James is such an excellent speaker. Its like reading an essay, any thing technical is immediately folloewed with a quick exploration. No pauses, no scope creep. Always relevant.
I stick to cassettes like the 105 for a simple reason. I spend most of my time using the same gears which wear out far quicker than the others. When they're worn out, I change 1 or 2 sprockets instead of a single monoblock-cassette, spending ~10 bucks for essentially having the same performance as a brand new cassette. I do not throw away perfectly fine working parts. The money saved on this is so much that I don't care about the weight.
No one outside of competitions should care about a cassette being 200g or 400g, it's just ridiculous. Buy a decent 10 speed cassette for 50€ and be happy riding.
@mazahaka3691 1 kg is worth about 3.5 watts for an average [watts and weight] amateur going at their FTP on a steep climb. To pay REGULARLY twice more for a 100 g lighter cassette, gaining 0,35 W... is weight weenie territory. :)
I just bought ENT elite wheels last week and have been looking at new cassette for my old wheels (putting gravel tires on them) and you just keep putting out the right content. I hope you realize how valuable your videos have been to all of us just trying to do what we love while saving money for family and some extra bike adventures. Thanks!
Luke really do be edging us with the Wheeltop group set. Jokes aside, I think Cassettes and Wheelsets really do determine how heavy a bike can be. Great video as always!🥖🥖🥖🥖
I suggest to get a set of Rockwell hardness test files. Alloy composition and heat treatment play a big part in the cassettes durability long-term. In my experience the longer lasting ones had a higher hardness. Alloy composition isn't that easy to test.
When I bought my 12-speed Dura-Ace groupset back in December 2021, it came with a 11-30T cassette. 11-34T Dura-Ace cassette could not be found anywhere so I ordered a 12-speed ZTTO 11-34T cassette from Aliexpress. That rainbow color ZTTO was incredibly light at 232g but its shifting was absolutely awful. I could adjust the rear derailleur to kind of shift from the biggest cog to the smallest, but then it won't shift back properly from small to big. If I adjusted the RD to allow it to shift from the smallest cog to the largest, it would have issue shifting from big to small. Initially, i thought it was perhaps due to how I had set up the rear derailleur. When I finally got my hands on a 11-34T Dura-Ace cassette, there was zero problem shifting from big to small, and in reverse. As soon as I replaced the Dura-Ace cassette with the ZTTO, the shifting issue I encountered before returned. So don't waste your money on the 12-speed 11-34T ZTTO cassette.
The price of Dura-ace is about 3~4 times that of ZTTO, so it makes no sense to compare the two. Compared to the Ultegra, which is closer in price, the Ultegra has smoother shifting performance, but is heavier (11-34 t is 345 g). The shifting performance of the ZTTO has decreased, but the weight is light (11-34 t is 259 g, 75% of Ultegra).
I recently got the Ztto 11-34t it’s been so good so far. I expect the aluminium cogs to wear out sooner but I calculated that it should last 2 years for the amount I ride. So worth it for my scenario
Aluminium makes no sense anywhere near the wearable parts, those few hundreds grams less dont make any difference that is worth it to buy stuff that lasts 1/3 of distance at best. Chainrings made of it are the most ridiculous imo, you cant even find any narrow wide ones made of steel because they would literally last forever being that thick
Sram makes (made?) steel narrow-wide chainrings. I have them on my mtb for years now, the things last forever. For road or gravel I´m not so sure if they are available. I don´t do gravel, but the aluminium chainrings for my roadbike last a long time.
As for NW chainrings, I've been using aluminium ones from a brand calledWuzei. I have them on three bikes. One of the chainrings has clocked several thousand kilometers in all weather conditions (winter bike) and it still looks good, so signs of significant wear. One of the bike mechanics also recommend me chainrings from brand Ekfan.
Been waiting for someone to do a review about this monoblock CNC cassette, but couldn't find any on Chinese websites. So eventually I put the budget on my commute gravel bike. Great video, thanks!
The problem with the comments is that very specify if they have tried the 11 speeds or the 12 speeds. It seems like tolerance are much smaller on the 12 speeds which might cause problem with aftermarket parts. So that might explain the mixed experience. (I tried the 12 speeds it's impossible to adjust)
Took delivery of the 11-30 version of this today. The same item is also sold branded Goldix and is about £10 cheaper. Great to hear it gets the Trace Velo seal of approval, excited to try it out 🥖 🥖 🥖
Thanks looking for new cassette, My shra-crap... That came on my bike really stinks. Started buying things of A.E. Been major satisfied... Thanks again great great channel
For years I've been using a torque wrench to tighten the lock nut up to the specified 40 nm and this did not prevent my freehubs from getting bite marks. The problem is with this is more about the aluminium alloy whicg most of freehubs are made today and it is simply softer compared to steel sprockets of the cassette. For comparison, for years I've beem riding mavic ksyrium equipe wheels which had a steel freehub and guess what - apart from slight surface rusty stains, no bite marks at all.
When tightened to the same 40Nm, does a alloy lock ring press tighter on the cassette? I ask because the steel lock ring has those deep knurls that binds on the sprocket, and therefore it seems to need more torque to achieve the same tension force than a smoother alloy lock ring. I mostly use alloy lock rings when possible and tighten to 40Nm, so far I've not had deep gouges on my hubs but I'm not very powerful. I wonder why steel inserts on the alloy cassette body are not commonly adopted, it's not complicated nor expensive to make. Only some Taiwanese hub markers such as Novatec/Bitex/Hubsmith use that kind of design.
@@wrcompositi I used lock rings both with these knurls and without and it did not make any difference. As for the steel inserts for the alloy freehub splines, I have a wheelset from a polish brand Dandy Horse which has their own branded hubs (probably bitex) and the freehub had these inserts which were absolutely rubbish - not only did they not prevented bite marks, but quickly they became loose and fell out as they were attched to the splines by means of simple pins going inside the splines just with tight fit.
