Source for Shimano 6 speed cassette?

BillX said:

I own an 89 Stump Jumper mountain bike with Shimano DX 6-speed indexed shifting. Looking to
replace the 6-speed cassette. Anyone know where I can get a replacement compatible with the DX
shifter?

Sure it's a cassette Freehub? 6-speed Freehubs are very uncommon, the cassette system didn't really
catch on 'til the move to 7-speed.

See: sheldonbrown.comfree k7.htmlOpen ↗ to figure out the answer.

If it's a freewheel, we've got a good selection, see:
sheldonbrown.comfreewheels.htmlOpen ↗

If it's a cassette, you're unlikely to find a 6 speed replacement. You can replace the Freehub body
with a 7-speed one. You'll need new shifters too for the 7-speed indexing (and, of course a new
chain) but everything else will be compatible.

Sheldon "Maybe, Maybe Not" Brown +----------------------------------------------+
| Music expresses that which cannot be said | and on which it is impossible to be silent. |
| --Victor Hugo |
+----------------------------------------------+ Harris Cyclery, West Newton, Massachusetts Phone
617-244-9772 FAX 617-244-1041 harriscyclery.comharriscyclery.comOpen ↗ Hard-to-find parts shipped Worldwide
captainbike.comcaptainbike.comOpen ↗ sheldonbrown.comsheldonbrown.comOpen ↗

It's definitely a 6 speed freehub. Last time I replace the cassette I had to get a loose cluster of
cogs from the now defunct Third Hand, Left Screw. For some reason Performance had a 6 speed cassette
about four months ago in their catalog but have since discontinued.

"Sheldon Brown" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

BillX said:

I own an 89 Stump Jumper mountain bike with Shimano DX 6-speed indexed shifting. Looking to
replace the 6-speed cassette. Anyone know where I

can

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

get a replacement compatible with the DX shifter?

Sure it's a cassette Freehub? 6-speed Freehubs are very uncommon, the cassette system didn't
really catch on 'til the move to 7-speed.

See: sheldonbrown.comfree k7.htmlOpen ↗ to figure out the answer.

If it's a freewheel, we've got a good selection, see:
sheldonbrown.comfreewheels.htmlOpen ↗

If it's a cassette, you're unlikely to find a 6 speed replacement. You can replace the Freehub
body with a 7-speed one. You'll need new shifters too for the 7-speed indexing (and, of course a
new chain) but everything else will be compatible.

Sheldon "Maybe, Maybe Not" Brown +----------------------------------------------+
| Music expresses that which cannot be said | and on which it is impossible to be silent. |
| --Victor Hugo |
+----------------------------------------------+ Harris Cyclery, West Newton, Massachusetts Phone
617-244-9772 FAX 617-244-1041 harriscyclery.comharriscyclery.comOpen ↗ Hard-to-find parts shipped Worldwide
captainbike.comcaptainbike.comOpen ↗ sheldonbrown.comsheldonbrown.comOpen ↗

BillX: if its a 6-speed cassette then its Shimano Uniglide. This means you can flip the cogs around
to get double the life.

Or, take a modern cassette with the gearing you want, (7, 8 9 speed, whatever) and break it apart.
Some grinding may be required to allow you to pull out the 3 rivets. Then, replace the spacers in
the new cassette with your 3.8mm 6-speed spacers.

"BillX" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

It's definitely a 6 speed freehub. Last time I replace the cassette I had to get a loose cluster
of cogs from the now defunct Third Hand, Left

Screw.

Quoted message said:

For some reason Performance had a 6 speed cassette about four months ago

in

Quoted message said:

their catalog but have since discontinued.

Nashbar is selling some 6s ATB cassettes for $12.95.

nashbar.comprofile.cfmOpen ↗

Unfortunately it looks like it has a lockring and may be Hyperglide splined. If true then you'd need
to reuse your threaded small cog and grind the fat hyperglide splines off the inside of the cluster.

--Paul

In article said:

It's definitely a 6 speed freehub. Last time I replace the cassette I had to get a loose cluster of
cogs from the now defunct Third Hand, Left Screw. For some reason Performance had a 6 speed
cassette about four months ago in their catalog but have since discontinued.

"Sheldon Brown" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

BillX said:

I own an 89 Stump Jumper mountain bike with Shimano DX 6-speed indexed shifting. Looking to
replace the 6-speed cassette. Anyone know where I

can

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

get a replacement compatible with the DX shifter?

Sure it's a cassette Freehub? 6-speed Freehubs are very uncommon, the cassette system didn't
really catch on 'til the move to 7-speed.

See: sheldonbrown.comfree k7.htmlOpen ↗ to figure out the answer.

