School me on Shimano cassettes

[choke]

I know nothing about Shimano cassettes....I've never owned one. I want to build a bike with 650B wheels and it seems that a Shimano hub is the way to go so that I can get lower gearing. (If the Campy 11sp cassette with a 32 was all loose cogs I'd just move that cog over to a different cassette but it appears that the last couple of cogs are pinned so it won't work.)

I know that IRD makes something in the range that I want but they're more money than I want to spend. A SRAM cassette isn't an option, for personal reasons.

My ideal gearing would be a 13-32 or 34 but I can't seem to find anything in that combo; Shimano in their infinite wisdom seems to make almost all of them start with an 11. Do any of the cassettes have loose cogs or do they all have carriers? If they are all on carriers, are they in multiple pieces or are they all one piece? I can find cassettes that start with a 13 but the big cog is smaller than I want, so if they're all loose I could make my own from 2 cassettes. Can I mix road and MTB cassettes if I go that route? (i.e., use the bigger cogs from a MTB cassette with the smaller ones from a road cassette.)

I plan to use friction shifting so it's not a big deal if the ramps don't line up properly, should I be able to make my own. I'm flexible on the number of cogs though I'd like a 9sp...8 and 10 are less preferable options but 11 is out.

[charliedid]

Search Miche as I recall they have something close? 13-28 maybe

I feel like SunRace might as well.

I'll poke around

[charliedid]

Looks like 13-28 for Miche and they are all individual. QBP stocks but out..

NOPE edit: Campy only on a cassette just some individual cogs for Shimano. I swear we built one for a customer before.

Not SunRace is gonna do it.

[bmeryman]

Well they do make a 13-34 in 7spd. As for other Shimano options:

-8spd 12-32 (ECSHG2008232)
-9spd 12-36 (ICSHG4009236)

There's also an 8 spd 13-26 that you could grab the serrated 13t cog from (ICSHG508326).

I'm not sure what the second cog up on the 12-32 is. I'd be inclined just to run it 12-32 unless you're really set on having that 13.

[oliver1850]

I find the 11 tooth small cogs annoying too. Basically means two cogs I'm not going to use most of the time.

What are you planning to use for chainrings? Perhaps you can size them down to compensate. Are you thinking 11 speed or other options?

[NHAero]

I made up 9 speed cassettes out of multiple Shimano cassettes. They are 13-14-15-17-19-21-23-26-30. I think the 26-30 are a unit, and the 21-23, and the rest are loose. I run an XTR rear derailleur shifted by Dura Ace barcons.

[weisan]

How to do it yourself:
http://www.sheldonbrown.com/k7.html#custom

Customized cassettes
http://www.sheldonbrown.com/harris/k7.html#9cassettes

[NHAero]

Harris has the largest three cogs as 24-27-30, and the ones I've made are 23-26-30. Totally individual preference about what gears one uses most.

Originally Posted by weisan

How to do it yourself:
http://www.sheldonbrown.com/k7.html#custom

Customized cassettes
http://www.sheldonbrown.com/harris/k7.html#9cassettes

[choke]

Thanks everyone. It looks like to do what I want I have to make my own or use 7sp. I was quite surprised at the lack of choices for the smallest cog on Shimano cassettes; I'm used Campy which gives more options.

Originally Posted by oliver1850

I find the 11 tooth small cogs annoying too. Basically means two cogs I'm not going to use most of the time.

What are you planning to use for chainrings? Perhaps you can size them down to compensate. Are you thinking 11 speed or other options?

Yeah, I can't ever see using an 11 or a 12 either.

I'm not sure on the crank yet, probably a TA Pro 5 Vis with fairly low gears but I still need that bigger cog in the back because I climb like a rock. 9sp is my preference, followed by 8 then 10 - I'll use friction DT shifters.

Originally Posted by weisan

How to do it yourself:
http://www.sheldonbrown.com/k7.html#custom

Customized cassettes
http://www.sheldonbrown.com/harris/k7.html#9cassettes

That is helpful....thanks much.

[rccardr]

SRAM makes a 12-34 8 speed, which is basically a 12-28 7 speed with a bailout 34 and perfectly compatible with Shimano. Paired with a 50/34 compact crank, you should be able to go almost anywhere without worrying about gearing. That is what I use on my Merckx Century. Yes, I have used the twelve tooth from time to time.

Shimano's 11-34 is actually a good gearing option for 10 speed, I use that on my ST with a compact crank and so far have never been wishing for more gearing options. Yes, I have used the eleven tooth at times.

Good to remember that the less expensive Shimano cassettes typically do not use a carrier for the larger cogs, which makes it easier to swap around.

[palincss]

Originally Posted by choke

I know nothing about Shimano cassettes....I've never owned one. I want to build a bike with 650B wheels and it seems that a Shimano hub is the way to go so that I can get lower gearing. (If the Campy 11sp cassette with a 32 was all loose cogs I'd just move that cog over to a different cassette but it appears that the last couple of cogs are pinned so it won't work.)

I know that IRD makes something in the range that I want but they're more money than I want to spend. A SRAM cassette isn't an option, for personal reasons.

My ideal gearing would be a 13-32 or 34 but I can't seem to find anything in that combo; Shimano in their infinite wisdom seems to make almost all of them start with an 11. Do any of the cassettes have loose cogs or do they all have carriers? If they are all on carriers, are they in multiple pieces or are they all one piece? I can find cassettes that start with a 13 but the big cog is smaller than I want, so if they're all loose I could make my own from 2 cassettes. Can I mix road and MTB cassettes if I go that route? (i.e., use the bigger cogs from a MTB cassette with the smaller ones from a road cassette.)

I plan to use friction shifting so it's not a big deal if the ramps don't line up properly, should I be able to make my own. I'm flexible on the number of cogs though I'd like a 9sp...8 and 10 are less preferable options but 11 is out.

It's dead simple to make an 8 speed 13-32: you start with a 12-32 (Sunrace has revived the ratios of the long discontinued XTR "P" cassette). Remove the 1st position 12, replace with a 1st position 13. Shifts perfectly. Sunrace also has a 12-34 8 speed that can be customized into a 13-34 the same way.

[oldpotatoe]

Originally Posted by palincss

It's dead simple to make an 8 speed 13-32: you start with a 12-32 (Sunrace has revived the ratios of the long discontinued XTR "P" cassette). Remove the 1st position 12, replace with a 1st position 13. Shifts perfectly. Sunrace also has a 12-34 8 speed that can be customized into a 13-34 the same way.

Yup, particularly since the OP is friction shifting...

[charliedid]

Originally Posted by palincss

It's dead simple to make an 8 speed 13-32: you start with a 12-32 (Sunrace has revived the ratios of the long discontinued XTR "P" cassette). Remove the 1st position 12, replace with a 1st position 13. Shifts perfectly. Sunrace also has a 12-34 8 speed that can be customized into a 13-34 the same way.

We have a winner.

[ColonelJLloyd]

One solution is to just use smaller chainrings that actually make the 11t or 12t cog useful.

[tv_vt]

Sorry for a bit of thread drift, but does Shimano make an 11 speed 11x34 cassette for road setups? I've only seen 11x32 so far.