Bike cassette Black Friday: discounts Shimano, Sram

Three things to note before ordering

• The speeds: the cassette has as many sprockets as the shifter has positions.
• The ratio, written 11-34 or 10-52: the smallest and largest sprocket that the rear derailleur must accept.
• The freehub body: Shimano HG for 8 to 11-speed cassettes and Shimano 12-speed road, Micro Spline for most Shimano 12-speed mountain bike, XD or XDR from Sram when the cassette starts at 10 teeth, or Campagnolo body.

The complete guide, including wear and ratios, is on the permanent page for road and mountain bike cassettes.

Cassette on sale: of equal ratio and generation

The crossed-out price of a cassette applies to a specific range: compare it to the displayed price of the same range, in the same generation, before concluding a good discount.

• The ratio: the same reference often exists in several ranges, like the Sram XG-1190 in 11-25, 11-26, or 11-28; only the identical range should be compared.
• The generation: at Sram, a letter and a number, like D1 or E1, distinguish two versions of the same model.
• The range: at Shimano, a 105, an Ultegra, and a Dura-Ace of the same ratio differ by materials and weight.
• The content: cassette only, or bundle with chain, like some Sunrace.

Finally, be wary of transmissions with their own standard: Sram T-Type cassettes only work with the chain and derailleur from the same family.

Cassette body: repair a wheel or change standard

A cassette body replaces the hub part that holds the sprockets when it is marked or when its ratchet skips. They can also be used to switch from one standard to another on some wheels, for example from a Shimano HG body to an XDR body for a Sram road cassette. A cassette body is chosen based on the exact brand and model of the hub, as specified: Campagnolo Shamal wheels, Miche hubs, wheels fitted with XLC WS-C37 or WS-X30 bodies.

Parts to change with the cassette

A new cassette runs poorly with an elongated chain: bike chains on Black Friday should be ordered in the same number of speeds. If the largest sprocket increases, check the capacity of the rear derailleurs in operation. For a selection by use, see the cassettes road, mountain bike, and city on Black Friday. The clearance and new arrivals remain open after the operation.

Cassette brands during Black Friday

Shimano names its cassettes by code and group: CS-R7101, CS-R8101, and CS-R9200 for the 12-speed road 105, Ultegra, and Dura-Ace, CS-HG700 and CS-HG800 in 11 speeds up to 34 teeth, CS-M4100 Deore and CS-M8000 Deore XT for mountain biking.

Miche makes the Primato road cassette for Shimano and Campagnolo bodies, with tight ranges, 11-21 or 12-25, and others that go up to 34 teeth.

Sram covers road with the Red and Force XG-1290 and XG-1270, gravel with the XPLR XG-1271 in 10-44, and mountain biking with the Eagle XG-1275 and XG-1299 and the T-Type XS-1297.

XLC offers replacement cassettes Xtralight and FW-S03 in Shimano or Campagnolo mounts, and a series of cassette bodies for wheels, in Shimano, Sram, and XDR versions.

Sunrace is notable for its mountain bike cassettes with wide range on Shimano bodies, like the MZ603 in 12 speeds 11-51 or the MS8 in 11-42, and by a version on Sram XD body.

Frequently asked questions

When does the Black Friday for cassettes start?

The Black Friday itself corresponds to the Friday after Thanksgiving, in the weeks leading up to the holidays. However, for cassettes, Vélo-Store spreads its Black Friday discounts throughout November.

How to distinguish between a cassette and a threaded freewheel?

A cassette slides onto the splines of a freehub body attached to the hub, then locks in with a nut. A threaded freewheel, like the Shimano MF-TZ500 in 7 speeds, contains its own mechanism and screws directly onto the hub; the two are not interchangeable.

Why do some cassettes start at 10 teeth?

A 10-tooth sprocket does not fit on a Shimano HG body, whose smallest possible sprocket has 11 teeth. The XD and XDR bodies from Sram, and Micro Spline from Shimano, have been designed to accept it.

Does a larger sprocket require a different derailleur?

Not always, but each rear derailleur has a maximum large sprocket it can handle, indicated by its manufacturer. Beyond that, the hanger may touch the sprocket or the chain may be too short; check this value before switching to a wider range.

Is a tool needed to install a cassette?

Yes. Removal requires a tool that engages with the cassette nut and a chain whip to hold the sprockets still; during reassembly, the nut must be tightened to the torque specified by the manufacturer.