9 sp HG cassette vs. Ultegra cassette
bcdrums
it's looking worn. I have a Shimano 13-25 cassette now, will replace it
with a 14-25 (which adds a midrange 18T between 17T & 19T).
This cassette seems to be available in two models, a HG-50 for $31, and
an Ultegra for $96. The two cassettes are almost identical in weight,
only a 2g difference and are identical in cog configuration. For me, it
seems the obvious choice is the HG at $31. It is hard to believe that
the HG Ultegra will last three times longer than the HG, or shift three
times better. Is there something I am missing?
The cassette will go onto an Ultegra hub that is about 5 years old. Is
there any compatibility issue?
BC
shiftless
Jay Beattie
two Ultegra cassettes for $39 each. I see 270g for the Tiagra (HG-50)
versus 217g for the Ultegra at the REI site, but it is not clear which
gear range is being weighed. I saved probably 50+ grams which means I
am going to go really, really fast now! (particularly if I remember to
take the spare change out of my pockets and ride on the drops).
I would not in a million years pay full retail for Ultegra. Tiagra is
fine, although it probably has a slightly different carrier, plastic
spacers and poorer finish (unnoticeable after 12.3 miles). You would
have to be a real princess and the pea person to notice a difference
in shifting. In my opinion, your only reasonable option is the
Tiagra. I only got the Ultegras because (1) they were on sale at
Performance, and (2) they were on sale at Performance, and there was
nothing cheaper in the store in my preferred gear range. -- Jay
Beattie.
AMuzi
While it may not matter to you, the individual sprockets of
a HG-50 may be swapped around but not on the CS-6500, which
has rivetted carriers.
For 2g and $65 I would suggest the HG-50. Or a SRAM product.
--
Andrew Muzi
<www.yellowjersey.org/>
Open every day since 1 April, 1971
bcdrums
> On Jun 10, 4:48 pm, bcdrums<bcdr...@comcast.net> wrote:
>> The next time I replace my chain I will replace my 9 speed cassette too,
>> it's looking worn. I have a Shimano 13-25 cassette now, will replace it
>>
>> This cassette seems to be available in two models, a HG-50 for $31, and
>> an Ultegra for $96. The two cassettes are almost identical in weight,
>> only a 2g difference and are identical in cog configuration. For me, it
>> seems the obvious choice is the HG at $31. It is hard to believe that
>> the HG Ultegra will last three times longer than the HG, or shift three
>> times better. Is there something I am missing?
>>
>> The cassette will go onto an Ultegra hub that is about 5 years old. Is
>> there any compatibility issue?
>>
>>
> Yes, you missed a smoking (in store) sale at Performance. I just got
> two Ultegra cassettes for $39 each. I see 270g for the Tiagra (HG-50)
> versus 217g for the Ultegra at the REI site, but it is not clear which
> gear range is being weighed. I saved probably 50+ grams which means I
> am going to go really, really fast now! (particularly if I remember to
> take the spare change out of my pockets and ride on the drops).
I checked the Performance site (and its evil twin, Nashbar) and the sale
is not on. I got my prices and weights from the Harris Cyclery site, but
50 grams here or there is not going to speed me up or slow me down.
Tiagra sounds like a laundry detergent. (Spellcheck wants to replace
Tiagra with Viagra! Maybe Shimano will have a line like that in ten more
years, as the boomers gear downward.)
>
> I would not in a million years pay full retail for Ultegra. Tiagra is
> fine, although it probably has a slightly different carrier, plastic
> spacers and poorer finish (unnoticeable after 12.3 miles). You would
> have to be a real princess and the pea person to notice a difference
> in shifting. In my opinion, your only reasonable option is the
> Tiagra. I only got the Ultegras because (1) they were on sale at
> Performance, and (2) they were on sale at Performance, and there was
> nothing cheaper in the store in my preferred gear range. -- Jay
> Beattie.
So what's your gear range? I am going to 14x25. I use a triple, and
don't need any thing lower for most riding, where I stay on the two
larger rings. Way back on my first 10 speed, I had 14x28 which was more
or less standard in the bike boom.
