3.9 drivetrain

Cassette Installation

Cassette Installation. Step-by-step procedure for bike maintenance — tools, time, and what to watch out for.

Difficulty ★☆☆ easy
Time ~5 min
Applies to All bikes (with cassette)

Tools

  • Standard workshop tools

Procedure

  1. Wipe the freehub body

    clean with a rag.

  2. Apply a thin film of grease or anti-seize

    to the freehub splines (helps with future removal).

  3. Slide the cassette on

    in order. The largest cog first if it's a separate piece.

  4. Note the spline alignment

    HG cassettes have one wider spline that aligns with one wider groove on the freehub. XD and Microspline cassettes thread on directly to the freehub (no individual cog stacking).

  5. Install any spacer

    behind the smallest cog if your cassette/freehub combo requires one (often present on 10-speed road on 11-speed bodies).

  6. Hand-thread the lockring

    into the freehub. If it's not threading smoothly, stop — you've cross-threaded. Back off and realign.

  7. Tighten with the lockring tool

    and a torque wrench to 40 Nm. The chain whip is not needed for tightening — the freehub ratchet holds the cassette.

  8. Reinstall the wheel

    and check shifting.