splined cassette???

Splined means the cogs and spacers slide over splines on the cassette body, instead of threading on like a freewheel. The cassette is then held in place by the lockring, that thing you see in the center with evenly spaced splines. This cassette is splined for Shimano cassettes, as opposed to splined for Campagnolo cassettes.

If your bike uses a Shimano 10-speed cassette, the Miche with Shimano splines is a fine replacement.

I'm more or less building a new bike.

Will any 10-speed shifter work with it? Will a Shimano or SRAM shifter be more compatible than, say, a campy shifter?

Quoted post said:

Originally Posted by urge2kill
I'm more or less building a new bike.

Will any 10-speed shifter work with it? Will a Shimano or SRAM shifter be more compatible than, say, a campy shifter?

No. For best performance and idiot-proof maintainability, match your shifters with your derailleurs. Your best bet is to just get a full kit of, say, Tiagra 4600 (10-speed). It's very nice if you're trying to keep costs down. Or, if you're looking for nicer looks and ergonomics, 105 5700, which will either become hard to find or discounted, because 5800 11-speed will be coming out soon. SRAM 10-speed road components are pretty interchangeable until you get to Red front derailleurs. I like Rival and Force for price and quality, although many will disagree.

SRAM and Shimano 10-speed cassettes are interchangeable, but most prefer Shimano. SRAM 10-speed cassettes won't fit on certain Shimano freehubs that were made for only Shimano 10--speed cassettes. Chains are pretty interchangeable, but Shimano is more durable and will shift better with Shimano gears.

You might want to go all-Campagnolo. It has its adherents, but getting spares and wheels might be more of a hassle. On the other hand, the levers are serviceable.

If you want to see what mixing and matching can lead to, refer to this page: en.wikibooks.orgGear changing DimensionsOpen ↗. I don't recommend it.

Queue alfeng, now, with his pitch for the cure for everything, Campagnolo levers.

Quoted post said:

Originally Posted by oldbobcat
No. For best performance and idiot-proof maintainability, match your shifters with your derailleurs. Your best bet is to just get a full kit of, say, Tiagra 4600 (10-speed). It's very nice if you're trying to keep costs down. Or, if you're looking for nicer looks and ergonomics, 105 5700, which will either become hard to find or discounted, because 5800 11-speed will be coming out soon. SRAM 10-speed road components are pretty interchangeable until you get to Red front derailleurs. I like Rival and Force for price and quality, although many will disagree.

SRAM and Shimano 10-speed cassettes are interchangeable, but most prefer Shimano. SRAM 10-speed cassettes won't fit on certain Shimano freehubs that were made for only Shimano 10--speed cassettes. Chains are pretty interchangeable, but Shimano is more durable and will shift better with Shimano gears.

You might want to go all-Campagnolo. It has its adherents, but getting spares and wheels might be more of a hassle. On the other hand, the levers are serviceable.

If you want to see what mixing and matching can lead to, refer to this page: en.wikibooks.orgGear changing DimensionsOpen ↗. I don't recommend it.

Queue alfeng, now, with his pitch for the cure for everything, Campagnolo levers.

NICE!

Let me rephrase that for you ...

• Because alfeng somehow manages to use Campagnolo shifters with his Shimano Derailleurs & Cassettes, THAT combination must be idiot proof!!!
  

I seem to be short 1 spacer. It has 6 red spacers, but it seems like it should have seven (one ring has the spacer built-in). It also came with two thin, metal rings, but those are probably for something else.
When I received it, the box wasn't taped shut, and the pieces were scattered inside.

If I'm short a spacer, I can order extras. In the meantime, however, can I just install it without the largest ring?

Quote:Originally Posted by urge2kill [IMG]/img/forum/go_quote.gif[/IMG]I seem to be short 1 spacer. It has 6 red spacers, but it seems like it should have seven (one ring has the spacer built-in). It also came with two thin, metal rings, but those are probably for something else.
If I'm short a spacer, I can order extras. In the meantime, however, can I just install it without the largest ring?

YOU do not need to have all the Cogs in place, BUT you need something to keep the Cogs stable ...

BTW. I presume that the "two thin, metal rings" are supposed to be slid onto the Freehub body BEFORE the Cogs are slipped on. BTW2. This is possibly stating the obvious, but you can (probably/often/typically) use a spacer from an old Cassette if it is of a similar ilk.

Quoted post said:

Originally Posted by alfeng

BTW. I presume that the "two thin, metal rings" are supposed to be slid onto the Freehub body BEFORE the Cogs are slipped on.

Yeah, they were sliding around the first time, so I put those on behind the largest (second largest) ring.

Is it okay that my axle doesn't go through the dropouts completely? The dropouts are still snug against the locknuts, and the locknuts are still as they were when I got the wheel.

[IMG]cyclingforums.com1000Open ↗[/IMG]

urge2kill said:

Is it okay that my axle doesn't go through the dropouts completely?  The dropouts are still snug against the locknuts, and the locknuts are still as they were when I got the wheel.

Well, either your dropouts are thicker than average, or your axle is a little shorter than average. There's usually a bit more overlap than that. But you should be fine. In fact, if the axle protruded beyond the outside face of the dropout your quick-release wouldn't be able to pinch the dropout properly. According to late bike guru, and very helpful chap Sheldon Brown, a wheel will stay in place even if the axle ends flush with the locknut - if a good quality q/r is used and used right. Haven't tried it myself though. But a suitable bit of axle protrusion helps with getting the alignment right. Don't worry about it.