[bryan.gurc]

What steps would I have to take to swap out my cassette to something with a more conventional gear spacing. I like the way Apex performs but I live in South-Eastern Michigan and the climbs here a nothing that extreme. Could I just swap out the rear cassette and been done with it or does the rear derailleur need to be adjusted? Just curious. Apparently I have the Wifli RD which has a max 32t capacity. I'd like to throw on like an 11-28 or something. Thanks in advance

 

[tednugent]

Throw a new cassette on, and shorten the chain.

 

[wanderinwalker]

Just swap it out, check the shifting and you're good to go. I just did the same thing, swapped the 11-32 on my Giant to a 12-27. I had to adjust the cable tension for the RD by 1/4 click but that was it.

 

[Roland44]

Throw a new cassette on, and shorten the chain.

+1, works every time!!

 

[drmayer]

Note that you don't have to shorten the chain, as it will be longer than it needs to be but it is not too long. I use an 11-32 and 11-28 on my cross bike and like to switch between them. I suffer no ill effects from the chain length when using the 11-28.

 

[BigPoser]

I'm doing something very similar except I picked up a Force RD to go with my 12-28. haven't got it on the bike just yet, but will soon.

 

[davez26]

I went the other way for my needs, and had to swap parts out. You can adjust into a smaller <32 cassette, but you can't adjust from non-wifli into >28, you have swap parts. It was an adventure, and the principles all work to help you out.
-cassette-install what you like, matching brand probably a good idea.
-chain, between a 32 and 28, one link to long, but not significant, derailleur can handle it, or just remove a link - ez. If you have some fair mileage, wouldn't be a bad time to put a fresh chain on.
-derailleur- the difference between wifli and standard are as I remember a 5mm longer body, (not just the cage is longer), the distance between the pivots is increased to clear the larger cogs. It has been argued whether a short is 'crisper' than wifli, I couldn't feel it, but to some folks, they have that ability, I don't.
-adjustments - in these days of mass production, it should be cool, maybe a tweak. Don't forget to check/reset the b-screw for clearance.
In my adventure I built the bike, ran a few hundred miles and figured I needed MORE gear, had to flesh all this out found you can't just swap cassettes and I ended up with the RD, cassette, and chain leftover-sitting on my bike bench.
I hope that this helps.

 

[bryan.gurc]

I went the other way for my needs, and had to swap parts out. You can adjust into a smaller <32 cassette, but you can't adjust from non-wifli into >28, you have swap parts. It was an adventure, and the principles all work to help you out.
-cassette-install what you like, matching brand probably a good idea.
-chain, between a 32 and 28, one link to long, but not significant, derailleur can handle it, or just remove a link - ez. If you have some fair mileage, wouldn't be a bad time to put a fresh chain on.
-derailleur- the difference between wifli and standard are as I remember a 5mm longer body, (not just the cage is longer), the distance between the pivots is increased to clear the larger cogs. It has been argued whether a short is 'crisper' than wifli, I couldn't feel it, but to some folks, they have that ability, I don't.
-adjustments - in these days of mass production, it should be cool, maybe a tweak. Don't forget to check/reset the b-screw for clearance.
In my adventure I built the bike, ran a few hundred miles and figured I needed MORE gear, had to flesh all this out found you can't just swap cassettes and I ended up with the RD, cassette, and chain leftover-sitting on my bike bench.
I hope that this helps.

Yes this makes sense. The Wifli seems like the equivalent of a long cage RD. Good to know that I can just swap them out on demand if I ever go somewhere with more climbing. wiggle has a really good deal on the SRAM PG1070 that I'm probably going to jump on.

that 11-32t cassette is a strange thing. I always feel like I shifting trying to find that sweet spot, cruising speed gear and its just never there. I feel like I'm either spinning out or mashing too hard. Hopefully a new cassette will alleviate this problem

 

[davez26]

In an 11-28/11-32:
11-12-13-14-15-17-19-22-25-28, 11-12-13-15-17-19-22-25-28-32
So you get the 14 you didn't have in the 11-32.
11-12-13-14-15-17-19-21-23-26 seems like it would be pretty smooth if you could run it.
Sometimes I feel I didn't have the 'right' gear with that spacing, but I need both ends here in CO.
Strange to talk about when my first bike had a 14-17-21-24-28. In retrospect, I am spoiled.

 

[Kerry Irons]

Don't touch the chain

Throw a new cassette on, and shorten the chain.

Absolutely no need to shorten the chain.

 

[cxwrench]

Throw a new cassette on, and shorten the chain.

if the OP doesn't change the rear derailleur, why would he need to shorten the chain? please explain...