Is this cassette worn out?

DaSy wrote:

If you zoom to max, you can see wear on the 22, 25 and 28 cogs, whether it is enough to cause it to skip with a new chain could only be told by actually trying it. I used to get lots of cassettes in the shop that looked okay but acted dreadfully when given a new chain. 

Chains only ever skip on small gears – like 11-17. Beyond 17, there’s plenty of teeth to wrap on, that ensure the riding up that worn teeth cause doesn’t end in chain skipping forward, not matter the load. 

DaSy wrote:

It looks terrible on the shop if you service a bike, put on a new chain and give it a quick test and all looks good, only for the customer to take it out on a big ride, crank it hard on the first big hill and the chain to jump a tooth and send the riders knackers onto the top-tube. This tends to make you say that if the chain is more than just slightly worn, then you need a cassette too.

An even half-arsed shop would be able to inspect the cog teeth for wear, and do the brake-on ‘stomp test’ to see if there’s any chain ride-up on the smaller cogs under high load.

DaSy wrote:

I change my chains before I can get the .5 % tooth of a Park chain checker in, if it goes past that then a new cassette goes on.

Noting those Park ‘checkers’ are woefully inaccurate, compared to even a cheap metal ruler or £10 set of digital calipers from Screwfix.

DaSy wrote:

Most LBSs aren’t making enough money on a cassette to risk their reputation on blagging bits for the sake of it. Experience tells you you are better off changing cassette and chain if there is any wear on the chain, or leaving them as is. It is a difficult call quite often for a shop.

I’d say it’s all over the shop, no pun intended. I’ve seen people sold ceramic-bearing jockey wheels to solve worn-cog chain skip. If they think they can justify it, many shops will sell you anything. Cogsets are hard for the punter to eyeball as worn, so easy pickings and at a reasonably-priced point to make a replacement a do-able thing for most.

That cassette looks very

That cassette looks very slightly used but really minimal wear as I can see.

I’ve heard it said that says you shoud change the cassette and chain at the same time… but looking at that cassette that could only be a call that this mechanic would have taken without actually looking at your cassette. (I don’t adhere to that by the way)

It’s dead easy to change a cassette yourself really a three min job.

Your LBS is using you to make

Your LBS is using you to make a quick buck. Fuck em. Buy the bits you need on line and do the work yourself. 

That looks fine to me and at

That looks fine to me and at only 1600km/1000 miles it’s barely used.  

I got replace a chain a year on my good bike, 2500 outdoor miles and time on the kickr.  I keep checking with the chain checker so I don’t let it get too stretched.  

I recently changed my cassette, it had seen 4 chains used with it.  It looked fine, it wasn’t slipping but on certain gears it wouldn’t change up the cassette.  I checked what I could, adjusted the B Screw but it never improved, Di2 so not cables stretching.  

Now with the new cassette it is fine, no other adjustments.  So the above 3 chains to a cassette seems about right.  

Nothing wrong with it, they

Nothing wrong with it, they’re pulling your pants down. Take your business elsewhere. 

That’s perfectly true but I

That’s perfectly true but I will chip in that the cassette in the picture looks practically brand new.