Ever had issues with the difference in gearings from Shimano Brands and ZTTO. I currently run a ZTTO 11-32 Casette and the middle gears are different from the known brands nad sometimes it takes awhile to click into gear
I now have ZTTO cassettes on all my wheels (x3). All off the back off one of your reviews. I have the same 50th and it's crazy light (Think Sram equivalent was £300+).
I just got 11speed 11-34t Goldix cassette. Shifting is very good at higher Ts, but is terrible at lower Ts. I use shimano GRx rear derailleur. I checked my setting miltiple times..
Riding the ZTTO MTB casette that you showed (not exactly the oil slique, mine is just silver:D) but im putting massive watts in it and it shifts like a charm and is a pleasure to ride... absolute bonkers...!
I got the GOLDIX 12 speeds, and I'm unable to index it properly. If it's quiet at the top range, then it shift poorly in the low range. Going back to shimano cassette for now.
I appreciate all of your videos, including this one, but I'll stick with my Shimano Ultegra 11 speed cassette for $55. Sure, it's about 150g heavier than that one, but I don't race my bike so I'm just looking for the best value. I've ridden these Ultegra cassettes for years, and I like them. Heck, if I was going to change from the Ultegra cassette, I'd go to the 105 cassette for $43. 105 is a hell of a work horse group set.
I've been using the ztto alloy/steel for some time now and the weight is very good for the money. You really wont the derailleur to be aligned and tuned in as they aren't as good as Shimano imo. I only had a bit of rough shifting when the b screw was wound out too much. The full steel woukd be my next buy just for longevity
RIRO Cassettes are fvcking amazing, CRAZY light like 150g for an 11s HG 11/28…!! They even do a 12s version now, up to 11/34! If only they did a XD version for Sram! 10/34 come on RIRO DO IT!!
Similar to the ones in the bonus clip, just much more expensive and not lasting as some sprockets are from aluminium. Better stay with Lukes recommendations.
@@tomalbert3299 nonono, you are confused, RIRO cassettes are made from chromoly, and they are faaar better quality compared to the sroad and similar cassettes, the only downside is the price, RIRO cassettes are as expensive as original shimano/sram cassettes
The largest two cogs are made from aluminum alloy. So that's 2/11 or 2/12 of your cassette... and unless you're spending lots of time in those two larger cogs, it could be an ok way to save weight. Assuming you only use those cogs when in your smaller chainrings at the front, the larger articulation angle of the chain of those larger cogs means that they won't wear as fast as if you had, for example, your middle cogs made of aluminum. Then again, the 50g difference between a Riro and a goldix/ZTTO cassette is (only) worth around 2-4 seconds up the Stelvio... be we all just WANT a sub-150g cassette at a decent price, right?! As for price, wait for Prime day or one of the big AE sales and a RIRO cassette can be had for £60-70 before tax.
Bought one of these. It kept skipping on the 11t cog, replaced with a 105 (with 2900 miles on) and no issues on a short test. I think lesson learned. Also on inspection with verniers Ali cassette seemed about 0.25-0.75mm narrower. Anyway most stuff I buy especially Elite wheels are awesome. Just waiting for my 60mm bad boys. Keep up the good work Trace !!!
3:50 actually the reason freehubs get damaged is because the individual steel cogs on shimano is very thin and this will act like a knife cutting through butter but if the contact area is wider the chance of this leaving a mark on the freehub is much much lower
🥖🥖🥖🥖🥖🥖 baguettes-a-go go! Hi Luke, i hope alls well and good to see two most excellent "Trace Velo" vids appear unexpectedly!! Im ashamed to say i pulled the trigger on a 12spd 11/32 ZTTO cassette for my soon to arrive Giant Defy SL! Also another Zeus 3d printed saddle as they are way more comfortable and better than Giant stock!!! All based on your recommendations buddy! Its fatal watching one of your videos Luke!!😂😂😂😂😂🥖🥖🥖🥖🥖🥖 Btw how is your little Girl, all good i hope??? I expect the wife must be terrified of possible changes in mind for your daughters buggy im sure there are light weight tubeless carbon buggy wheels and handlebars on Aliexpress somewhere!😂😂😂😂
Whether or not the freehub gets chewed is down to the hardness of the metal of the freehub body. Many watts wont hurt as long as the freehub is a harder material than the cassette. I had a no name carbon wheelset (cheeeap) and i had to knock the freehub off with a heavy tool because it was so embedded in the freehub. *knock the cassette backwards to ge itt to disengage the freehub, not knock it straight off while its stuck.
@TraceVelo I am really enjoying the "Sunshine" mtb/gravel cassettes that have the largest cogs (3 or 4 depending if it's 10, 11 or 12 speed) machined from a block of aluminium. Yes, the aluminium gears will wear faster, but since it's only the largest cogs (used less frequently and for shorter periods of time) I expect to get decent life out of them.
been using em for a few years now.... The SRoad ones I find start skipping after approx. 8 months or so... (obviously, depending how much you ride!) - got em on all my bikes... incl. the eMTB.. swear by them! (got the Ztto ones on my Gravel and my eMTB and after 1 year.. no skips!) I would never buy another BRAND name again... infact, that goes for anything to do with cycling!! If you do your due diligence on the companies on Aliexpress...you could be like me, and have your favourite stores that you know won't send you BS! and.. if u have a problem, immediately refund or replace!! I buy EVERYTHING!! and have only had a handful of duffers... and that was long ago! I mean, c'mon.. only idiots or ppl with too much money (seems to be alot of em!) pay them big brand prices!! haha...The only thing I have left of when I was an "idiot" (5+ years ago now) is 1 set of Meilenstein wheels (tubs) (sold my other 2 sets! yup, to IDIOTS!! haha...for a fortune too!) I even managed to STOP an IDIOT "rich" client of mine to not buy a set of lighteights and buy the Winspace Hypers.. which he did, and loves!! same client has a Sroad cassette on his super dooper expensive F12 too!!! - well done bud.. good review...
