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Cassette/chain help please?

I currently have a 12-27 Shimano 9 spd HG50 cassette and a Shimano Tiagra SS RD (done about 600 miles) and I would like to change this to a 11-32 Shimano 9 spd HG50 cassette.

FD is Shimano Sora 50/34, Chain is Shimano HG53

Being something of a novice, I'd like to know, if I can do this and also would I need a new (longer?) chain?
is it easy?

Sorry for such a dim question and thanks in advance!

If you're new please join in and if you have questions pop them below and the forum regulars will answer as best we can.

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17 comments

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CXR94Di2 | 8 years ago
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Really you only need 3 specific tools for modern bikes. cassette socket, chain whip, bottom bracket socket. The rest are common allen keys, spanners etc. For £50 you could do pretty much any job with a little bit of determination. It would save a fortune in the long run, especially time. knowledge gained, invaluable.

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hsiaolc | 8 years ago
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I think it is commendable that you would like to take on the task of maintaining your own bike instead of taking it to the mechnic. I think it is best you try it first and if you get stuck then take it to the mechanic to fix.

I have trial ane error a lot of tasks for the last couple years from building my bike to building my own wheels. In the process I've learned a lot about bikes and how each components work and when things go wrong I know I can fix it without going to a professional machanic all the time. It saves you time and money in the long run. You don't have to buy expensive tools just do a bit of research and get the best value for money ones.

Changing a cassette is quite easy and just go to any big cycle stores and ask them which one will best suite the job and they can even give you some pointers.

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mike the bike | 8 years ago
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A couple of people have mentioned 9-speed rear derailleurs and this may cause confusion as there is no such thing. A mechanically operated derailleur is simply a device that is capable of moving through a pre-determined distance. It has no say in how many times it stops in that distance. That is the function of the shifter and they are indeed calibrated as 8-speed, 9-speed or whatever.

Unfortunately that doesn't mean that all derailleurs are compatible with all shifters or all chains or all cassettes. The manufacturers websites all display charts listing what works with what. It's a complicated beast, the simple bicycle.

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joemmo replied to mike the bike | 8 years ago
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mike the bike wrote:

A couple of people have mentioned 9-speed rear derailleurs and this may cause confusion as there is no such thing. A mechanically operated derailleur is simply a device that is capable of moving through a pre-determined distance. It has no say in how many times it stops in that distance. That is the function of the shifter and they are indeed calibrated as 8-speed, 9-speed or whatever.

True perhaps but unnecessarily pedantic.

As for those saying "just take it to the bike shop" well, I don't know how you can look yourselves in the eye frankly. Apart from in a mirror, obviously. Spannering your own bicycle is one of the great joys of life. Certainly right up there with finishing a tricky jigsaw or a really satisfying sneeze.

*If you can look yourself in the eye without a mirror then I suggest you seek medical assistance.

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2 Wheeled Idiot | 8 years ago
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It may work if the chain was already slightly long...but tbh I would just get a new chain as they do wear out so IMO it just makes sense if you're already getting a new cassette.

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noelcoloe | 8 years ago
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I ride a 9 speed shimano 105, compact on the front
I've currently got a 11-30 cassette and medium dérailleur and want to swap it to a 11-32 cassette
Do I need to change / lengthen the chain or should it just work if I swap the cassette and adjust the dérailleur ? Thanks for any advice

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joemmo replied to noelcoloe | 8 years ago
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noelcoloe wrote:

I ride a 9 speed shimano 105, compact on the front
I've currently got a 11-30 cassette and medium dérailleur and want to swap it to a 11-32 cassette
Do I need to change / lengthen the chain or should it just work if I swap the cassette and adjust the dérailleur ? Thanks for any advice

depends entirely on how long your chain is. If it is long enough then no, you don't need a new chain. If it is too short then yes, you probably do.

with the chain on the big ring and big sprocket, hold a pair of links, 2 links apart and pull them together so they overlap, if the derailleur arm is now completely straight then its too short. If not then you are ok for chain length.

