How quickly are people getting through cassettes?

Polaris

Active member
Oct 15, 2018
388
262
Lancashire, England
Hmm...
kinda odd, eh?

I'm now trying to remember if in actual fact I shortened my chain from 118 to 116 when fitting the 36T/ It's my second ESommet so I changed the ring straight away knowing the 34 was too small. I do tend to set-up new bikes to my exact preference right down to stuff like chain length etc so may well have.
I'm almost certain it wasn't 122 links new though.
No, it only registered when I held both chains up and though fuck me, how did KMC know my chain length, that’s nice and easy of them lol. 116 is spot on though, or feels it anyway ??
 

Binhill1

🍊 Tango Man 🍊
Mar 7, 2019
3,459
5,364
Scotland
No, it only registered when I held both chains up and though fuck me, how did KMC know my chain length, that’s nice and easy of them lol. 116 is spot on though, or feels it anyway ??
400 mls on Levo and first chain 0.5 . I'm hoping this is a learning curve and it gets better as I get used to ebike. 23 rides according to Mission app . 20 of them in wet and muddy conditions lot of climbing and this is summer. Was using ceramic now using oil type changing chain today
 

Flatslide

E*POWAH Master
Jul 14, 2019
265
250
Dunedin NZ
600km on first KMC chain-probably would've gone longer but thought I'd swap it whilst everything still new-ish. Replaced that with a BBB e-powerline chain (RM is 124 link so limited options), which is knackered after 500km. This time trying an XT 12 spd sil-tec, mainly because it's not too pricey and 126 links. SLX cassette holding up well. Thinking of changing to a 1 x 10 with an 11-42 cassette next time.
I don't race up hills in Ludicrous mode and am very vigilant with my shifting. I also clean and lube the drivetrain every other day.
 

Binhill1

🍊 Tango Man 🍊
Mar 7, 2019
3,459
5,364
Scotland
600km on first KMC chain-probably would've gone longer but thought I'd swap it whilst everything still new-ish. Replaced that with a BBB e-powerline chain (RM is 124 link so limited options), which is knackered after 500km. This time trying an XT 12 spd sil-tec, mainly because it's not too pricey and 126 links. SLX cassette holding up well. Thinking of changing to a 1 x 10 with an 11-42 cassette next time.
I don't race up hills in Ludicrous mode and am very vigilant with my shifting. I also clean and lube the drivetrain every other day.
My cassette don't look good now that's 750 miles couple chewed teeth . I believe I'm limited to gx cassette on the levo expert . Thinking of changing to hope hub then i could use xt cassette for example.
 

helipilottim

New Member
Aug 16, 2019
8
8
Basingstoke
I’ve only done 430 miles on my Vitus VR and highest two gears are slipping already!! Chain is about 0.6 worn...I replaced it and it’s slipping even more....I mainly use eco so really surprised....any ideas?? I’ve only had the bike 4 months.
 

Binhill1

🍊 Tango Man 🍊
Mar 7, 2019
3,459
5,364
Scotland
I’ve only done 430 miles on my Vitus VR and highest two gears are slipping already!! Chain is about 0.6 worn...I replaced it and it’s slipping even more....I mainly use eco so really surprised....any ideas?? I’ve only had the bike 4 months.
Put3rd chain on no use not slipping but noisy and shudders so old one on again. Just got new chainring today cassette shimano freehub due tomorrow 1200 wet gritty miles will see what happens with these ones. Some folk on here getting couple thousand miles to a chain .But who knows how and where they are riding. I do lot of hill climbing steep and technical climbing like Golspie Ben Rinnes for example . Who knows. Getting expensive i know that.but fun fun fun
 
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Gary

Old Tartan Bollocks
Author
Subscriber
Mar 29, 2018
10,496
10,705
the internet
I’ve only done 430 miles on my Vitus VR and highest two gears are slipping already!! Chain is about 0.6 worn...I replaced it and it’s slipping even more....I mainly use eco so really surprised....any ideas?? I’ve only had the bike 4 months.


limit your rear mech so it won't go into the 46T sprocket at all and wind out the B-limit until the top jockey wheel is as close to the 37T as it will go without causing the plastic to metal noise. The extra chain wrap afforded by this should give you another few hundred miles.
Yet another reason wide range cassettes are shit on emtbs.

i only run 11-40 cassettes now because of this and will be switching to 11-36 (10 speed) when my current drivetrain wears out.
 