@TraceVelo found a cool French company (I think) making them for 100quid. 150grams. Still cheaper than top of the range mainstream stuff and a whole lot light
Tooth profile on those aliexpress cassettes are far from shimano which results in smoothness of shifting. It is like going back way before hyperglide...
I wish you released this video before I ended up buying my ultegra groupset. I was going to buy the ztto mono block but thought to myself is there a compromise given it’s so much lighter? Kicking myself now I spent more money and could have had a cracking product from ztto.
Hi Luke! Can you confirm how is backpedaling on 28t cog and small chainring? Does chain remain stable or drops on sprocket below? I would appreciate your kind confirmation! Cheers! 🥖
I've been riding the SROAD cassettes for a couple of years now and just bought a ZTTO one for my SRAM AXS bike. Shifting seems to be the same as on my Shimano and SRAM cassettes.
Why is he comparing a ztto cassette with the top SRAM, Shimano cassette. If you compare it with a Shimano 105 the ztto is the double price as Shimano. Shimano works perfectly. Maybe the ztto works as well but why should I change a perfect combination with a higher price? I prefer to cycle my bike not to be a test dummy...
If you don’t like test dummy stuff you’re maybe watching the wrong channel…. He’s not comparing with 105 because a 105 cassette is 272g for a 11-28 and isn’t monoblock construction. The 105 will almost certainly last longer as it’s steel, and it may shift better too - but if you’re looking to save weight without paying full whack for top end Shimano SRAM, Campag etc then this sort of thing is an interesting option. Even broader point is be grateful for test dummies because when the competition to the major brands gets better, we all benefit through price reductions and performance gains.
Who the hell uses a cassette that seems cheap at first but doesn't guarantee the switching quality, durability or safety? This requires a long-term test and not assembly on an old 105 groupset like he does and then drives around the block. If I have a $3000 drivetrain then I won't use cheap Chinese chains or cassettes.
Im riding sunrace casette with sram xx1 deraileur (and shifter) and pcx1130 chain and i must say that without any load its perfect, but one (just one!) gear when im riding rattles. Im a little bit OCD so it makes me furious. I tried all the extremes cable tensions, cleaned the chain twice, lubricated, nothing seems to fix it. I wonder if its the cassette, chainline, offset, or maybe even wrong chain... So many variables to eliminate to troubleshoot the issue.
Cassettes are the one thing that I would steer away from when it comes to aliexpress. I have purchased Spedao which was awful plus there are a lot of patents that Shimano and Sram build into their cassettes that Aliexpress cassettes can't match
ummmm nooo those cassettes are baad, at least the "light" cassettes they sell are trash; are made from aluminium alloy so they last like 400 KM, maaybe if you are talking about the ones made from steel, they are like ok
There are pure steel versions ,there is also steel plus aluminum, steel for lower gear and aluminum on higher gear,if you want a sure durable with hyperglide try Shimano cues cogs,it's just heavy also shifting is delayed
🥖I own ztto cassette similar to the one you showed on the end of the clip and it is absolute garbage - impossible to set the shifting correctly on the two smallest cogs on mechanic ultegra rear deraileur. Watching this video I was thinking it is the same you presented but seems not the case. I might give it a try. Is there really no skips and works flawlessy on shimano mechanical groupset?
On my road bike, I have over 16,433 km on the cassette, a Shimano Ultegra. It changes beautifully. There are no deformations on the cog teeth. I now alternate two 11 speed chains on this bike (Shimano Ultegra both). Currently the two chains respectively have 12,967 km and 3,466 km. the first chain is running below 0.4% wear, the second at below 0.2% wear. I will remove the chains when there respectively reach 0.4% wear, ie before recommended limit of 0.5% wear, as this saves the cassette. I acknowledge I use immersive wax so long chain life / cassette life is expected. ATM I have NO idea how long the cassette will last, but I am guessing it will at LEAST double current distance. Telling me something lasted a year or more means NOTHING, telling me the distance to replacement, well that is useful. I use Shimano, not because it is cheap (they are not but not outrageously priced at Ultegra level), but because Shimano spent a LOT of TIME, MONEY and INTELLECTUAL effort. in developing chains and cassettes with incredibly smooth and accurate change qualities. I believe they deserve my money for this effort. Do these recommended cassettes last as long as mine? You did NOT give distances achieved on the cassettes or on the chains. Do the 3rd party cassettes have the level of development of the cog teeth profiles and chain links like Shimano to enhance shifting or did they just copy someone else's research work and possibly breach a patent? I applaud the maker for the technology of one piece but, if just ONE cog is worn or damaged the entire cassette is Kaput. I would be more impressed if we could buy individual cogs when something goes wrong. In the past, I have rebuilt a cassette set from spare parts rather than buying an entirely new cassette. I would like to be able to continue doing this but, a one piece cassette makes this impossible. I won't buy knock off stuff. It is unethical, detrimental to the existence of the suppliers and to the well being of cycling in general. How do you feel about knock offs?
I have seen many vids and forum threads stating that ztto or any other Chinese 10-50/52T shifts like shit with sram eagle axs. Can you please test and/or confirm?
A fact that worth mention, Ztto do not copy products, they develop their own, i got myself a 9-50 cassette on my MTB and some customers are reporting this cassette taking 15k km long, which is awesome by the price
@@griflerWhy though. 10-speed cassettes from Shimano or Sram as cheap (as chips?) now. If you switch to 11-speed you can buy a probably much worse shifting, but lighter ali-cassette for the same or slightly more money. Even the cassettes at Taigra/Deore-level shift great.
if only these chinese producers would dare to build some a-typical cassettes, such as 14-28, 11 speed, 14-36, 11 speed, or 12-28, 11 speed. Cassettes for youth categories, casettes for time-trial etc. I have an 11-32, 11 speed, of this type. They don't shift to the same quality as an Ultegra cassette.
