Hello,

15 years after I last stripped a bike down, I’ve started biking seriously again and I’m lovin’ it! But I now know nothing about bikes, hubs, cassettes etc so I have some numpty questions that need answering!

My bike’s trashed right now so I need to fix quite a bit on it. I’m a complete kit-bi##h though, so I don’t mind shelling out some wonga for the right gear. So here we go…

1) Are cassettes all the same width? So my bike at the moment has 8 speed cassette, can I swap it out for a 9 or 10 speed cassette if I just change the shifter too? Will I need to change the hub at all?

2) I assume the more-speed chains are narrower? So a 10 speed chain wouldn’t work on an 8 speed cassette? I’m assuming chains all have the same pitch though? (so the teeth on the sprockets don’t change one manufacturer to another)

3) I’ve been on Shimano forever, but I believe the options are Shimano and SRAM these days? Which one?? Will a Shimano shifter work ok with a SRAM cassette etc?

4) How come bike stands are so flippin’ expensive! And has anyone used the Boss S3000? It looks chunky enough but is a bit more reasonably priced.

I’m half thinking about building a bike from scratch, so I really have a zillion things to work out but the stuff above should help me out for now.

I hit Cwmcarn today – my chain snapped in the first 50m, and my buddie fell off when she took the road down at the end and split both her knees open. Apart from that it was ACE!!!

Hope my questions aren’t too laughable.
Cheers,
– Chris.

Easy fella, too much too fast. Is the bike you’re on worth spending money on or would you be better shelling out on a better spec’ed bike (second hand or new). Plenty of options, I started with a GT Avalanche costing £250 that I’ve just sold for £300 but in real terms was worth a grand. Now I’ve got a 2 year old Marin Mount Vision that cost a grand but is absolutely mint. Just do things a bit at a time and learn slowly.

1) Are cassettes all the same width? So my bike at the moment has 8 speed cassette, can I swap it out for a 9 or 10 speed cassette if I just change the shifter too? Will I need to change the hub at all?
I think you’ll be OK

2) I assume the more-speed chains are narrower? So a 10 speed chain wouldn’t work on an 8 speed cassette? Correct (I used 10sp on a 9 cassette fine as the inner width is same but don’t think you could use a 9 on a 10 – and 8 is definitely different)
I’m assuming chains all have the same pitch though? (so the teeth on the sprockets don’t change one manufacturer to another) Correct

3) I’ve been on Shimano forever, but I believe the options are Shimano and SRAM these days? Which one?? Will a Shimano shifter work ok with a SRAM cassette etc?
Cassettes are same (9sp definitely and I think 10sp too) but careful with shifters and mechs

4) How come bike stands are so flippin’ expensive! And has anyone used the Boss S3000? It looks chunky enough but is a bit more reasonably priced. Dunno

PARK
SHELDON

Shimano shifters and mechs are not compatible with sram shifters and mechs (unless you get a SRAM “shimano compatible” shifter at least.

For every mm of cable a shimano shifter pulls/mech requires, the sram equivalent pulls two (or is it the other way around)

i have this stand:

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=10226

it is excellent for the money. and if you are intending to be working on your bike to keep it up and running, and in good order, rather than running it to the shop, a good investment. You wont miss it not having one, but if you get one you wont know how you lived without it. (and they fit any bike you may ever own in the future)