How to rework cassette for improving chainline on mid drive ebikes 

The video mentions that, and the accompanying text documentation has in depth pictures and tutorials on how to do so. This method makes it look cleaner but both are valid. After having experience with both I think just rearranging them is more foolproof since the clamps can move around if you don't double them up, but man does it look nice with only the gears you want.

Is the smallest sprocket that goes in last required (even though you won't use it) in order to tighten the cassette assembly?

​@@connicrow9463I believe so, yeah.

That's interesting, thanks for posting. What do you use for a shifter? 7 speed or can you adapt a 9 speed to managed 7 speed? Thanks.

@@Gusto0172 to be honest, if you want, you can remove the 11t cog from a 9 speed cassette and terminate it on th 13t cog with a washer and lockring. i have chosen to install a dished 42t chainring which sets the chain in the center of the cassette. that works best in my opinion.

I specifically watched this vid because I have a mighty mini that’s pushed my chain line way to far out. How did this work out for you?

@@lifeischeesy it did not work, the cassette only works well when it is in it's proper order

@@D3LV3 not true.

My exact problem. Howdid you fix it? I'd hate to go to the lekkie 42 tooth

@@colincampbell4261 I'm sure it depends on the cassette, the one i had did not wanna be in that split config

Got a 9AX from CRC, thanks for listing what they are! It only says it's an 11-40t. Matching this with a 42t lekkie chainring. I'm coming from a 36t in the back as my largest, expecting a massive torque boost.

Is there a video that shows how to properly do this anywhere cuz I did this exact thing turn my night speed into a six-speed and it seemed good until I got stressed onto the chain and it was like skipping and jumping how do I fix this how do I adjust the derailleur

@@m1000black Adjusting a derailleur is straight forward and there are bunch of videos showing how to do it. The main concern for you is to set the high and low limits to prevent the derailleur from traveling too far. For example, if you are only using cog position 1-6 on your cassette, use the high limit screw to place the guide pulley directly over or slightly outward of the 1st cog (smallest). Then adjust the low limit screw to place the guide pully directly over the 6th cog (largest you are using). The limit screws limit the amount of travel your derailleur can move. This will make sure you don't overshoot the 6th cog onto the 7th cog which would be disastrous. Make sure the b-screw is set so there is about 5mm of distance between the 6th cog (largest) tooth and the guide pulley tooth. Once this is done, then you have to adjust the cable tension and barrel nut to set up the indexing properly. Shimano recommends shifting into a middle gear and then turn the barrel nut counter clockwise until the derailleur wants to shift into the next larger cog. Once it starts making noise like it wants to shift but can't, turn the barrel nut clockwise causing the derailleur to return to the smaller gear and the noise goes away, usually 5 clicks of the barrel nut. This might take a little adjusting but that's the basic idea. Also, on your 9 speed shifter, you'll only use shift position 4-9 on your shifter. Position 9 will be your smallest cog and position 4 will be your largest cog in the 6th position on your cassette. So start with the shifter in gear 9 and the derailleur on the 1st (smallest cog) and tighten the shift cable to your derailleur at this position to start your indexing procedure.

@@mtbbiker6401 thank you very much I appreciate your help my friend!!!

I have a old bike with no derailer and no shifter but has a 9 speed cassettte, . So my noob question is, if i turend it into a 6 speed cassette like show here, can i buy a 6 speed shifter and derailer?

@@diwanthegreat If you are turning your 9 speed cassette into a 6 speed cassette by rearranging or removing cogs, you'll need to use a 9 speed shifter and derailleur. 9 speed cassettes are indexed (spaced) differently than 7-8 speed cassettes. The chains are also different.

Chain line doesn't matter

There's an adjustment screw on it to prevent that

@@fuzzyfriendlydoggy I mean even at smallest cog

@@evdokmv do you have the cable tension generally dialed in

When using a mid drive motor on a chain with intrusive chainstay the chain is already not centered on the middle gear, addressing that is the whole point of the video.

@@fuzzyfriendlydoggy Thanks I am having problems with bad alignment in 1st gear, I mostly climb hills so this video has got me great alignment in that gear

To be honest, I've read this comment like three times and I still don't know what you mean. All I can say is thousands of people have done this modification or the corollary modification of simply rearranging the cassette which is linked from the description. As long as the derailleur is tuned you should be fine, never heard of bad indexing with this

Did you need to do anything to your derailleur for it to work properly? I have the same bike but can not for the life of me get it work properlly. Maybe my chain is to short?

Hello, how did you cut off 6mm from your drive side bottom bracket, and are there any issue with weakening the frame? Thanks

I mean technically you could do that with just about any cassette. The question is whether or not you can do it easily. With the cassette in the video it's super easy and you don't have to break rivets or anything like that, and there's quite a few other cassettes out there too that are similar but I don't have model numbers for stuff like that. Tbf breaking a rivet is not super hard for anyone with a Dremel but this video pretty much just covers the basic concept.

Sure you can use spacers! You can also, depending on the cassette type, simply rearrange the ones that are on there and lock out the rest with the limit screw. The nice thing about the clamps and rearranging is it maintains the same gap as stock so there should not be shifting issues. Whether or not this would happen with cassette spacers may depend on the width of the spacer

@@fuzzyfriendlydoggy Thanks you very much for your answer, much appreciated, have a nice day! I sub'd.

