Worn Out Cassette after 280 miles

[SpeedyJim]

Hi All, hoping for some advice, I've worn out the 9th gear on my sprocket Shimano Deore, 10-speed, LinkGlide, Shadow+ after 280 miles. This is on a Giant Fathom E+ 2 Pro. Does anyone know of an upgraded compatible sprocket I can use? Preferably with gearing more suited to top speed, thanks in advance

 

[RustyMTB]

Linkglide is supposed to be THE durable Shimano cassette option. If it's gone in 280 miles then something is wrong. You either have a dud, something wrong elsewhere in the drive train causing accelerated wear or are riding predominantly through the worst landscapes on Earth.

I see you're in Leicester, so maybe option three but there isn't a cassette on the market that is designed to be more durable than what you already have, so assuming it's a new bike & still under warranty, then I would at least have the dealer look it over & try to identify whether there's anything wrong in the build but to be clear, a dead cassette after 280 miles is abnormal, Linkglide or not.

Also don't think you can buy different individual cassette sprockets to change the gearing but you could change for a larger chainring which would give you higher gearing.

 

[SpeedyJim]

Thanks for the reply, I've contacted Julies Cycles of leicester where I purchased the bike and they have stated its wear and tear and will not be able to repair under warranty, even with the low mileage. I've check the bike over and all gear are in line and chain is not stretched. Looks like I'm going to have to replace it myself at this point... thanks again. You would think a 3500 bike would last a bit longer!

 

[cozzy]

The 9th gear, so the 13tooth? Wasn't one of the selling points of linkglide that the 3 smallest sprockets could be bought separately?

 

[SquireRides]

Something doesn't make sense. OP says the chain isn't 'stretched' but one of the cassette rings is worn. You usually only see cassette (or chainring) wear over the long term when multiple chains have stretched, resulting in misalignment against teeth and wear.

What's the symptom you are experiencing? Chain slip? Noise?

 

[SpeedyJim]

It's the second smallest ring if that makes sense, After 280 miles the chain is now jumping in that gear. If I pedal with any sort of force, the chain slips and sometime can really throw me off balance.

I've not been using the gear for the past couple of days but now I have to double shift past it which I don't really like to do.

 

[Alexbn921]

Is that the only gear you use? You need to keep your chain and drivetrain clean or it will continue to wear at a crazy rate.

I have 2000 miles on an slx cassette with almost no wear.

 

[trailaddict]

Shifting is king to limit wear and get the most out of your battery.
One of the basic skills I teach in each and every riding class!

 

[SpeedyJim]

I do tend to go through the gears correctly, but I do commute to work on the bike and would typically use this gear the most for hills. Generally on the flat I will sit around 26mph in 10th and drop down to 9th maintaining 22mph uphill

 

[Paulquattro]

I do tend to go through the gears correctly, but I do commute to work on the bike and would typically use this gear the most for hills. Generally on the flat I will sit around 26mph in 10th and drop down to 9th maintaining 22mph uphill

I take it you have the assisted limit of your bike removed or bypassed for you to do 22mph up hills
I think if you have you may have just answered your own question as too why the wear is so great
At the end of the day you shouldnt be putting that much drive on a 13t sprocket up a hill @ 22mph .
its only a push bike drive train at the end of the day .

 

[SpeedyJim]

Removing the limit on the bike does not increase torque so I didn't think this would impact the bike too much. Thanks for the replies all, looks like I will be replacing parts more frequently than I had anticipated

 

[VWsurfbum]

Sounds like you need a bigger front chain ring

 

[Paulquattro]

Removing the limit on the bike does not increase torque

Of course it does
You are still getting assistance from the motor and increasing total drivetrain torque
Question can you ride up the same hill at 22mph motor off ? if the answer is no you have increased your overall effort with the motor assistance on a drivetrain thats designed for human input only .


Post edited slightly due too nit picking .....

 

[SpeedyJim]

No, but removing the limit does not increase torque from the motor. It simply allows the motor to continue delivering the same power at higher speeds. If these bikes are being sold in other countries that do not impose the limit, surely they would be seeing the same issues I am. Either way, looks like I am up a creek without a paddle and will need to order a replacement cassette.

 

[SpeedyJim]

Sounds like you need a bigger front chain ring

Any suggestions my friend?

 

[Alexbn921]

Of course it does
You are still getting assistance from the motor and increasing rider torque
Question can you ride up the same hill at 22mph motor off ? if the answer is no you have increased your overall effort with the motor assistance on a drivetrain thats designed for human input only .

Removing the cutoff has zero effect on motor output levels. it simply doesn't turn off at the normal limit.

