As an avid cyclist I've been aware that loose cassette cogs are available from Shimano, but have never given them much thought. This display, at my local shop Veloform, caused me to reconsider the possibilities presented by custom cassettes. These cogs, available from Miche, are suitable for 7-9 speed Shimano cassettes, depending on the spacers used, and are available with grooved, locking top cogs in up to 16t. Considering the 8 speed cassettes I use on all my geared bikes are currently available primarily in configurations starting with an 11 t cog, (yes,there is a very nice 13-26 still around) this opens up the door to a variety of interesting gearing options. My favored 12-28 XTR cassettes are long gone (though IRD makes a similar) but now approximations can be made by hacking existing cassettes and replacing top or bottom cogs.
That the loose cogs stop at 29 may seem a problem to those running mountain bike rear derailleurs, but this can easily be remedied by starting with a stock 11-32 (or 11-34 9 speed) cassette and replacing the top cog with a more sensible 13 or so. I plan to do just this with my monster cross build, paired to a 34/48 up front.
I suspect a lot of folks out there with 10 or 11 speed cassettes are running in essence 8 speed drivetrains, as those tiny top cogs aren't likely to see much action if one doesn't live in a place with long, straight, 8% descents or run incredibly compact chainrings. Reconsidering the composition of the cassette beyond what the manufacturers sell is maybe the single biggest, easiest component improvement you can make to your bike, and displays like the one pictured above present this fact to the consumer in a very approachable and inspiring way.
Hack your cassette!
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