Broken cassette teeth?

[mecse]

So I finally, _finally_ put my rear wheel back on after a winter on the trainer. I noticed that one of the teeth on the cassette was missing. Should I care? should I replace? it's a SRAM 11-28, and the tooth is from the 22 ring.

Has this happened to anyone else?
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/lCCEXsw9qJ421om741eXIXq33nsm6GO6hwiHQpXIENX6GKpXy6 mHkY9PQ4RhHzYQ10DsyEkTGAjXd2s6nPvlvRCSTFoa2ydbUgt-jVJDWgbAfNjARR4yXH8jGvK0Y4XTsNGq8gBFmhEM21fZBP_dXc 5LZJ-olVsRp2FKmyIJ0ArsSlWMmuplAhtyAsqX83IMAkt0GIJCy6jeQ zMA1jX9lTDkelLXvsAflPD-6mENwbA_n5R1095HNDFi0K5meYnQk3dPcdCwiRZHvl-a_d9lS82VfXUdRbwwGDkPBU4jJMB_SOPFu6U5YYzPpkQ_uZU_9 YvNG4ofXnTAilQWC2d5qEcPuOJFbphgeY4Ttkrqr_n_ETnTGhx jJGhjLGFnBxcc21TEwr3FAc01B1j9CG1akpv7AhStDHVNdsPvq MZHDLN4elw3pY8J0WoYAPDy1zTQN6RC_I9ObITGksI0RBkmjar uPOAHSH7BUn4SjF9K0X9S_VpLGhNmJ0F9ppMUU8DE3X-eplV7sddZVs-GgaK4rH6UtUsNuplgKP_Wds1vz0pzxe361QC1M6a-AOStwwrNfD9vK74zadOhvijb960CpIfuIK1yqK0xyRIhGuYsxX wH2yIkJiIWRuUre3zsu4O7SQEmC0PK0G2Fwct7dWG6LbV8P6x2 ijuBZQ=w455-h606-no

[madsciencenow]

I’ve got the same question on the 11 T ring on an 11-28. Mine is not completely broken. I’d say there is about 1/2 the tooth left.


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[PacNW2Ford]

They're going back to their roots. Didn't early Sram cassettes have a missing tooth to aid shifting?

[oliver1850]

They're going back to their roots. Didn't early Sram cassettes have a missing tooth to aid shifting?

Yes, first thing I thought of. The "normal" cassettes were designated PG, the missing tooth ones "OG" (Open Glide, I think). SRAM went away from all loose cog cassettes at most levels after 9 speed. I know the PG-1050 MTB cassettes had the 4 largest cogs on a carrier. Still, might be some 10 speed cassettes that allowed swapping a single 3rd largest cog.

After looking at the pic closer, it does appear to be a broken tooth. I'd guess repeated side loading and flex caused a crack, and some sort of stress riser may have contributed. I've seen lots of derailleur cages (not necessarily SRAM) that have been in contact with cogs. I also have a freewheel here that's in really nice shape other than missing a tooth or two on one cog. Heat treatment not right, combined with stress riser? 6/7 freewheel cogs were pretty robust, can't imagine they flexed much.

[PacNW2Ford]

Yes, it is obviously a broken tooth, the story is funnier my way.

[batman1425]

I'd replace it. The idea of that cog splitting in half and locking the rear wheel while out on the roads is not worth the $30-60 (depending on model you want) replacement cost.

[Mark McM]

It looks like that cassette sprocket is made from 'drillium'. I thought that went out in the '70s or '80s?