Cassette workshop: Changing the sprocket - how-to instructions & tools

1 Dismantling the cassette on the bike

Stand behind the removed Impeller and lean over it. This gives you the best leverage when removing the sprocket set, which requires some force. Place the Chain whip to one of the larger sprockets. The lever points to the left as seen from you. Then place the Sprocket puller into the cassette and open the locking ring by pressing it anti-clockwise while holding it with the chain whip.

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2 Grease freewheel

You can now clean the freewheel thoroughly with a cloth. Remove dust, dirt and old grease residue. Then apply a thin film of Assembly paste on the freehub body. This prevents the cassette from eating into the freewheel or making creaking noises when pedalling under high loads. Now apply a thin layer of grease. You can use all-purpose bike grease for this. Shimano or DT Swiss also offer Special greases for hubs to.

3 Attaching the cassette to the bike

Now refit the cassette on the bike. Pay attention to the sequence when fitting individual sprockets (Shimano). Due to the toothing on the freewheel, cassettes and sprockets can only be slid on in one position. With Shimano cassettes, do not forget to place the spacer rings between the individual sprockets. The climbing aids for the chain must point outwards.

4 Tighten the cassette

If all the sprockets are back on the freehub body and the end ring is fitted on Shimano cassettes, screw the sprocket set back on (with 40 Nm). First wiggle back and forth slightly with the sprocket puller until the cassette slips fully onto the teeth. If the cassette is difficult to tighten, check its fit again to prevent damage to the cassette or the freewheel.

5 differences between Shimano and Sram cassettes

In principle, changing Shimano and Sram cassettes works in almost the same way. With Sram, however, the individual sprockets are riveted together or the cassette is milled from a single block. An end ring is not required as the thread is integrated into the sprocket set. Shimano, on the other hand, offers cassettes for higher-quality groupsets that can be dismantled. This means that the entire sprocket set does not have to be replaced if parts are still intact.

6 Tip: Chain whip

The chain whip works most effectively if you use it to grip as many teeth as possible. Place the whip on one of the larger sprockets. Make sure that all chain links engage cleanly with the teeth of the sprocket.

Dominik Scherer, BIKE test lab employee:

Changing sprockets or cassettes on a bike is no problem with the right tools. Sram relies on complete sprocket sets. With higher-quality Shimano cassettes, on the other hand, individual parts can be replaced - a great thing when retrofitting to an MTB if only the most frequently used sprockets are worn.