So much junk out there. I'm buying the real thing. 105 cassettes are cheap enough. And they actually shift well. And actually last a long time. Aluminum cogs are a f*ing joke. And I don't see what is special about monoblock cassettes(??). I definitely DO NOT want a tiny little freehub contact area like the one he showed. That's horrible and it's going to destroy your freehub body
If it's not at least a 5000km ridden, drivetrain reviews are absolutely worthless. Please stop with this clickbait. You're going to get someone injured or killed.
u know ur so worth a membership , i dont have any but, I building a new bike right now its only cost me 780 us , that's very much because of u sir , thank you .
@@kl6336 doesn't matter coupons sales , change the price so much ie the ltwoo hydro r9/rx is 240 today on the 1st when I bought it I got it for 117 it was on sale for 145 , I save more with coins and a 80 off 499 spent there are 3 sales every month , and you can collect coin discounts , and coupons once a month to go with the sale on the 31-8th or so every month , and its not just on bike stuff , THEY KILL AMAZON u can by a small city generator or a house , WITH NO EXARATION
Second this, Built my 500$ dtc frame, most of Luke’s suggestions too. I now have almost a bike under 1500, yes it is a gravel bike, but built it up mostly from parts that I already have. 😅
Just built a Milani ICON from Italy , cost £10,000 but will last 50 years not 12 months if it was Chinese Tech for 10 dollar .....Never buy CCP products ....
I run through at least 1-2 of the ZTTO cassettes annually. They are easy to know when their lifespan is pretty much up when the gears started to skip or mis-shift. Currently using the 11-30T which is an Ultegra equivalent ratio since February with EDS-TX. So far they have worked together properly once the calibration is spot on.
OMG, just got myself a DuraAce 11~34 12s cassette. Was too concerned about the switching under load and the wear marks. Didn't know how wide the contact points are, thought they would be even slimmer but they look decent in your vid. Great video by the way, definitely earned some 🥖 🥖 🥖🥖
James is such an excellent speaker. Its like reading an essay, any thing technical is immediately folloewed with a quick exploration. No pauses, no scope creep. Always relevant.
I stick to cassettes like the 105 for a simple reason. I spend most of my time using the same gears which wear out far quicker than the others. When they're worn out, I change 1 or 2 sprockets instead of a single monoblock-cassette, spending ~10 bucks for essentially having the same performance as a brand new cassette. I do not throw away perfectly fine working parts. The money saved on this is so much that I don't care about the weight.
No one outside of competitions should care about a cassette being 200g or 400g, it's just ridiculous. Buy a decent 10 speed cassette for 50€ and be happy riding.
@mazahaka3691 1 kg is worth about 3.5 watts for an average [watts and weight] amateur going at their FTP on a steep climb. To pay REGULARLY twice more for a 100 g lighter cassette, gaining 0,35 W... is weight weenie territory. :)
I just bought ENT elite wheels last week and have been looking at new cassette for my old wheels (putting gravel tires on them) and you just keep putting out the right content. I hope you realize how valuable your videos have been to all of us just trying to do what we love while saving money for family and some extra bike adventures. Thanks!
Luke really do be edging us with the Wheeltop group set. Jokes aside, I think Cassettes and Wheelsets really do determine how heavy a bike can be. Great video as always!🥖🥖🥖🥖
I suggest to get a set of Rockwell hardness test files. Alloy composition and heat treatment play a big part in the cassettes durability long-term. In my experience the longer lasting ones had a higher hardness. Alloy composition isn't that easy to test.
Good point! But shifting performance is equally important and hard to evaluate objectively.
I agree. I think ideal cassette should have a design when the body is made from carbon but cogs from hardened steel.
When I bought my 12-speed Dura-Ace groupset back in December 2021, it came with a 11-30T cassette. 11-34T Dura-Ace cassette could not be found anywhere so I ordered a 12-speed ZTTO 11-34T cassette from Aliexpress. That rainbow color ZTTO was incredibly light at 232g but its shifting was absolutely awful. I could adjust the rear derailleur to kind of shift from the biggest cog to the smallest, but then it won't shift back properly from small to big. If I adjusted the RD to allow it to shift from the smallest cog to the largest, it would have issue shifting from big to small. Initially, i thought it was perhaps due to how I had set up the rear derailleur. When I finally got my hands on a 11-34T Dura-Ace cassette, there was zero problem shifting from big to small, and in reverse. As soon as I replaced the Dura-Ace cassette with the ZTTO, the shifting issue I encountered before returned. So don't waste your money on the 12-speed 11-34T ZTTO cassette.
I reckon you need the derailleur hangar to be 100% aligned with the generic cassettes as they don't have the hyperglide level of shifting
@@glennoc8585 I checked the derailleurs hanger. It was straight.
The Shimano cassette is HG+, the ZTTO ramp profile is just a copy of older individual HG cogs in whatever gearing ZTTO wants.
The price of Dura-ace is about 3~4 times that of ZTTO, so it makes no sense to compare the two. Compared to the Ultegra, which is closer in price, the Ultegra has smoother shifting performance, but is heavier (11-34 t is 345 g). The shifting performance of the ZTTO has decreased, but the weight is light (11-34 t is 259 g, 75% of Ultegra).
Funny I have DA9100 paired with the ZTTO for the same reason that I need 11-34, it been 3 years now and I have no problem.
I recently got the Ztto 11-34t it’s been so good so far.