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helipilottim

New Member
Aug 16, 2019
8
8
Basingstoke
limit your rear mech so it won't go into the 46T sprocket at all and wind in out the B-limit until the top jockey wheel is as close to the 37T as it will go without causing the plastic to metal noise. The extra chain wrap afforded by this should give you another few hundred miles.
Yet another reason wide range cassettes are shit on emtbs.

i only run 11-40 cassettes now because of this and will be switching to 11-36 (10 speed) when my current drivetrain wears out.
Hi Gary....Thankyou very much...when I say highest I mean the two smallest cogs in the casette...will be adjusting b screw....top tip ??
 

Gary

Old Tartan Bollocks
Author
Subscriber
Mar 29, 2018
10,496
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Hi Gary....Thankyou very much...when I say highest I mean the two smallest cogs in the casette...will be adjusting b screw....top tip ??

Yeah. I knew which sprockets you meant...when a cassette wears it's pretty much always the small ones which will slip first (under load) as they've less teeth and less chain wrap around them. (and an Ebike's motor just adds to that load)

ps. the B-tension screw needs wound OUT ie. anticlockwise (have corrected my typo above)
 

gtaadicto

Member
Jan 26, 2019
101
78
Leon,Spain
My slx 11 speed cassette has almost 3000km and it only slips in the second smallest gear, the one I've used to cruise at 32 km/h ;)
Top gears don't slip at all unless I put on a new chain. I'm currently rotating 2 chains, the original KMC E11 and a Sram PC-X1.
 

Dan63

Well-known member
Feb 4, 2019
289
170
Brisbane
Another option is to swap over to XD driver and run a 10-42 11 speed sram cassette. I will replace the 11-46 XT with something like this when it wears out.

Dont really need 46T on the ebike - 42T will still climb great and you can wind the b screw in a little with the smaller cog for more chain wrap! Added bonus, it would be nice to have the 10T at the other end as well.
 

RoJo

Active member
Apr 24, 2019
250
203
Surrey
limit your rear mech so it won't go into the 46T sprocket at all and wind out the B-limit until the top jockey wheel is as close to the 37T as it will go without causing the plastic to metal noise. The extra chain wrap afforded by this should give you another few hundred miles.
Yet another reason wide range cassettes are shit on emtbs.

i only run 11-40 cassettes now because of this and will be switching to 11-36 (10 speed) when my current drivetrain wears out.
I upgraded to 10 speed XT M771 11-36 with Zee Derailleur. Best upgarde ever: lighter, cheaper, MUCH better shifting, more reliable, and it's still more gears than I need. 46T spins out way too easily on an eeeb.
 

Gary

Old Tartan Bollocks
Author
Subscriber
Mar 29, 2018
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10,705
the internet
Yeah. I have a 11-25 10 speed cassette, 10 speed chain and Zee mech and shifter sat here just waiting for my current 11 speed to start slipping under load
(an 11-36 will go on my off road wheelset)
 

Evolution Stu

E*POWAH Master
Jun 30, 2019
457
448
Blackpool. U.K.
Remember a lot of this is subjective guys.

I had a 11-36 on my Trance 3 and my mate on his Trance 2 with an 11—46 was able to do stuff I couldn’t, to the point we swopped bikes on some climbs when I was clean out of energy.

Mate 3 with his Trance 1s 11-50 SRAM Eagle outdid us both.
it totally depends what kind of ascent you are trying to do.

Its very rare I need to be lower than probably 4th, but we do from time to time go and climb properly steep stuff like Helvellyn, High Street and a Grizedale Pike. On those days we can tell the bikes apart blindfolded.

I converted my 11-36 to an XT with 11-42 to get me a bit closer to them. I think it’s pretty ideal to be honest.
 
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Evolution Stu

E*POWAH Master
Jun 30, 2019
457
448
Blackpool. U.K.
Here is an image to illustrate one such offensive gradient... Lower Man, Lake District, the last 500ft or so of the 3100ft climb to the summit of Helvellyn. (the highest place we can legally ride in England)

70FC8AB4-585E-4122-893B-154CD5A3F5A0.jpeg
 
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Tonytank

Member
Jun 5, 2019
100
77
London
Just coming up to 1000miles on original cassette, no issues as yet very little wear showing. Cleaned and chain lubed after every ride. not had to adjust gear yet either.
 

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