If you're looking to squeeze more gears onto an old wheelset, grabbing a 12 speed cassette hg is probably the easiest way to perform it without replacing your entire hub. It's a little bit of a godsend for riders who desire that wide-range 1x12 drivetrain but aren't exactly thrilled about the idea of losing several hundred bucks on the new rear wheel or the Microspline driver entire body.
The bicycle world likes to alter standards every several years, and usually, that means your own old gear gets obsolete. But the particular Shimano HG (Hyperglide) freehub body provides been around with regard to decades, and it's still kicking. Whilst Shimano and SRAM moved to new designs for their high-end 12-speed stuff, a number of manufacturers realized there's an enormous market for those who simply want to keep their current tires and still get individuals extra climbing armor and weapon upgrades.
Why the HG Standard Still Matters
Let's be real: regarding most of all of us, the "old" HG standard is simply fine. It's the particular splined interface we've all employed for 7, 9, 10, and 11-speed setups. When 12-speed first strike the scene, it felt like everyone was being forced straight into buying new hubs. SRAM came out with the XD driver, and afterwards, Shimano introduced Microspline. Both of these types of were designed to permit for a small 10-tooth cog, which usually gives a little bit more top-end speed.
The issue is that a 10-tooth cog is actually little to fit within the traditional HG freehub body. To make a 12 speed cassette hg work, manufacturers possess to start along with an 11-tooth cog. For most riders, dropping that one tooth upon the top end isn't a dealbreaker. Except if you're spinning away on fire street descents at 30 mph, you're likely to care far more about the 50T or 52T "granny gear" at the particular other end of the cassette anyway.
The Big Players in the particular HG 12-Speed Video game
You might think that will staying with an older hub standard restricts your options, but there are some solid choices out presently there.
SRAM NX and SX Eagle
SRAM was actually pretty smart about this. While their high-end GX, X01, and XX1 Eagle kits need an XD motorist, their entry-level NX and SX Eagle groupsets use a 12 speed cassette hg design (specifically the PG-1230 and PG-1210). These are built such as tanks. They're a bit heavier due to the fact they're made of steel, but they're incredibly durable. In the event that you have the bike with a good old 10-speed hub, you are able to literally simply slide an NX Eagle cassette upon there, and you're ready for a 12-speed derailleur.
SunRace
SunRace has become the particular go-to for most DO-IT-YOURSELF mechanics. They've already been making high-quality, budget-friendly cassettes for a long period. Their own 12-speed HG choices are often lighter than the SRAM NX stuff due to the fact they use lightweight aluminum spiders for some of the larger cogs. They also provide different finishes, like metallic black or champagne, if you care about the "bling" factor on your drivetrain.
Budget Brands (ZTTO, Sunlight, and others)
Then you definitely have the particular various brands you'll find on sites like Amazon or AliExpress. While some individuals are skeptical of "no-name" parts, many associated with these 12 speed cassette hg options are remarkably decent. They often use a mix of steel and lightweight aluminum to keep the fat down. The moving might not become very mainly because crisp as the pure Shimano or SRAM setup, yet for the cost, they're hard to beat if you're building a budget trail bike.
The Trade-offs: Fat and Gear Variety
It's not every sunshine and rainbows, though. There are usually a couple of things you should know before you commit. First, when i mentioned, you're stuck with an 11-tooth little cog. A 10-50T cassette has a 500% range, while an 11-50T has about 454%. It's a noticeable distinction on paper, but within the woods? You'll rarely miss this.
The bigger issue for several is weight. Because the 12 speed cassette hg has to suit onto the traditional splined hub, this usually can't be machined out of a single block of steel like the high-end SRAM XX1 cassettes. Most of these are "pinned" cassettes, meaning individual cogs are pinned together. This adds weight. An NX Eagle cassette weighs in at around 615 grams, which is the chunk when compared to 350-400 grams you'd notice on high-end things. But hey, your wallet will be a lot heavier, so maybe it balances away.
Installation plus Compatibility Tips
Installing one of these simple is pretty straightforward. If you've ever changed the cassette before, a person know the punch: chain whip, lockring tool, and a bit of elbow grease. However, there are the few quirks when mixing and matching 12-speed parts.
- Derailleur Complementing: You can usually use a Shimano 12-speed derailleur having a SRAM-compatible HG cassette, or vice versa. Most 12-speed mountain bike things plays surprisingly properly together these days.
- Chain Choice: I've found that will using the chain that matches your own shifter and derailleur usually leads to the best shifting. If you're working a Shimano XT 12-speed shifter and derailleur using a SunRace 12 speed cassette hg , utilize a Shimano chain. Shimano's HG+ chains have specific shaping in order to along with downshifting under load.
- B-Gap Adjustment: This is huge. 12-speed systems are usually way more sensitive to derailleur positioning than 10 or 11-speed. Make certain your B-gap (the distance between the upper pulley and the largest cog) is set completely according to the particular manufacturer's specs, or your shifting may feel like rubbish regardless of just how nice your cassette is.
Is usually It Worth the Upgrade?
In case you're currently on an 11-speed setup and your gears are operating fine, you might wonder if it's worth the jump. The biggest draw is that 50T or even 52T bail-out equipment. In case you live somewhere with punchy, steep climbs, that additional gear is a game-changer. It allows you to run a larger front side chainring (for more top speed) whilst still using a low enough gear in order to crawl up wall space.
For all those of us riding older bikes with "standard" hubs, the 12 speed cassette hg is the particular bridge to modern geometry and driveline standards. You don't have to buy the new bike just to get the particular benefits of the 1x12 system. You don't even possess to get a new back wheel.
Extensive Durability
One particular thing I've observed after putting the few thousand kilometers on various HG 12-speed setups is that they actually hold up pretty well. Because the cogs tend to be produced of steel (especially on the SRAM NX version), they don't wear out there as fast because the aluminum cogs available on some super-expensive, lightweight cassettes.
The primary thing to watch out for is your freehub body. Aluminium HG freehubs could get "notched" over time as the individual steel cogs bite in to the splines under heavy torque. This is why many 12 speed cassette hg options how to use aluminum index for that largest cogs—it spreads that force more than a wider area. If your hub has a steel freehub body, you don't have to be concerned about this from all.
Conclusions
At the particular end of the particular day, using a 12 speed cassette hg is all about practicality. It's for that rider who wants contemporary performance without the particular "modern" price tag of proprietary center standards. It might be the little heavier, and you might lose handful of top-end speed, but the ability to maintain your favorite wheels rolling while getting a massive equipment range is a win in the book.
Whether you go using the rock-solid reliability of the SRAM NX or maybe the value-to-weight ratio of the SunRace, you're going to enjoy those climbs a lot even more with a 50T cog backing a person up. Just make sure you get that B-gap set ideal, keep your string lubed, and you'll be surprised just how smooth an "old" hub standard may feel in the 12-speed world.