As for adjusting the mech, you might need to adjust the tiny screw on the hanger if the jockey wheel rubs on the big 32t sprocket but it might be ok.

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jonesian01 | 9 years ago
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Thanks very much for all the advice - very helpful!

Cheers guys  41

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Simon E | 9 years ago
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If it is the 9 speed 4500 Tiagra derailleur (short or medium cage) then it won't handle 32 teeth, 28 is about its limit. Current Sora 9 speed *medium cage* mech will be fine with 32t.

Yes, you will need a longer chain.

Tools like Welsh boy linked to will be useful, most brands (X-Tools, Fat Spanner etc) are fine.

I'm not a great mechanic but I enjoy sorting my own stuff. I have the whole family's bikes to maintain so DIY saves me two 3-mile trips per job to the LBS and it's satisfying to sort stuff out myself.

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Blue_Brevatto | 9 years ago
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As WelshBoy said.
But add that if the chain is too short you are going to need a chain-splitting tool (anywhere from £7.50 to £25) plus a new chain of course. The reason I think the chain will be too short is that if you go "by the book" then you need to change the rear derailleur as well. The original Tiagra 9 speed short-cage RD only has a max sprocket capacity of 27T. You need a medium cage to go to 32T. Tiagra is now 10-speed so you need to buy a 9-speed medium cage Sora (it's basically the same part as the old Tiagra version, which kind of tells you how Shimano's re-branding works - they keep the same parts each year and just move the labels!). Of course you could try it with your current rear mech - but don't be surprised if it doesn't work.
If you do change the mech then you will be 2.5 (double) links longer going over the 5 extra teeth plus another couple of links for the longer cage - I suspect the chain will be too tight.
After all of which you might wish you'd taken Rich's advice in the first place. Although it'll be much more than £30 if it does need all of the above. It kind of depends whether you see yourself as a tinkerer in the long-term. Some people like the idea that they CAN fix the bike themselves - just like some blokes used to be enjoy being able to fix their own cars. But it's definitely a hobby that eats time especially as you usually have to learn everything the hard way and there's a lot to learn. And don't assume it's cheaper either once you allow for f***ing it up a few times !

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Blue_Brevatto | 9 years ago
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As WelshBoy said.
But add that if the chain is too short you are going to need a chain-splitting tool (anywhere from £7.50 to £25) plus a new chain of course. The reason I think the chain will be too short is that if you go "by the book" then you need to change the rear derailleur as well. The original Tiagra 9 speed short-cage RD only has a max sprocket capacity of 27T. You need a medium cage to go to 32T. Tiagra is now 10-speed so you need to buy a 9-speed medium cage Sora (it's basically the same part as the old Tiagra version, which kind of tells you how Shimano's re-branding works - they keep the same parts each year and just move the labels!). Of course you could try it with your current rear mech - but don't be surprised if it doesn't work.
If you do change the mech then you will be 2.5 (double) links longer going over the 5 extra teeth plus another couple of links for the longer cage - I suspect the chain will be too tight.
After all of which you might wish you'd taken Rich's advice in the first place. Although it'll be much more than £30 if it does need all of the above. It kind of depends whether you see yourself as a tinkerer in the long-term. Some people like the idea that they CAN fix the bike themselves - just like some blokes used to be enjoy being able to fix their own cars. But it's definitely a hobby that eats time especially as you usually have to learn everything the hard way and there's a lot to learn. And don't assume it's cheaper either once you allow for f***ing it up a few times !

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pablo | 9 years ago
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You may need a long cage rear mech for the 11-32 cassette not sure. Changing a chain and cassette is pretty easy plenty of youtube videos explaining how to do both. The rcuk maintenance videos are fantastic for all types of maintenance and tuning. I bought some cheap tools from Decathlon unless your a pro-mechanic not worth spending much more.

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glynr36 replied to pablo | 9 years ago
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pablo wrote:

I bought some cheap tools from Decathlon unless your a pro-mechanic not worth spending much more.

