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Bicycle cassette (rear chainrings) standards

This post will explain bicycle rear chainrings standards. Since in cycling literature a term “sprocket” is used to refer to rear chainrings, that term will be used in the remainder of this post (and most other on this site). In cycling terminology, term “chainring” usually refers to front chainrings only.

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Table Of Contents (T.O.C.):

  1. Introduction
  2. Sprocket mounting on the hub standards
    2.1. Freehub standards
    …..2.1.1. Shimano Uniglide
    …..2.1.2. Shimano Hyperglide and Hyperglide+
    …..2.1.3. SRAM XD
    …..2.1.4. Campagnolo freehubs
  3. Standards by number of “speeds” and manufacturer


1. Introduction

Two things are important for bicycle sprocket standards: the way sprocket(s) are attached to the hub, and the number of “speeds” (i.e. the number of sprockets).

Mounting type is important because not every sprocket (set) can be mounted onto every hub. This will be explained in more detail in a separate post about bicycle rear hub standards, here it will only be briefly mentioned in one chapter.

Number of speeds is important for matching the chain and rear derailleur. This is explained in posts about compatibility.

– T.O.C. –


2. Sprocket mounting on the hub standards

There are two main standards: freewheel and freehub. That is explained here: Freewheel vs Freehub (cassette).

Freewheel works by screwing sprocket(s) onto the hub, while freehub uses splines that sprocket(s) are slid onto and then locked. Freewheels can be found for cassettes with one, 6 and 7 speeds.

freewheel-vs-freehub
Freewheel with threaded hub and a freehub with a cassette.
Source: www.sheldonbrown.com
Picture 1

There are several freehub standards, and if cassette doesn’t match the freehub standard, it will not fit. That is explained in the next (sub)chapter.

– T.O.C. –


2.1. Freehub standards

2.1.1. Shimano Uniglide

Last sprocket is screwed onto threads cut into the last part of the freehub – acting as a lockring.

Screwing freehub back on
Freehub has threads at the end (top part). Picture 2a

Splines of Uniglide freehub and cassette grooves are symmetric, of the same width and spacing, so a sprocket can be flipped and placed the other way round. Doing this with a worn cassette, enables using the other sprocket teeth side and getting a practically new cassette! 🙂

Shimano tidiness: each spacer and sprocket order is marked
Grooves of a Uniglide cassette for mounting onto the freehub.
Picture 3

Uniglide cassettes are most common with (old) 7 sprocket systems.

– T.O.C. –

2.1.2. Shimano Hyperglide and Hyperglide+

Many manufacturers make cassettes matching this standard. Splines are asymmetrical so sprockets can be mounted only one way. This insures planned sprocket teeth arrangement of adjacent sprockets for faster and easier shifting. It also prevents flipping sprockets when teeth get worn on one side. Take a little bad with the good…  🙂

Hyperglide with a narrower spline. Picture 4a
Orientation of sprockets on a Hyperglide freehub. Source: www.shimano.com Picture 4b
Orientation of sprockets on a Hyperglide freehub. Source: www.shimano.com Picture 4b

Last (smallest) sprocket of a hyperglide cassette has a toothed outer profile. Freehub body has threads on the inner side, that a toothed locknut is screwed into. This keeps the cassette in place.

7 speed cassette on an 8 speed freehub with spacers of optimal width ("height") added. The last sprocket sits deep enough to be securely attached, but still high enough to be able to lock and press the whole cassette in place.
Toothed outer profile of the last sprocket.
Mounted hyperglide cassette lockring. Picture 5b
Mounted hyperglide cassette lockring. Picture 5b

Hyperglide cassettes are made for systems with 7 to 11 sprockets, with an addition of SRAM NX Eagle 12 sprocket cassettes that fit hyperglide freehubs.

Since the summer of 2018, Shimano has introduced Hyperglide+ freehub standard. For now, it is meant for 11 and 12 speed Shimano MTB cassettes, so they can have the smallest sprocket of only 10 teeth. Along with the obsolete “Shimano Capreo“, Hyperglide+ is explained with pictures in the post about Shimano XTR M9100 groupset (p)review.

– T.O.C. –

2.1.3. SRAM XD

SRAM XD cassettes can have the smallest sprocket of only 9 teeth, thanks to the design of XD freehub body.

Left: XD freehub. Right: Shimano hyperglide compatible freehub.
Left: XD freehub. Narrower at the end, to allow even 9 tooth sprockets mounting.
Right: Hyperglide freehub, with threads for lockring on the inner side of the freehub body.
Picture 6

XD cassettes have a bearing system on the inside, that enables screwing cassette onto the threads at the bottom of the freehub body – from the outside, after the cassette is slid on the splines.

Mounting an XD cassette. Source: www.sram.com Picture 7
Mounting an XD cassette.
Source: www.sram.com
Picture 7

XD cassettes are available for 10 to 12 sprocket systems.

– T.O.C. –

2.1.4. Campagnolo freehubs

Campagnolo cassettes have several old (discontinued, considered obsolete) standards and one current freehub mounting standard.