I expect the aluminium cogs to wear out sooner but I calculated that it should last 2 years for the amount I ride. So worth it for my scenario
My original Shimano 105 cassette was replaced after 7 years.
just make sure your shifting is set up perfect, and you don't shift under heavy load. I snapped 2 teeth off of my aluminum cassette that way.
Ztto is good ,better than 105 or ultegra ,so smooth and light
@@Cosmos009 it’s definitely not as smooth but it’s smooth enough for the average enthusiast.
I’ve had some issues shifting under mild loads.
Been using an sroad cassette on my gravel bike for over a year, on your recommendation. Super happy with it
Aluminium makes no sense anywhere near the wearable parts, those few hundreds grams less dont make any difference that is worth it to buy stuff that lasts 1/3 of distance at best. Chainrings made of it are the most ridiculous imo, you cant even find any narrow wide ones made of steel because they would literally last forever being that thick
Prowheel makes 2x steel chainrings. Not the best shifting mixed with kmc chain, but they are cheap.
I found a 48 narrow/wide on AE. It's a solid 4cm ring of steel and feels (and weighs) like a friggin' tank.
@@RenghisKhan can you post the shop name?
Sram makes (made?) steel narrow-wide chainrings. I have them on my mtb for years now, the things last forever. For road or gravel I´m not so sure if they are available. I don´t do gravel, but the aluminium chainrings for my roadbike last a long time.
As for NW chainrings, I've been using aluminium ones from a brand calledWuzei. I have them on three bikes. One of the chainrings has clocked several thousand kilometers in all weather conditions (winter bike) and it still looks good, so signs of significant wear. One of the bike mechanics also recommend me chainrings from brand Ekfan.
Been waiting for someone to do a review about this monoblock CNC cassette, but couldn't find any on Chinese websites. So eventually I put the budget on my commute gravel bike. Great video, thanks!
The problem with the comments is that very specify if they have tried the 11 speeds or the 12 speeds. It seems like tolerance are much smaller on the 12 speeds which might cause problem with aftermarket parts. So that might explain the mixed experience. (I tried the 12 speeds it's impossible to adjust)
Swapped out for my ultegra 11-34. Shifts better than expected with a 3/4 turn on the barrel adjustment.
Took delivery of the 11-30 version of this today. The same item is also sold branded Goldix and is about £10 cheaper. Great to hear it gets the Trace Velo seal of approval, excited to try it out 🥖 🥖 🥖
Thanks looking for new cassette, My shra-crap... That came on my bike really stinks. Started buying things of A.E. Been major satisfied... Thanks again great great channel
For years I've been using a torque wrench to tighten the lock nut up to the specified 40 nm and this did not prevent my freehubs from getting bite marks. The problem is with this is more about the aluminium alloy whicg most of freehubs are made today and it is simply softer compared to steel sprockets of the cassette. For comparison, for years I've beem riding mavic ksyrium equipe wheels which had a steel freehub and guess what - apart from slight surface rusty stains, no bite marks at all.
When tightened to the same 40Nm, does a alloy lock ring press tighter on the cassette? I ask because the steel lock ring has those deep knurls that binds on the sprocket, and therefore it seems to need more torque to achieve the same tension force than a smoother alloy lock ring.
I mostly use alloy lock rings when possible and tighten to 40Nm, so far I've not had deep gouges on my hubs but I'm not very powerful.
I wonder why steel inserts on the alloy cassette body are not commonly adopted, it's not complicated nor expensive to make. Only some Taiwanese hub markers such as Novatec/Bitex/Hubsmith use that kind of design.
@@wrcompositi I used lock rings both with these knurls and without and it did not make any difference. As for the steel inserts for the alloy freehub splines, I have a wheelset from a polish brand Dandy Horse which has their own branded hubs (probably bitex) and the freehub had these inserts which were absolutely rubbish - not only did they not prevented bite marks, but quickly they became loose and fell out as they were attched to the splines by means of simple pins going inside the splines just with tight fit.
Sram made these hollow casettes 15 years ago too, you can find them aswell. Theyre usually cheaper than a new one, at similsr performance
Ever had issues with the difference in gearings from Shimano Brands and ZTTO. I currently run a ZTTO 11-32 Casette and the middle gears are different from the known brands nad sometimes it takes awhile to click into gear
I now have ZTTO cassettes on all my wheels (x3). All off the back off one of your reviews. I have the same 50th and it's crazy light (Think Sram equivalent was £300+).
been using over 2 years without problem and the shifting still smooth like butter under load
Should do an aliexpress tt/triathlon bike build
I just got 11speed 11-34t Goldix cassette.
Shifting is very good at higher Ts, but is terrible at lower Ts. I use shimano GRx rear derailleur.
I checked my setting miltiple times..
Riding the ZTTO MTB casette that you showed (not exactly the oil slique, mine is just silver:D) but im putting massive watts in it and it shifts like a charm and is a pleasure to ride... absolute bonkers...!
I've had two of those SRoad cassettes fail. The spider failed on both where it's pinned to the steel cassette body.
I got the GOLDIX 12 speeds, and I'm unable to index it properly. If it's quiet at the top range, then it shift poorly in the low range. Going back to shimano cassette for now.
I appreciate all of your videos, including this one, but I'll stick with my Shimano Ultegra 11 speed cassette for $55. Sure, it's about 150g heavier than that one, but I don't race my bike so I'm just looking for the best value. I've ridden these Ultegra cassettes for years, and I like them. Heck, if I was going to change from the Ultegra cassette, I'd go to the 105 cassette for $43. 105 is a hell of a work horse group set.
That’s a good price…I guess you are in US. Here in UK we get ripped off and pay a lot more than that 😢
@@stevegeek I’d feel bad for you, but you get free healthcare, so you’re still way ahead of the game.
@@shepshape2585 Haha…true, we do have the NHS, although it’s struggling to meet demand currently, so best not get sick! 😉
This is great info. I’ve long balked at the prices of lightweight cassettes.
