so is it absolutely essential i use a torque wrench to tighten the lockring when fitting a new cassette, or am i risking disaster by just guessing how hard to turn it?

I just tighten it until the blood flow stops in my fingers 🙂

Just tighten until it goes ‘click, click, click’ but before it goes ‘click, click, click, click’…..

They really don’t need to be as tight as the lockring says.

righto.

My internet connect seems so screwed today!

“firm” but not “gorilla firm”

Just tighten until it goes ‘click, click, click’ but before it goes ‘click, click, click, click’…..

😆

Couldn’t have put it better myself. When it goes ‘click-CLICK-CLICK-CLICK-SCRUNCH’ you’ve probably over-cooked it.

[wonders]

Is it actually possible to over-tighten a cassette lockring?

Yep, particularly on alu freehub bodies you can quite easily rip the threads out.

Yeah, careful not to strip the threads… From my experience, hope pro 2 alloy freehubs are made from cheap, low quality cheese.
if it clikclikcliks then stop! and get a steel freehub body!!

Three or four proper clicks (rather than zips which is does as it start to lock) is about right – it only has to be tight enough to not come loose while riding which isn’t actually very tight.

it’s going on a pro 2 as well… yikes. oh well, it’s a good quality cassette (SRAM 990, the one with the red bits in!) so i reckon it’ll be okay.

Nooooo! The red bits are wear indicators! If you can see red bits, it’s already knackered.

I’m in need of a ‘showing red bits’ Sham 990 cassette, Don’t bin it, I’ll come and collect it off you. South Manchester I believe?

Mine say 45Nm! so I use a long torque wrench-less strain-takes seconds.

why not buy a torque wrench ?

barca… yeah, i’ll leave it on the wall outside ken fosters bike shop in chorlton for you mate. i’ll wrap it up in £20 notes to keep it from rusting in the manchester “sun” too, ok?

buy a torque wrench? i probably will, eventually. don’t want to get a cheap one though, and i can’t shell out much cash on tools at the moment so i’ll have to work round it for now.

good one’s available for home / workshop use (3/8″ drive) for about £30.