Obsolete Campagnolo standard for 8 speed titanium Exa-Drive cassettes. Ridges are wider at 5 and 7 o'clock, to ensure proper sprocket orientation when mounting.
Obsolete Campagnolo standard for 8 speed titanium Exa-Drive cassettes. Ridges are wider at 5 and 7 o’clock, to ensure proper sprocket orientation when mounting.
Old 9 speed Campagnolo Exa-Drive standard. Wide ridge at 5 o'clock and a stepped ridge at 7 o'clock.
Old 9 speed Campagnolo Exa-Drive standard. Wide ridge at 5 o’clock and a stepped ridge at 7 o’clock. Picture 8b
Ridge at 12 o'clock is wider, to ensure proper sprocket orientation when mounting them onto the freehub.
Current, Exa-Drive 8 speed standard. Ridge at 12 o’clock is wider, to ensure proper sprocket orientation when mounting them onto the freehub.
Old Campagnolo 7 and 8 speed standard.
Old Campagnolo 7 and 8 speed standard.
Left: Shimano cassette freehub Right: Campagnolo Ultra-Drive cassette freehub Source: www.eqnx.co
Left: Shimano cassette freehub
Right: Campagnolo Ultra-Drive cassette freehub
Source: www.eqnx.co
Picture 9

Cassettes also differ by teeth shape.

Campagnolo cassette standards. Left: Exa-Drive Right: Ultra-Drive
Campagnolo cassette standards.
Left: Exa-Drive
Right: Ultra-Drive
Picture 10

Exa drive cassetes are available for 7 to 9 sprocket systems, while Ultra drive come in 9 to 11 sprocket versions.

– T.O.C. –


3. Standards by number of “speeds” and manufacturer

Cassette standards differ by number of speeds, i.e. by the number of sprockets on a cassette. Generally: the more speeds (sprockets), the thinner a single sprocket gets and the more densely they are packed (less distance between adjacent sprockets). Distance between the middles of two adjacent sprockets is called “cassette pitch” (different from sprocket pitch, that defines adjacent teeth distance).

Table 1 gives overview of important cassette dimensions. Most manufacturers make cassettes to match Shimano standard.  Beside Shimano, there is a Campagnolo standard, and SRAM standard for 12 speed cassettes.

TABLE 1Dimensions are in millimetres
Cassette type and number of sprocketsCassette PitchSprocket ThicknessSpacer thicknessTotal width
most 5-speed5 – 5.51.85 – 23.524
 most 6-speed5 – 5.51.85 – 23.529.5
Shimano, SRAM Hyperglide 7-speed51.853.1531.9
Freewheel 7-speed51.8 – 1.853.15 – 3.232.4 – 32.8
Shimano, SRAM 8-speed4.81.8335.4
Shimano, SRAM 9-speed4.351.782.5636.5
Shimano, SRAM 10-speed3.951.62.3537.2
Shimano, SRAM 11-speed road **3.74 **1.62.1439
Shimano, SRAM 11-speed MTB **3.9 **1.62.340.6
Campagnolo 8-speed51.93.136.9
Campagnolo 9-speed4.551.752.838.2
Campagnolo 10-speed4.15 on average *1.7varies *38.8
Campagnolo 11-speed3.85 on average *1.6varies *40.1
SRAM 12-speed MTB3.65n/an/an/a
Shimano Dura Ace 6-speed6.07n/an/an/a
Shimano Dura Ace 7-speed5.52n/an/an/a
Shimano Dura Ace 8-speed5.3n/an/an/a

* With some Campagnolo cassettes cassette pitch changes – increasing and decreasing between different position sprockets. The goal was to improve shifting in the middle part of the cassette.

** For more details on Shimano/SRAM 11-speed road and MTB cassette similarity, see the cassette compatibility article.

Cassettes with 10 and more sprockets are designed so that largest sprocket overhangs the freehub body and goes a bit towards the wheel spokes (without hitting them). This enables mounting wider cassette onto a standard sized freehub body (Shimano 11 speed road cassettes still require a longer freehub body).


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Related post – Bicycle – how many speeds:

Bicycle - how many speeds is the best to have on a bicycle? How many different gearing ratios is needed for cycling?
Bicycle – how many speeds is best to have on a bicycle?

If you have any questions (or additions and corrections), please use the BikeGremlin forum:
www.bikegremlin.net

– T.O.C. –

The existing comments posted under this article (questions and answers) have been moved to this BikeGremlin forum thread:
https://www.bikegremlin.net/threads/bicycle-cassette-rear-chainrings-standards-article-comments.138/

17 thoughts on “Bicycle cassette (rear chainrings) standards”

  1. Hi,
    I bought a wheel on the flee market and the cassette has 8 splines with equal distances. Is it an old campa 7 speed ?
    thanks and greetings
    max

  2. Hello
    Shimano MTB and ROAD are the same
    Cassette pitch is 3.78 mm
    Sprocket thickness is 1.60 mm
    Spacer thickness is 2.18 mm
    See yourself on Shimano pdf exploded views at shimano.docs

    • I couldn’t find where Shimano states the dimensions and cassette pitch.
      Or at least admits that 11-speed road and MTB cassettes can be mix-matched (i.e. that they are compatible) – which seems to be the case in practice, at least in my experience.

  3. On the bottom of all the shimano pdf cassette (link on my last comment) there is the parts and on these parts the spacer thickness is indicated.

    • Yes, the spacer thickness is specified and that is the same width.
      Edit: I’ve updated the article by adding a link with more details, since editing the calculated spacer thickness doesn’t tell the whole story in my opinion and because an 11-speed MTB cassette will not lock on an 11-speed road freehub without an additional spacer.

  4. Sorry
    on my first comment i have forgeted to say that its for the shimano 11 speed cassette

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