I've been using the ztto alloy/steel for some time now and the weight is very good for the money. You really wont the derailleur to be aligned and tuned in as they aren't as good as Shimano imo. I only had a bit of rough shifting when the b screw was wound out too much. The full steel woukd be my next buy just for longevity
RIRO Cassettes are fvcking amazing, CRAZY light like 150g for an 11s HG 11/28…!! They even do a 12s version now, up to 11/34! If only they did a XD version for Sram! 10/34 come on RIRO DO IT!!
Similar to the ones in the bonus clip, just much more expensive and not lasting as some sprockets are from aluminium. Better stay with Lukes recommendations.
@@tomalbert3299 much lighter.
@@tomalbert3299 nonono, you are confused, RIRO cassettes are made from chromoly, and they are faaar better quality compared to the sroad and similar cassettes, the only downside is the price, RIRO cassettes are as expensive as original shimano/sram cassettes
The largest two cogs are made from aluminum alloy. So that's 2/11 or 2/12 of your cassette... and unless you're spending lots of time in those two larger cogs, it could be an ok way to save weight. Assuming you only use those cogs when in your smaller chainrings at the front, the larger articulation angle of the chain of those larger cogs means that they won't wear as fast as if you had, for example, your middle cogs made of aluminum. Then again, the 50g difference between a Riro and a goldix/ZTTO cassette is (only) worth around 2-4 seconds up the Stelvio... be we all just WANT a sub-150g cassette at a decent price, right?! As for price, wait for Prime day or one of the big AE sales and a RIRO cassette can be had for £60-70 before tax.
@@josecamilojimenez2784 no they’re not as expensive as the top end Dura ace & Shimano!! Got my 11s 11/33 180g for 110€
Bought one of these.
It kept skipping on the 11t cog, replaced with a 105 (with 2900 miles on) and no issues on a short test.
I think lesson learned.
Also on inspection with verniers Ali cassette seemed about 0.25-0.75mm narrower.
Anyway most stuff I buy especially Elite wheels are awesome. Just waiting for my 60mm bad boys.
Keep up the good work Trace !!!
3:50 actually the reason freehubs get damaged is because the individual steel cogs on shimano is very thin and this will act like a knife cutting through butter but if the contact area is wider the chance of this leaving a mark on the freehub is much much lower
Got the 12 Speed 11-34 version. Bad skips between 11->12 and very bad 12->11 (will not shift). Rest is perfect.
In ztto 11-32 12speed the 14t has a faulty profile and chain skips if you push over some torque. From the very first ride with new chain.
🥖🥖🥖🥖🥖🥖 baguettes-a-go go! Hi Luke, i hope alls well and good to see two most excellent "Trace Velo" vids appear unexpectedly!! Im ashamed to say i pulled the trigger on a 12spd 11/32 ZTTO cassette for my soon to arrive Giant Defy SL! Also another Zeus 3d printed saddle as they are way more comfortable and better than Giant stock!!! All based on your recommendations buddy! Its fatal watching one of your videos Luke!!😂😂😂😂😂🥖🥖🥖🥖🥖🥖
Btw how is your little Girl, all good i hope??? I expect the wife must be terrified of possible changes in mind for your daughters buggy im sure there are light weight tubeless carbon buggy wheels and handlebars on Aliexpress somewhere!😂😂😂😂
I don't like the black coating, but if these prove to be better than Sroad/Spedao in the long term, I will definitely get one.
Whether or not the freehub gets chewed is down to the hardness of the metal of the freehub body. Many watts wont hurt as long as the freehub is a harder material than the cassette. I had a no name carbon wheelset (cheeeap) and i had to knock the freehub off with a heavy tool because it was so embedded in the freehub. *knock the cassette backwards to ge itt to disengage the freehub, not knock it straight off while its stuck.
@TraceVelo I am really enjoying the "Sunshine" mtb/gravel cassettes that have the largest cogs (3 or 4 depending if it's 10, 11 or 12 speed) machined from a block of aluminium. Yes, the aluminium gears will wear faster, but since it's only the largest cogs (used less frequently and for shorter periods of time) I expect to get decent life out of them.
It's more the sheer number of teeth those high cogs have to share the load.
I’m not ashamed to say I have a few of the ztto bits across my bike . No complaints so far , especially for the dang for buck .
I did the deed, dropped the like, watched the vid👍. Haven't been riding for along while hope to start again
My Ztto cassette had horrible shifting :S the 9 to 42 mtb cassette
been using em for a few years now.... The SRoad ones I find start skipping after approx. 8 months or so... (obviously, depending how much you ride!) - got em on all my bikes... incl. the eMTB.. swear by them! (got the Ztto ones on my Gravel and my eMTB and after 1 year.. no skips!) I would never buy another BRAND name again... infact, that goes for anything to do with cycling!! If you do your due diligence on the companies on Aliexpress...you could be like me, and have your favourite stores that you know won't send you BS! and.. if u have a problem, immediately refund or replace!! I buy EVERYTHING!! and have only had a handful of duffers... and that was long ago! I mean, c'mon.. only idiots or ppl with too much money (seems to be alot of em!) pay them big brand prices!! haha...The only thing I have left of when I was an "idiot" (5+ years ago now) is 1 set of Meilenstein wheels (tubs) (sold my other 2 sets! yup, to IDIOTS!! haha...for a fortune too!) I even managed to STOP an IDIOT "rich" client of mine to not buy a set of lighteights and buy the Winspace Hypers.. which he did, and loves!! same client has a Sroad cassette on his super dooper expensive F12 too!!! - well done bud.. good review...
What happened to the follow-up on the Wheeltop groupset? All the reviewers went silent since the original release. Very suspicious.
