Cassette Removal:

A step by step guide for changing your cassette.

Well, there are several reasons actually:

- Maintenance and major cleaning. Aids in better shifting.

- Upgrading. (See our "Upgrades" page for other tips.) Why would you upgrade you ask? Well, maybe you want a cassette with a higher gear ratio* for speed or one with a lower gear ratio* for climbing or pulling loads.

- Replacement of worn or damaged cassette.

- Replacement of your rear wheel. Maybe you want to move your current cassette to a new wheel.

*See "The Glossary" for more on gear ratios.

You're probably wondering: "What tools would I need to accomplish a cassette removal?" Good question. We have an answer. Pictured above, are some tools you would need to properly remove your cassette. Let's start from the top of the picture and work our way down:

- Oversized allen wrench (also used for crank bolt removal) with a socket adaptor. You can also substitute an appropriate sized socket wrench or a pipe wrench.

- Cassette lockring removal tool. It is the smallest in the photo, but the most important. This tool loosens/tightens the cassette lockring. Make sure you get the right tool for your particular brand of cassette.

- Chain whip. Also known as a "cassette cracker." This tool is used to counteract the cassette removal tool. Still lost? Don't worry, we'll explain later. If you don't have a chain whip, we have an alternative method to substitute for this. Go directly towards the end of this page to see this method.

- Pipe wrench. One of the substitute tools mentioned above.

Another good question. You can follow all the steps that we will list, but skip anything that requires the "chain whip" tool. The purpose of the chain whip is to counteract the force that you use to open the cassette "lockring."

What does a lockring do, you ask? A lockring is what keeps the individual cassette cogs or gears on the hub of the rear wheel. A freewheel does not have a lockring, but instead, attaches as a complete unit to the rear wheel.

Additionally, a freewheel uses a removal tool similar in appearance to a cassette lockring removal tool, called a "freewheel removal tool." So for all our friends removing freewheels, just substitute your freewheel tool for the cassette lockring tool when following these directions. Like the cassette, make sure you get the correct brand tool for your freewheel.

Still confused? Send us a note through our "Contact Us" page, or simply click on the green "question mark" above.

The first thing you must do is remove the rear wheel from your bike (see the "Wheel Removal" page). After removing the wheel, unscrew the quick release skewer from the hub (see photos below). If you have a nutted hub, remove the lug nuts.

Make sure you keep the skewer parts all together so you don't lose anything.

Locate the lockring on your cassette and insert the lockring removal tool. For freewheel users, insert your freewheel removal tool. (See preceding and following photos)

Next, place your chain whip tool* in the configuration shown above. Attach your chosen wrench, as seen in the following three photos and loosen the lockring by turning the wrench counter-clockwise while pushing the chain whip tool clockwise. This may require a little "elbow grease."

Freewheels don't require a chain whip tool as mentioned previously.

BE CAREFUL DURING THIS STEP. Make sure that your tools are properly seated on the cassette/freewheel or they might slip off, possibly damaging your cassette/freewheel, the wheel, your tools or worse hurting yourself. The cogs are very SHARP. USE EXTREME CAUTION.

*If you don't have a chain whip tool for cassette removal, see the tip at the very end of this page.

Now that you've loosened your lockring (or freewheel body), unscrew the lock ring and remove the individual cogs and spacers. (See photos)

When removing the cogs, make sure that you put them aside in the same order you removed them. This is especially important if you are removing a cassette that has cogs which have very little size differences (in other words, each cog is only different by one tooth size).

Freewheels come off as an entire unit.

You can now clean/maintain/replace your cassette or freewheel. Good job.

Replacing your cassette cogs/freewheel back on your wheel is done in the opposite direction of cassette removal (go figure).

Before reinstalling your cassette/freewheel, always grease the surfaces where they will join to protect from rust. You can use gear oil or a similar product for this part.

First, line up your cogs into the appropriate slot/groove of the hub (there will usually be a little arrow or dot on the cog itself, indicating where it will line up in relation to the hub assembly). Insert the innermost cog (the largest cog) and work backwards until all the cassette cogs/gears are on the hub.

For freewheels, just screw the entire unit back on.

Reinstall the cassette lockring and reinsert your cassette lockring tool (or freewheel tool if you have a freewheel). Then take your wrench and tighten slightly (no need to tighten too much as the cassette lockring/freewheel tighten as you pedal).

You have just completed cassette removal and reinstallation. Give yourself a pat on the back! You deserve it!

If you do not have a chain whip, you can also use a gloved hand as shown in the photo above, for cassette removal. You must use a heavy-duty leather work glove for this method. Do not attempt to do this with your bare hands.

Make sure that your gloved hand is gripped firmly on the cassette, prior to loosening the lockring.

WARNING: Do this only as a last resort. If you can obtain a chain whip tool, then do so. Cassette cogs are extremely sharp and could cause injury if you're not careful.

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