 

[Zimmerframe]

Just riding along quickly in that gear going up a hill wouldn't just wear it out that quickly.

It takes time to adjust, but you probably need to work on easing off the power as you change from 10th to 9th as you hit the hill. Presumably you're on the power as the incline increases and bang it down one whilst still under full power, this will destroy your cassette. You have to ease off slightly as you change so there's limited force/assistance on the chain as it moves between gears.

 

[RustyMTB]

Your smaller sprockets will wear faster than the larger ones anyway as they spend more time under load from the chain. Agree with Zimmer that mechanical sympathy shifting gears is key to longevity. Always ease off when changing gear to avoid smashing the chain from one sprocket to another. As for chain rings, your bike likely came with 32 or 34 teeth. Up it to 36 or 38 & you'll have taller gearing. The rest is down to you.

 

[VWsurfbum]

Any suggestions my friend?

I went for a 36t Uberbike stainless steel bike one. 2teeh bigger than standard.

 

[Paulquattro]

No, but removing the limit does not increase torque from the motor.

I didnt say it did
I said its increasing rider torque by still assisting you thus increasing drivetrain wear
At no point did i say the motor torque gets increased .

 

[Paulquattro]

Removing the cutoff has zero effect on motor output levels. it simply doesn't turn off at the normal limit.

Please RE read my posts thats not what i said

 

[Alexbn921]

I didnt say it did
I said its increasing rider torque by still assisting you thus increasing drivetrain wear
At no point did i say the motor torque gets increased .

So your saying that it keeps assisting you and that increases total torque on the drive train above normal cutoff speed, when it would otherwise not help?

The drivetrain should have no problem with this as long as it is maintained and not ONLY used in 1 gear. I expect to get 5000+ miles out of my cassette, 2 chains I rotate and chain ring. My bike has assistance up to 28mph.

Again speed limiters DO NOT change motor output in anyway.

 

[Alexbn921]

Please RE read my posts thats not what i said

The riders output doesn't change either. So it's a weird way to say whatever your saying.

 

[Paulquattro]

The riders output doesn't change either. So it's a weird way to say whatever your saying.

The combined effort of both rider and motor increase wear on the drive train which otherwise without the limiter removed would be human only
Maybe i should have said total output and if you think a 13t spocket is designed to take potentially over double the effort inflicted on it you have a lot of faith in bike components deigned ultimately for human effort only

But i think you know that and are intentionally picking for the sake of it because it certainly feels that way .

So on that note im out .

 

[SpeedyJim]

The cassette is designed for ebikes, not just human effort. Surely at a lower speed on the 13t sprocket, it would be under more pressure and load. I think you are out, because your point is invalid but thanks for the contribution.

 

[lumpy]

I don't have any recommendation for the cassette, but I'd suggest changing your chainring to get a few more teeth. It'll give your more speed and you'll use more gears on the cassette

 

[1oldfart]

It sounds like you are the problem.
Get a new better rider.
Watch the proper way to change gears and select them.

 

[KlaasNorg]

I got the Fathom E+2 non pro version. Also chipped. I got a range of 4500km and at this moment the bike is at the LBS for a drivetrain change. I am also interested in a slightly bigger chainring on the front but we can't find anything fitting the Fathom.

 

[Paulquattro]

The cassette is designed for ebikes, not just human effort. Surely at a lower speed on the 13t sprocket, it would be under more pressure and load. I think you are out, because your point is invalid but thanks for the contribution.

I wasn't going to reply but as I'm having a barrage of abuse for bringing up a valid point so here goes ,

Do you honestly think that your cassette is designed for an ebike / pedelec specifically ?

Only a couple spring to mind one of which being sram EX1 and the new Shimano link glide as already mentioned above,
as there is a big difference in a manufacturer printing ebike on the box and designing a drivetrain specifically

Also do you honestly think without motor assistance you could pull your 13t sprocket up the same hill at the same speed , i feel the answer is no so you would change down to a bigger sprocket thus reducing the wear problem and using more teeth on the lower gear
when an unassisted rider or a legal pedelec is on the 13t its usually on flat or facing down hill thus reducing the wear dramatically and being used as designed
A bigger front sprocket as already mentioned will help of course as this will keep you on bigger rear sprockets at the same speed

But my points are valid on your current setup if you don't see that i cant help .

 

[SpeedyJim]

It sounds like you are the problem.
Get a new better rider.
Watch the proper way to change gears and select them.

Funny that, as I have a Giant Talon that is probably on 2000 miles plus with no issues, and a 20 year old Marin that I've never gone through a cassette on. But thanks for your useless comment and I wish you a wonderful day.