Is it easy to DIY replace a rear cassette? At the rate I go through them, it would probably be more economical to do myself if not too difficult.
Ta in advance!
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Is it easy to DIY replace a rear cassette? At the rate I go through them, it would probably be more economical to do myself if not too difficult.
Ta in advance!
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"this kit which is quite a bit cheaper than the EBC one..."
That looks quite good.
EBC one is quite often 'on sale' for about £25, which is a more reasonable price.
The LIDL/Crivit set contains a few types of lockring tool and a chainwhip, is also £25 and might still be available.
@chdot That looks quite good.
I thought so too, which is why I bought it earlier this year...
I find changing a cassette pretty fiddly, however all you really need to do is follow the instructions and there is not much that can go wrong.
Thanks folks, looks like only minimal amounts of blood will result from doing this!
I have found that the chain whip that comes with the Revolution Tune Up Tool Kit is easy to break and that getting my LBS to do it only cost a fiver (cheaper then buy a new tool)...
If you would like to try it without buying said tools, I have them at the flat and would be happy to advise.
Alternatively I bet that the Bicycle Works will charge you considerably less than a fiver if you present them with the wheel and the new cassette - they only charged me £2 to remove my bottom bracket...
I got the revolution tune up kit in a sale and so far it has been used to swap several cassettes without problems, (though I have managed to break the chain splitter, ok for me as I have a good quality one in the underseat bag anyway) it's a reasonable basic kit imho I wouldn't pay full price for it though.
"and the new cassette"
Some shops (not saying any in Edinburgh) get sniffy when people turn up with stuff bought elsewhere...
They are in this
The EBC chainwhip is not up to the task - it relies on a plastic pin to hold the length of chain onto the wrench, which inevitably bends, buckles, then snaps. Even if the pin wasn't so weak, it's not a convenient design.
The lockring is alright.
"it relies on a plastic pin"
I'm sure mine is metal - but it's not a great tool, just a bit of chain tacked (precariously) on to the headset spanner.
Fortunately all the lockrings I've removed with haven't been on too tight.
Mine is def a metal pin, it did take me a while to work out how I was supposed to use it though! :-o Fine once I worked out the technique....
Metal...
Plastic-coated metal...
Plastic...
Mine was inadequate for the sort of torque you often have to put into a chain whip...
Metal...
Paint-coated metal...
Paint...
mmm
Well you could always order this chain whip as a replacement. When it's back in stock... :p
I managed to make a chain whip out of a bit of chain I was replacing at the same time as the cassette, screwed into a piece of wood lying around - worked fine. Worth a try if you've a piece of chain handy.
I do have an Ice Toolz wrench for Mega Exo BB cups, and it seems like a well made thing, but the great majority of my tools are by Park. For cassette removal I use a Park chain whip in combination with a huge Bahco adjustable spanner.
I have an Ice Toolz whip (£6.99 rrp) which does the job, plus the Shimano tool (but you can buy a serviceable Xtools one for £6.99 again). It's useful to have these two because it also enables you to replace drive side spokes if they break (this is actually why I originally bought mine).
It was actually cheaper to buy the tools and replace the spoke than to have a shop do it, so it was an instant win. Since then I've probably used it at least 20 times in anger, so it's saved itself many times.
I am a magician and have never changed a cassette (on a bike) in my life!
The best chain whip I saw was one made from a bit of steel and some chain, at home, for nothing.
I think my chain whip came from my old Sierra for changing the timing chain. Its fine for single speed but its too big and tends to make a meal of modern cassettes.
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