Hello trace. Do you know of any Chinese monoblock cassettes suitable for 10spd?
Unfortunately not, not for a decent price anyway. All of the lightweight bike parts are 11 or 12 speed.
@TraceVelo found a cool French company (I think) making them for 100quid. 150grams. Still cheaper than top of the range mainstream stuff and a whole lot light
Great info. Are you running sram chain as well? I run xo shifter and deralier ?
Tooth profile on those aliexpress cassettes are far from shimano which results in smoothness of shifting. It is like going back way before hyperglide...
I wish you released this video before I ended up buying my ultegra groupset. I was going to buy the ztto mono block but thought to myself is there a compromise given it’s so much lighter? Kicking myself now I spent more money and could have had a cracking product from ztto.
Tengo un cassette Sunshine 11-46 10V, y hasta ahora, todo perfecto. El cambio es Shimano RD-M 5120 y mando 4100.
Hi Luke!
Can you confirm how is backpedaling on 28t cog and small chainring? Does chain remain stable or drops on sprocket below?
I would appreciate your kind confirmation!
Cheers! 🥖
Any recommendation on a solid chain from aliexpress?
I've been riding the SROAD cassettes for a couple of years now and just bought a ZTTO one for my SRAM AXS bike. Shifting seems to be the same as on my Shimano and SRAM cassettes.
Will you recommend ZTTO over SROAD?
@@wrcompositi I bought the ZTTO as it was the only one compatible with my AXS hub. Both seem to work well, get the one that suits your requirements.
Why is he comparing a ztto cassette with the top SRAM, Shimano cassette. If you compare it with a Shimano 105 the ztto is the double price as Shimano. Shimano works perfectly. Maybe the ztto works as well but why should I change a perfect combination with a higher price? I prefer to cycle my bike not to be a test dummy...
If you don’t like test dummy stuff you’re maybe watching the wrong channel….
He’s not comparing with 105 because a 105 cassette is 272g for a 11-28 and isn’t monoblock construction. The 105 will almost certainly last longer as it’s steel, and it may shift better too - but if you’re looking to save weight without paying full whack for top end Shimano SRAM, Campag etc then this sort of thing is an interesting option.
Even broader point is be grateful for test dummies because when the competition to the major brands gets better, we all benefit through price reductions and performance gains.
Who the hell uses a cassette that seems cheap at first but doesn't guarantee the switching quality, durability or safety? This requires a long-term test and not assembly on an old 105 groupset like he does and then drives around the block. If I have a $3000 drivetrain then I won't use cheap Chinese chains or cassettes.
Im riding sunrace casette with sram xx1 deraileur (and shifter) and pcx1130 chain and i must say that without any load its perfect, but one (just one!) gear when im riding rattles. Im a little bit OCD so it makes me furious. I tried all the extremes cable tensions, cleaned the chain twice, lubricated, nothing seems to fix it. I wonder if its the cassette, chainline, offset, or maybe even wrong chain... So many variables to eliminate to troubleshoot the issue.
Slight change of topic here, but do you know of any Chinese manufacturers that sell steel 29er hardtail frames to the public?
Does anyone know if it shifts like Hyper Glide Plus cassettes? If so, is it recommended to have a Hyper Glide Plus chain also?
Cassettes are the one thing that I would steer away from when it comes to aliexpress. I have purchased Spedao which was awful plus there are a lot of patents that Shimano and Sram build into their cassettes that Aliexpress cassettes can't match
I don't like the looks of the blue lock ring. Could I use a ZTTO cassette with a shimano 11t lock ring instead?
Try sunshine cassette,they said has hyperglide ,its the one mostly used here in Philippines
Hyperglide is really what I miss the most with these chinese rip offs
ummmm nooo those cassettes are baad, at least the "light" cassettes they sell are trash; are made from aluminium alloy so they last like 400 KM, maaybe if you are talking about the ones made from steel, they are like ok
There are pure steel versions ,there is also steel plus aluminum, steel for lower gear and aluminum on higher gear,if you want a sure durable with hyperglide try Shimano cues cogs,it's just heavy also shifting is delayed
🥖I own ztto cassette similar to the one you showed on the end of the clip and it is absolute garbage - impossible to set the shifting correctly on the two smallest cogs on mechanic ultegra rear deraileur. Watching this video I was thinking it is the same you presented but seems not the case. I might give it a try.
Is there really no skips and works flawlessy on shimano mechanical groupset?
This maybe a silly question but has anyone found a 13speed campagnolo ekar cassette
Is this the same as GOLDIX?
Still waiting for the Fuz-away sponsorship :)
Any alternative for Cannondale spider crankset? Thank you!
On my road bike, I have over 16,433 km on the cassette, a Shimano Ultegra. It changes beautifully. There are no deformations on the cog teeth. I now alternate two 11 speed chains on this bike (Shimano Ultegra both). Currently the two chains respectively have 12,967 km and 3,466 km. the first chain is running below 0.4% wear, the second at below 0.2% wear. I will remove the chains when there respectively reach 0.4% wear, ie before recommended limit of 0.5% wear, as this saves the cassette. I acknowledge I use immersive wax so long chain life / cassette life is expected. ATM I have NO idea how long the cassette will last, but I am guessing it will at LEAST double current distance.
Telling me something lasted a year or more means NOTHING, telling me the distance to replacement, well that is useful.
I use Shimano, not because it is cheap (they are not but not outrageously priced at Ultegra level), but because Shimano spent a LOT of TIME, MONEY and INTELLECTUAL effort. in developing chains and cassettes with incredibly smooth and accurate change qualities. I believe they deserve my money for this effort.
Do these recommended cassettes last as long as mine?
You did NOT give distances achieved on the cassettes or on the chains.
Do the 3rd party cassettes have the level of development of the cog teeth profiles and chain links like Shimano to enhance shifting or did they just copy someone else's research work and possibly breach a patent?