BC
gearing down
Jay Beattie
My new Ultegras are 12/25 (racing bike) and 12/27 (commuter/cross
bike). I rode 12/21 or 12/23 on my racing bike, but due to subtle
tectonic lifting that has occurred over the last few years, the local
hills have gotten steeper, and I find that the 25 or 26 is a good bail
out gear. Actually I switched to a SRAM 12/26 after breaking my leg
and found that I liked the lower gear even after my recovery (which is
still in progress, actually with the opposite ankle).
Speaking of SRAM, the Tiagra and the SRAM PG970 are pretty similar --
like Muzi says, you can unbolt the cogs if you want so you can collect
and trade worn out cogs. They both have plastic spacers -- which some
people criticize because they supposedly compress or wear out, which
seems a little far fetched, but hey, who knows. I like the SRAM
product. It occupies a price niche between Tiagra and Ultegra, and
the 26t is a nice gear. I think, though, that I could be perfectly
happy with a Tiagra.
-- Jay Beattie.
Mike Jacoubowsky
news:hus3op$957$1...@news.eternal-september.org...
I remain unimpressed with SRAMs consistency... or lack of. It's rare
that swapping out a (new) Shimano cassette for another (new) cassette
fixes anything, but I've had this happen too many times with SRAM to
believe their QC is where it should be. This is across-the-board; the
first bunch of uber-high-end XX cassettes had cogs that were machined
just a bit too wide.
--Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles
www.ChainReactionBicycles.com
AMuzi
Yes, agreed on the bleeding edge of hi-zoot.
SRAM owns the HG-50 class cassette market around here. Very
happy with their standard range cassettes in 7-8-9-10.
Dan O
Mine is called "Saint" :-) (Very expensive it was, too.)
By swapping chains every couple of weeks (rotating three of them - two
SRAM PC-971 and one 991), after about 9 months now, this cassette has
*just* started to skip if I get up and jam on it hard to sprint
through a yellow light or something. (I might try rotating four
chains next time.)
>
>
> > I would not in a million years pay full retail for Ultegra. Tiagra is
> > fine, although it probably has a slightly different carrier, plastic
> > spacers and poorer finish (unnoticeable after 12.3 miles). You would
> > have to be a real princess and the pea person to notice a difference
> > in shifting. In my opinion, your only reasonable option is the
> > Tiagra. I only got the Ultegras because (1) they were on sale at
> > Performance, and (2) they were on sale at Performance, and there was
> > nothing cheaper in the store in my preferred gear range. -- Jay
> > Beattie.
>
> So what's your gear range? I am going to 14x25. I use a triple, and
> don't need any thing lower for most riding, where I stay on the two
> larger rings. Way back on my first 10 speed, I had 14x28 which was more
> or less standard in the bike boom.
>
I'm in a different realm, as you have road gear and I have MTB (48-
tooth big ring), but anyway mine is 11-28. That's why I bought the
Saint (HG80) - it gave me much tighter spacing where I wanted it
(11-12-13-14) vs. the HG61 (11-13-15) that came stock on my bike.
The 48 / 12-13-14 are my bread-and-butter, meat-and-potatoes. The
48 / 16 or 18 gets me up most hills, but I will drop all the way to
36 / 21 or even 24 for some steep ones.
bcdrums
We are in a similar realm. My chainrings are 48-38-24. But I like the
lower gears, and mostly reside on 16-17-19-21. I am moving to the 14-25
to get the 18, which adds to my sweet spot.
>
> The 48 / 12-13-14 are my bread-and-butter, meat-and-potatoes. The
> 48 / 16 or 18 gets me up most hills, but I will drop all the way to
> 36 / 21 or even 24 for some steep ones.
I go up most steep hills in 38-25, and can bail to the granny when needed.
BC
low & slow
John Henderson
> I go up most steep hills in 38-25, and can bail to the granny when needed.
I go up steep hills in 22-32, and get off and walk when needed :)
John