I know you are meant to use cassettes with a carrier, but am i right in thinking these are going to be at least 50 quid (cheapest i can find the sram 990 for).
I wondering if it would be better to use a standard cassette, and then replace the freehub with the steel one (50 quid ish) when the alloy one is knackered. This obviously depends on how quickly the standard cassettes will trash the alloy freehub.
Could someone enlighten me on this subject?
Thanks,
James
XT cassettes can be had for just over £40. I use them on Pro 2 hubs and they've been fine. They're also lighter than SRAM 990 cassettes.
Yup, £40 for XT, cheaper and better than the 990. SLX has a carrier as well but it only holds 3 cogs so I'm not sure if it's as suitable for a pro2.
Pedant alert! I once read (I think it was on the excellent Sheldon Brown website) that cogs are things that are driven by other cogs, and sprockets are driven by a chain- therefore what we have on our cassettes are sprockets. Ever since then I have been slightly annoyed by the use of the word 'cog' and kinda wish I never learned the difference! However, all the mtb mags refer to cassettes containing cogs, so what's going on there then, eh?
Sorry- bit of a hijack there- the talk of cogs an' that just got me thinking....
No as they will dig into the steel cassette too.
Sram 980 have an alloy carrier iirc, about £34 at Merlin.
"Pedant alert! I once read (I think it was on the excellent Sheldon Brown website) that cogs are things that are driven by other cogs, and sprockets are driven by a chain- therefore what we have on our cassettes are sprockets."
You may well be correct. Alas, I do not care 
XT it is then 😀 next question is where is the cheapest place to buy?
James
Rutland Cycling...
get a proper steel freehub body from Hope
I am using an SLX cassette on mine without issues. Will be buying SLX in future aswell.
theboatman - Member
Sram 980 have an alloy carrier iirc, about £34 at Merlin.
POSTED 19 HOURS AGO # REPORT-POST
only on the three largest cogs.
I use either sram970 or lx cassettes on my proII and they have dug in to the alloybody quite badly over two or three years regular use. It's not bad enough to stop it working but I have to use a copper hammer and a tube that fits over the free hub body to remove the cassette.
It'll be a steel freehub next and cheap cassettes over winter and something fancy for summer
New style xt cassettes are far too soft.chews up far too quickly and my 2 small gears are now bent. Sram every time. 990 either Crc or Merlin.