Tune the derailer?

Shouldn't affect much but you can replace the screw with a shorter one if you want

You would need just the right amount of spacers, or the clamp would still move a bit. I found just doubling up the clamp works fine, the second clamp acts as a jam nut. Or you can just rearrange the cassette with the existing cogs and spacers, depending on the cassette. Doesn't look as pretty though.

@@fuzzyfriendlydoggy yes I rearranged the cogs but it's ugly. Plus I'm not finding a way to limit my derailleur to just the 3 cogs. The L screw isn't going to be long enough to go from 9 cogs to 3 (I think). About the spacers it would take the function of the clamp so I would have the spacers between the cogs and the spokes. But hard to find a dozen 2mm or 3mm spacers out there. My problem with the clamp is that I'm afraid it might move around due to the pressures.

@@vapeurdepisse For the L screw it uses a standard machine bolt, I just bought a longer one from boltdepot.com. But yeah I get what you mean about it being ugly, and about it moving around. I had that issue when i used just one clamp instead of two. What would be really nice is to have a machinist come up with some spacer or series of spacers that would exert force on the cassette, like a spring. then it would always sit where it needs to and could extend as much as needed

Yes rearranging them instead is a perfectly valid way of reworking the cassette, just may not look as clean. The link in the description goes over this method.

All derailers have a couple screws on them, the high limit and low limit. If you need to lock it out of where the lowest gear would have been just tighten the low limit screw

You have to have a smooth transition from each cog size. If one of the cogs is too large then yeah it will hit that large cog and not allow it to go on.

I don't understand what you mean by manettino

@@fuzzyfriendlydoggy The lever on the handlebar that allows you to change gears derailleur speed. I'm using trasletor 🇮🇹

@@Toby10 the indexing on the cassette will not change if you are simply reworking it. So you should not have to typically tune up the derailer but you can if you have to.

@@fuzzyfriendlydoggy Eeeeeee difficult translation... Let's see if I understand correctly: you say that there is no need to change .... But the marches are now smaller. From 11 I have 9v derailleur always originated I have,. 11V. The handlebar lever, however, the 11v one even if I register well. It doesn't work. 2-3 more 🥴🥴 shooting steps left

@@Toby10 sorry i have no idea what you are trying to say. If you are having difficulty with the modifications i recommend taking it to your local bike shop

Less cable tension so that the derailleur cannot pull the chain behind the cassette.

You may also need to adjust the lower limit screw but start with adjusting cable tension and see where that gets you.

@@justin169169 thank you

The thing is, if you have a very large jump in gear size from one to the next it will not shift smoothly. You would probably need at least one other gear in between that 20t and the 42t.

@@fuzzyfriendlydoggy definitely gonna try it though. Good video

@@FC2ESWS thanks man. Good luck!

It won't shift well like that. The shifter expects a certain width between each cog and you are unlikely to get that just slapping multiple single speed cogs together

fuzzyfriendlydoggy I see that, a friction index shifter should work no?

Cassette is not worn down by load. It's worn by skipping and worn chain. And better derailleur is better than some old crap

Not really, this video was made for the purpose of documentation using a bike I had on hand. If I had something like a fatbike the original chainline would be much more dramatic but alas, no such luck

That's an interesting question. The key is common sense, you don't want it to jump from like 14t to 42t obviously, but smaller jumps is no problem. You can always swap it around until you find what works best for you but generally speaking if all you are doing is taking out say 3rd, 5th and 7th should be fine and even just that change would make a big difference in chainline

@@fuzzyfriendlydoggy 15 to 21t seem reasonable? That's about a 40% jump compared to 17-20% stock.

@@scotth5503 yes that should be fine

Did you ever try it? 100%+ jump in ratio seems like it would cause shifting issues.

It is meant to optimize chainline not speed, though I suppose if you are using a gearsensor it would increase speed insomuch as the gearsensor would not have to cut power as often since you would be shifting less

You can indeed, though it will not look as nice. That was actually how we used to recommend this modification. The link below shows some pics of a cassette like that. Underneath this embedded video you can see the original guide with the sprockets simply rearranged. electricbike.com/forum/forum/knowledge-base/motors-and-kits/bbshd/39170-how-to-rework-rear-sprockets-for-mid-drive-systems

I considered cutting down old gears but it would be heavier then these aluminum clamps.

Regular spacers may not have same indexing

@@fuzzyfriendlydoggy Thanks. Yea, I have a 10 spped Talon 1. I could not find this one in 10 speed that comes apart with one bolt. I am building a BBSHD right now, but do not want ten friggin gears! From what i've learned, if you got a 10 gear system, you basically have to swap out the cassette, the derailuer, and the shifter. pain in the azz.

@@One_-_Man-_-Clan ideally you would do that anyway as 10sp chains are usually more fragile than 8 or 9

Less cable tension so that the derailleur cannot pull the chain behind the cassette.

@@justin169169 thank you

You may also need to adjust the lower limit screw but start with adjusting cable tension and see where that gets you.

If you don't know how to raise volume on your computer then this guide is not for you lol

Im listening at half volume and audio is perfectly fine. Sounds like your issue is with your device and not the video itself. Sorry man, its what it is.

@@fuzzyfriendlydoggy great answer, LOL