I applaud the maker for the technology of one piece but, if just ONE cog is worn or damaged the entire cassette is Kaput.
I would be more impressed if we could buy individual cogs when something goes wrong.
In the past, I have rebuilt a cassette set from spare parts rather than buying an entirely new cassette. I would like to be able to continue doing this but, a one piece cassette makes this impossible.
I won't buy knock off stuff. It is unethical, detrimental to the existence of the suppliers and to the well being of cycling in general.
How do you feel about knock offs?
Very cool - good to know!
Ztto people care a bit more about what they put out for sale than some other brands, their tools are mostly good too.
I have seen many vids and forum threads stating that ztto or any other Chinese 10-50/52T shifts like shit with sram eagle axs. Can you please test and/or confirm?
A fact that worth mention, Ztto do not copy products, they develop their own, i got myself a 9-50 cassette on my MTB and some customers are reporting this cassette taking 15k km long, which is awesome by the price
source ?
I never noticed I have the same laptop as you :D HP Elite X2
So when your favourite two sprockets are worn you have to dump it? Arseholes to that
Just what Ineed it!,Thank's a lot!
I'm looking for something similar with 11spd 11-40t gearing. Anybody got any recommendations? :D
I run 10 speed, but cant find it in 10 speed. Or am I missing something?
If you want one piece/full steel 10-speed, SRAM Red OG-1090 is the only option.
@@wrcompositi maybe i should switch to 11 speed 😊
@@griflerWhy though. 10-speed cassettes from Shimano or Sram as cheap (as chips?) now. If you switch to 11-speed you can buy a probably much worse shifting, but lighter ali-cassette for the same or slightly more money. Even the cassettes at Taigra/Deore-level shift great.
i always use Sunshine cassette, try other like Ztto it is always rubbish.
Nice video Luke. Very handy for anyone looking to renew. 🥖
Why no 11-36 11 speed😢
It would destroy my Fulcrum hub completly as normal Shimano cassette alrd made significantly damage
我的中轴，就是ZTTO这个品牌 。
Joanne Prairie
After witnessing how many bike changes are taking place during one day of the tour the France... Shimano is manufacturing china like quality as well
You are paying for the name at this point.
Thanks again for your research work for us
shimano cs-hg41 acera for 10$ masterrace reporting
if only these chinese producers would dare to build some a-typical cassettes, such as 14-28, 11 speed, 14-36, 11 speed, or 12-28, 11 speed.
Cassettes for youth categories, casettes for time-trial etc.
I have an 11-32, 11 speed, of this type. They don't shift to the same quality as an Ultegra cassette.
i prefer sliver colored cassettes i am able to see how dirty the cassette is easier than the black colored.
Me too, the black surface will wear out very soon and look awful. It seems they just want to save the cost of shiny nickel plating.
Backpedaling issues. Trying to save money and end up spending more.
Shimano are going heavier with CUES while other people are going on lighter.
Cues I think is intended for ebikes also so durability is a factor.
@@johndef5075 I agree, self conversion mid drives tear through cassettes.
😂😂Exaggerated
Stop buying shite because it's light weight.
Gone up to £144 😂
Two rice bowls and +50 social credits for this man
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So much junk out there. I'm buying the real thing. 105 cassettes are cheap enough. And they actually shift well. And actually last a long time. Aluminum cogs are a f*ing joke.
And I don't see what is special about monoblock cassettes(??). I definitely DO NOT want a tiny little freehub contact area like the one he showed. That's horrible and it's going to destroy your freehub body
If it's not at least a 5000km ridden, drivetrain reviews are absolutely worthless. Please stop with this clickbait. You're going to get someone injured or killed.
u know ur so worth a membership , i dont have any but, I building a new bike right now its only cost me 780 us , that's very much because of u sir , thank you .
parts?
@@kl6336 doesn't matter coupons sales , change the price so much ie the ltwoo hydro r9/rx is 240 today on the 1st when I bought it I got it for 117 it was on sale for 145 , I save more with coins and a 80 off 499 spent there are 3 sales every month , and you can collect coin discounts , and coupons once a month to go with the sale on the 31-8th or so every month , and its not just on bike stuff , THEY KILL AMAZON u can by a small city generator or a house , WITH NO EXARATION
Second this, Built my 500$ dtc frame, most of Luke’s suggestions too. I now have almost a bike under 1500, yes it is a gravel bike, but built it up mostly from parts that I already have. 😅
Just built a Milani ICON from Italy , cost £10,000 but will last 50 years not 12 months if it was Chinese Tech for 10 dollar .....Never buy CCP products ....
@@curtisducati u sound simply stupid , i hope you enjoy it
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I tend to stick with Shimano cassettes. The shifting performance just seems better to me, but YMMV
I have an Xt 12 speed cassette and a Sunshine 12 on my other bike. The xt shifts way better. Wasnt that expensive on Aliexpress either.
Came for the content, end up giving some love on a shape of baguettes 🥖🥖 Thanks for the video and review
sadly you miss out on hyperglide+ with chinese 12 speed cassettes, which might not be worth it. But for 11s its a solid option 🥖
Exactly! I’d love to see a comparison of shifting quality vs Shimano HG+ cassette
Buy this sh..t at your own risk. Wasted $70
I run through at least 1-2 of the ZTTO cassettes annually. They are easy to know when their lifespan is pretty much up when the gears started to skip or mis-shift.
Currently using the 11-30T which is an Ultegra equivalent ratio since February with EDS-TX. So far they have worked together properly once the calibration is spot on.
OMG, just got myself a DuraAce 11~34 12s cassette. Was too concerned about the switching under load and the wear marks. Didn't know how wide the contact points are, thought they would be even slimmer but they look decent in your vid.
Great video by the way, definitely earned some 🥖 🥖 🥖🥖