Cheap tools are a waste of time, wear out quicker and can cause you more issues.

Either stump up for decent tools and do stuff your self, or just pay someone to do it. I do the latter as I just don't have the time to mess about fixing my bike when I can pay someone to do it while I'm at work, pick it up at the end of the day and spend my evenings or weekends riding the bike instead.

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freebsd_frank replied to glynr36 | 8 years ago
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Cheap tools are a waste of time, wear out quicker and can cause you more issues.

Agreed. IMO, they also cost you more in the long run.

I use Park tools generally. Yes, they're a bit more expensive but they're well designed and built to last. They're available from all the usual online suppliers e.g Wiggle, Ribble.

I like to do all my maintenance on my bikes apart from headset and BB , as these require expensive, specialised tools to fit. If you do your own maintenance, it saves money and you know the job's been done right.

I also build my own wheels; it's all part of the hobby.

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Tjuice replied to freebsd_frank | 8 years ago
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freebsd_frank wrote:

Cheap tools are a waste of time, wear out quicker and can cause you more issues.

Agreed. IMO, they also cost you more in the long run.

I use Park tools generally. Yes, they're a bit more expensive but they're well designed and built to last. They're available from all the usual online suppliers e.g Wiggle, Ribble.

I think it depends. As a blanket general rule, I think the above holds, but:
a) It is not universally true in all instances
b) It really depends how much you are going to be using them as to whether it is really worth buying top notch.

FWIW, I have always maintained (and in many cases built) my own bikes, since I was a young boy some 30 years ago. As far as I am aware, I do not own a single Park tools tool, and many (most?) of my tools were pretty cheap.

I go by the following guidelines:
a) Will I be using this tool all the time (e.g., small multitool) --> buy good quality (I have two Topeak multitools that are handy and excellent)
b) Will I be using this tool only very occasionally and not requiring all that much force (e.g., cassette lock ring remover) --> buy the cheapest that does the job
c) Will I be using this quite frequently across multiple bikes, but not requiring too much abuse/force (chain remover, chain whip) --> try to find a decent quality, but low cost tool, rather than going for the last word in quality

A few examples from my own experience:
* I have only ever owned one chain whip, which was dirt cheap and bought in some bargain bucket somewhere. Never had a problem with it
* Workstand - probably half the price or less of Park Tools stand, but it was good quality and has served me very well indeed
* Chain breaker - Not including the one on my multi-tool, I have had three. The two really cheap ones are still going strong; the expensive one I bought broke really quickly. My favourite of the cheap ones came from Clas Ohlson and I think I paid £7 for it (they don't sell it any more)
* Bottom bracket spanners; headset spanners; pedal spanners (all for old-style, ~20+ years old, bottom brackets and headsets) - I bought cheap ones that quickly got completely mashed. I then bought good ones that have stood the test of time.

If you are only occasionally doing a little bit of maintenance for your (one) bike, you probably don't need to be buying the very best tools. I've survived just fine without for 30 years, and bike maintenance is a bit like therapy for me - my wife wonders whether I prefer riding or tinkering the most.

Of course, YMMV!

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Welsh boy | 9 years ago
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It is easy IF you have the right tools. You will need one of these http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/x-tools-chain-whip/rp-prod10184 and one of these http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/cyclo-pro-series-cassette-lockring-re... (or equivalent tools from your preferred supplier) and a big spanner or vice to hold the latter in. Remove the old cassette, fit new and off you go. As for chain length you will only know if the existing chain is long enough when you fit the new cassette. Sorry that is a vague answer but without seeing your current chain there is no way of knowing. However, if your chain is too short the only problem will be that you cannot use the big chainring and big sprocket combination which is not a problem as that combination doesnt run too smoothly anyway. My advice would be spend £12 on the tools and do it yourself, knowing how you bike goes together is part of the fun of cycling.

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Rich71 | 9 years ago
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Take it to a bike shop and stop worrying about all the technical minutiae,its a waste of time,it will cost you 30 quid

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