Confused about cassettes quality

[ConfusedBiker]

Hello, good evening.
I'm new to MTB and the amount of new information I'm seeing is overwhelming.
As the title says, I'm confused about the quality of some cassettes, specifically, the Shimano TZ500 and the Shimano CS-LG300.
Which one of those is better in terms of durability and functionality?
In what should I look in components to know if they're of better quality than other ones? Leaving weight out of the equation because I don't really care about that.
In general, how can i differentiate if a component is better than other one?
Thanks in advance.

 

[mike_kelly]

You know "better" is in the eye of the beholder. The measure of "better" is a fine thing. Today even the cheapest brands from China are decent usable quality. You will find on the forums there are people who can afford a $2500 drive train. I am sure they work very well but what is the incremental difference between a $200 drivetrain and a $2500 drivetrain.?
So it boils down to what kind of rider you are , your budget and how important the ego of the bike is compared to the functionality.
I can't afford a $2500 drivetrain so I am a value buyer. I also don't bend the limits of riding. I am not doing 30ft jumps. So what works just fine for me is a lot less expensive.
I am also not that picky. If the drivetrain shifts it works for me. Does not have to shift instantly or perfectly just reliably.
Reading the forums you can get the impression that unless you buy a bike with a $500 cassette you will be miserable for the rest of your life.
It is just not true.
So for me the part that is reliable and long lasting is the better value and it does not cost $2500.
Amazingly enough I ride almost every day and my bike still works!

 

[steve_sordy]

The really cheap ones are heavy, but you don't care about that. But pay a bit more and they have a coating that means you don't have to clean and lubricate after every wet ride (that may not be as a big a problem in Mexico as it is in the UK).
Also, I have discovered that if you pay a bit more they last longer. What I have just said applies to chains as well.

 

[RickBullotta]

I have always tend to go "one down from the top" - XT, X01, etc...thinking is that the high end stuff might have some compromises in strength or durability in exchange for weight, but that the next one down has all the same performance.

 

[Mikerb]

fairly simple for cassettes on an EMTB.............Steel cogs rather than ally ( except perhaps the biggest cog). Fully pinned cassettes are stronger than cassettes comprising individual cogs with spacers.

 

[ConfusedBiker]

You know "better" is in the eye of the beholder. The measure of "better" is a fine thing. Today even the cheapest brands from China are decent usable quality. You will find on the forums there are people who can afford a $2500 drive train. I am sure they work very well but what is the incremental difference between a $200 drivetrain and a $2500 drivetrain.?
So it boils down to what kind of rider you are , your budget and how important the ego of the bike is compared to the functionality.
I can't afford a $2500 drivetrain so I am a value buyer. I also don't bend the limits of riding. I am not doing 30ft jumps. So what works just fine for me is a lot less expensive.
I am also not that picky. If the drivetrain shifts it works for me. Does not have to shift instantly or perfectly just reliably.
Reading the forums you can get the impression that unless you buy a bike with a $500 cassette you will be miserable for the rest of your life.
It is just not true.
So for me the part that is reliable and long lasting is the better value and it does not cost $2500.
Amazingly enough I ride almost every day and my bike still works!

I share the same mindset as you (more expensive is not always better). I want to use my money wisely in certain components that are durable and good, but I don't have the knowledge to know which components are those and I also don't know in what to look for, besides from the price and the brand.
I appreciate your comment and hope you get more fun rides on your bike!

 

[ConfusedBiker]

I have always tend to go "one down from the top" - XT, X01, etc...thinking is that the high end stuff might have some compromises in strength or durability in exchange for weight, but that the next one down has all the same performance.

Hmm, I haven't tried that. How do you know which stuff is the high end, mid end and low end quality? Besides from the price. Do you check any brand pages or check the materials?
Thanks for your input.

 

[ConfusedBiker]

fairly simple for cassettes on an EMTB.............Steel cogs rather than ally ( except perhaps the biggest cog). Fully pinned cassettes are stronger than cassettes comprising individual cogs with spacers.

Thanks. I'll check that out.

 

[#lazy]

I used to buy sram gx cassettes but now just by she cheaper shimano steel ones at half the price and last way longer .

 

[mike_kelly]

My own personal choices are Microshift has worked well. I also use Shimano M5100 derailleurs and cassettes for 1x11 with SRAM grips shift 11. But only because they all work together even tho mixing Shimano and Sram often does not always work. So be careful. The standby SHimano HG and all the third party players making compatible products seem to work together.
I have paid $50 for the M5100 51t cassette, $30 for the grip shift, $30 for the M5100 derailleur and $40 for a Sram XX1 chain. So $150 for a drivetrain.

