On Sat, 18 Jul 2020 14:42:19 -0400, Frank Krygowski wrote:

On 7/18/2020 2:14 PM, Mark Cleary wrote:
On Thursday, July 9, 2020 at 12:23:25 PM UTC-5, Mark Cleary wrote:
I am easy on drive-train's. I get 6000 miles on chains without going
over the limit on 11 speed shimano. My question is right now my
cassette a 11-28 has some 16000 miles on it and works fine. No
Skipping I am getting ready to put a new chain on pretty soon maybe
another 1000 miles. Should I go ahead and swap out the cassette. My
instincts tell me to just keep riding. If for some reason a new chain
causes a skip then yes i need new cassette. The bike is Ultegra 6800
and shifts like a dream. I put a new cable on the rear today and was
thinking maybe just order up a not only the chain but a new cassette.
Cassette are a mystery on wear for sure.

What do all the minds in here think? It is not broke leave alone or
just go new and be done for hopefully anther 16000 miles, not
kilometres.

Deacon Mark

I ended up getting a new cassette and chain so whole new drive train. I
even used the Shimano Quick link and bought the master link pliers. I
just love good tools but of course they don't get used much. I have to
say though that even with the master link pliers I had to put quite a
bit of force to get the quick link to snap in and click. I had to move
to a better position and apply some huge force. Lots of cycling miles I
am not much for brute strength and power. Shifted beautiful after and I
did not touch or make any cable adjustment.

I suspect what you did was best, but it would have been interesting to
see what would have happened if you re-used the cassette. I suspect it
would have skipped, but we'd have learned from your mistake!

Oh, from long experience, I can tell you that is what happened when you
try to mix and match chains and cassettes. It gets worse the older they
are.

From experience, I found the best way/longest life was to buy three
chains for each cassette and use them together, regularly swapping
chains. Eventually, both are so cactus, you scrap them.

Again, YMMV, but this was for my dailyride/tourer/off roader, etc.

Enjoy your ride.