch function down 6 out of 10 points
Wear and tear 8 out of 10 points
Conclusion Hope milled the two-piece cassette to an extremely light 277 grams. However, a shorter freehub is required for installation, which only fits on two different Hope hubs. It shifts cleanly and precisely, but is significantly harder and louder than the other models. The gradation avoids too many jumps and is still pleasantly fine at the bottom. The shifting comfort suffers noticeably under load. The chain drops from sprocket to sprocket with such a loud metallic crash that the pedalling is briefly interrupted. When pedalling backwards, the chain does not fall off the sprocket as it does on other models.
SHIMANO Deore XT CS-M8000
Info www.paul-lange.de
Price 110 Euro
G
weight¹/freewheel 438 grammes
Variants 11-40 / 11-42 / 11-46
Material Steel (1 to 9), aluminium (10 to 11)
Ratio/bandwidth 11-46/418%
Gradation 11-13-15-17-19-21-24-28-32-37-46
Material hardness² Steel 575 HV / aluminium 165 HV
RATING
Weight 4 out of 10 points
Switching function high 8 out of 10 points
Switch function down 8 out of 10 points
Wear and tear 8 out of 10 points
Conclusion The rather heavy XT shifts quickly and precisely with the typical metallic Shimano sound. It is particularly finely graduated at the bottom, but the last two jumps are somewhat inharmonious. The huge step up to a 46 t sprocket is surprisingly easy. Even under load, the Shimano shifts precisely and without much delay, but noticeably less smoothly than Sram and significantly louder. From summer 2017, Shimano will also be offering the SLX in an 11-46 version. This will cost just 75 euros, with presumably the same good function but even higher weight.
SRAM GX XG-1150
Info www.sram.com
Price 142 Euro
G
weight¹/freewheel 392 grams/Sram XD
Variants none
Material Steel
Ratio/bandwidth 10-42/420 %
Gradation 10-12-14-16-18-21-24-28-32-36-42
Material hardness² Steel 579 HV
RATING
Weight 6 out of 10 points
Switching function high 10 out of 10 points
Switch function down 10 out of 10 points
Wear and tear 8 out of 10 points
Conclusion Sram's cheapest 10-42 cassette consists of eleven riveted steel sprockets. This puts a lot of pressure on the scales. On the other hand, the GX shifts incomparably softly, smoothly and quickly. Even under load, it seems as if the chain is being roped over the sprockets gently, quietly and yet without delay. The chain only drops a little more on the smallest sprockets. The 10th sprocket runs a little unevenly, similar to the 9th sprocket on the E-Thirteen. The gradation is pleasantly even, without large jumps. The 264 gram X01 cassette for 385 euros offers no noticeable improvement in shifting performance.
SUNRACE CSMX8 11-46 T Black
Info www.sunrace.com
Price 80 Euro
G
weight¹/freewheel 479 gram/standard
Variants 11- 42 / 11-46
Material Steel (1 to 10), aluminium (11)
Ratio/bandwidth 11-46/418%
Gradation 11-13-15-18-21-24-28-32-36-40-46
Material hardness² Steel 538 HV / aluminium 183 HV
RATING
Weight 2 out of 10 points
Switching function high 6 out of 10 points
Switch function down 5 out of 10 points
Wear and tear 7 out of 10 points
Conclusion The Sunrace cassette is absolutely identical to the Box. Accordingly, it also shares the same technical and functional characteristics. The gradation is harmonious, without large jumps, but less fine than with Shimano or Sram. As a result, it shines with a smooth shifting feel. In normal operation, the cassette, like all others, can be shifted easily and accurately. However, the chain does not move smoothly over the sprockets even without a load. When climbing under load, it cracks and rattles when shifting up. When downshifting, the chain drops onto the sprockets with a loud bang and usually only after a short delay. The Sunrace brings up the rear in terms of weight, but costs the least in this comparison.
¹BIKE measurement
²The material hardness was determined according to the Vickers hardness test at the Zedler Institute for Bicycle Technology and Safety
You can read this article or the entire issue of BIKE 6/2017 in the BIKE app (iTunes and Google Play) or buy the issue in the DK shop reorder:
Stefan Frey
Editor