 

[Ride 2d@y]

Yes 'the standby HG' compatible products' are good and cheap - but Shimano is pushing Cues and Linkglide now

 

[steve_sordy]

What the OP needs is a list of the various transmission options in descending order for Shimano and Sram

For Shimano its XTR at the top, then XT, then SLX, then err, what comes next? Is it Deore?

XTR is for those who care about minimum weight, but it comes at a price. I have a mix of XT and SLX. XT is a bit heavier than XTR, but XTR will have other benefits of which I am unaware as I've never experienced it. SLX has all the performance of XT, but is again a bit heavier than XT. Over the years, I have read multiple times that SLX is the sweet spot for performance and price. That is the case for cassettes, rings, chains and brakes. I once snapped an XT mech. It was during the pandemic and all I could get at short notice was an SLX mech. I honestly could not tell the difference in shifting performance.

Not sure about Sram:
XO, XO1, GX......somebody help please.

 

[irie]

What the OP needs is a list of the various transmission options in descending order for Shimano and Sram

For Shimano its XTR at the top, then XT, then SLX, then err, what comes next? Is it Deore?

XTR is for those who care about minimum weight, but it comes at a price. I have a mix of XT and SLX. XT is a bit heavier than XTR, but XTR will have other benefits of which I am unaware as I've never experienced it. SLX has all the performance of XT, but is again a bit heavier than XT. Over the years, I have read multiple times that SLX is the sweet spot for performance and price. That is the case for cassettes, rings, chains and brakes. I once snapped an XT mech. It was during the pandemic and all I could get at short notice was an SLX mech. I honestly could not tell the difference in shifting performance.

Not sure about Sram:
XO, XO1, GX......somebody help please.

Yes, Deore.

The XT shifter can shift down two gears at once, while the SLX shifter can only shift down one gear at a time. Last year saw a couple of silly cheap XT shifters at Merlin Cycles so grabbed them. Nice when you need to slam down through the gears quickish ...

 

[RickBullotta]

What the OP needs is a list of the various transmission options in descending order for Shimano and Sram

For Shimano its XTR at the top, then XT, then SLX, then err, what comes next? Is it Deore?

XTR is for those who care about minimum weight, but it comes at a price. I have a mix of XT and SLX. XT is a bit heavier than XTR, but XTR will have other benefits of which I am unaware as I've never experienced it. SLX has all the performance of XT, but is again a bit heavier than XT. Over the years, I have read multiple times that SLX is the sweet spot for performance and price. That is the case for cassettes, rings, chains and brakes. I once snapped an XT mech. It was during the pandemic and all I could get at short notice was an SLX mech. I honestly could not tell the difference in shifting performance.

Not sure about Sram:
XO, XO1, GX......somebody help please.

XX1 > X01 > GX, and X01 is the sweet spot. I think XT is the sweet spot on the other side of the fence.

 

[whitymon]

In all the different scheme, yes it is easy to lost yourself. Most of the time the weight is just the difference, there is look but let's not focus on that, there can be shifting ease difference but for common mortal like us, it just does not exist.

To have a quick idea, go to a shop online, filter size of your cassette, filter brand=shimano, order by price and even if not totally correct you would have some kind of order.

As for durable, this is hard to picture, if you correctly shift, not too often under load, it can last a very long time as it also depends on distance per year.
It's like saying I want a car that does not consume huge amount of gasoline but I do 10km/day to go to work versus I do 200km/day to go to work. Former is a kind of useless point of discussion, later is very more important.

I know some people that can destroy a cassette under 6 months and at the same time some that can keep one in very good condition for 2 years.

If you are new, what I usually advice is look that the cheapest one and take the one just after if you really want to spend more cash, same with brake etc. Being new equal also you do not need to burn money on stuff that would make no difference yet to you, plus you never know if the hobby is gonna last for you.

Don't fall into having the shiniest parts on your bike, does not make you a better rider, some kids out there on my trails have twice less the bike I have and ride twice better as I.

 

[irie]

Shimano weight table.

 

[cozzy]

I don't know what a tz is, but lg is linkglide and that's the only thing i would ever fit to an emtb.

 

[irie]

I don't know what a tz is, but lg is linkglide and that's the only thing i would ever fit to an emtb.

Google says that Shimano TZ is 6 or 7 speed.

 

[mike_kelly]

I think emtb specific parts are an urban myth. I have never used anything but "normal" parts and have no problems.