If it's a freewheel, we've got a good selection, see:
sheldonbrown.comfreewheels.htmlOpen ↗

If it's a cassette, you're unlikely to find a 6 speed replacement. You can replace the Freehub
body with a 7-speed one. You'll need new shifters too for the 7-speed indexing (and, of course a
new chain) but everything else will be compatible.

Sheldon "Maybe, Maybe Not" Brown +----------------------------------------------+
| Music expresses that which cannot be said | and on which it is impossible to be silent. |
| --Victor Hugo |
+----------------------------------------------+ Harris Cyclery, West Newton, Massachusetts Phone
617-244-9772 FAX 617-244-1041 harriscyclery.comharriscyclery.comOpen ↗ Hard-to-find parts shipped Worldwide
captainbike.comcaptainbike.comOpen ↗ sheldonbrown.comsheldonbrown.comOpen ↗

[email hidden] (Paul Southworth) wrote in message
news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Nashbar is selling some 6s ATB cassettes for $12.95.

nashbar.comprofile.cfmOpen ↗

Unfortunately it looks like it has a lockring and may be Hyperglide splined. If true then you'd
need to reuse your threaded small cog and grind the fat hyperglide splines off the inside of the
cluster.

--Paul

Hyperglide was never available in 6-speed cassette (freewheel, maybe- Sheldon?). It was introduced
as 7-speed equipment, IIRC.

OP: Loose Screws is apparently still around and lists 6-speed cassettes:
loosescrews.comindex.cgiOpen ↗

Jeff

In article <[email hidden]>, Jeff Wills

Quoted message said:

[email hidden] (Paul Southworth) wrote in message
news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Nashbar is selling some 6s ATB cassettes for $12.95.

nashbar.comprofile.cfmOpen ↗

Unfortunately it looks like it has a lockring and may be Hyperglide splined. If true then you'd
need to reuse your threaded small cog and grind the fat hyperglide splines off the inside of the
cluster.

--Paul

Hyperglide was never available in 6-speed cassette (freewheel, maybe- Sheldon?). It was introduced
as 7-speed equipment, IIRC.

There were never any old 1980's 6-speed cassettes with a lockring either, but this one from Nashbar
has one. I would not be surprised to find HG splines on it either - the cogs are obviously ramped
like Shimano HG. I have no idea who made the hub to go with it, unless people are just supposed to
stick it on a 7s cassette body with a spacer.

--Paul

6 speed Hyperglide cassettes were (and perhaps still are) produced. I have an 11-24 one which I got
from St. John Street Cycles in Bridgwater, England. They still offer this cassette at
(sjscycles.comsjscycles.comOpen ↗) for 16.99 GBP (about $25 US). Whether they were offered in other cog
combinations I don't know.

As another poster has pointed out you can just turn Uniglide cogs over and the unused side of the
teeth gives you the equivalent of a new cog. This works for every cog except for the threaded first
one. Even for this first one you have some alternatives:

1. A 7 speed cog will work on a 6 speed cluster even with indexing since the derailleur is stopped
by the limit screw. Thus if you can find only a 7 speed first cog you're still OK.

2. If your outer cog is a 13 you can use turn it over to use the unused side of the teeth by
getting an extra cog spacer (either 6 speed or 7 speed will do) and put it under the (turned
over) outer cog to replace the built-in spacer which will now be on the wrong side. I don't know
whether this will work with a 12 tooth outer cog or not.

Bob Taylor

[email hidden] (Jeff Wills) wrote in message
news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

[email hidden] (Paul Southworth) wrote in message
news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Nashbar is selling some 6s ATB cassettes for $12.95.

nashbar.comprofile.cfmOpen ↗

Unfortunately it looks like it has a lockring and may be Hyperglide splined. If true then you'd
need to reuse your threaded small cog and grind the fat hyperglide splines off the inside of the
cluster.

--Paul

Hyperglide was never available in 6-speed cassette (freewheel, maybe- Sheldon?). It was introduced
as 7-speed equipment, IIRC.

OP: Loose Screws is apparently still around and lists 6-speed cassettes: loosescrews.c-loosescrews.c-Open ↗
om/index.cgi?c=Cassette&sc=Complete%20Shimano&tc=6%20Speed&id=714799916279

Jeff

(Jeff Wills) said:

Hyperglide was never available in 6-speed cassette (freewheel, maybe- Sheldon?). It was introduced
as 7-speed equipment, IIRC.

I've got a HG freewheel 6 right here. Worn out a lot, though, and the sprockets even move backwards
and forwards on the splines a bit.

Jasper

3rd/hand loose screws didn't come back all of the way. All they do now is sell their left over
inventory, web only, no phone calls. They do not have much in the way left of interest.

rocky

"Chris Zacho "The Wheelman"" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

[email hidden] (BillX) wrote:

"It's definitely a 6 speed freehub. Last time I replace the cassette I had to get a loose cluster
of cogs from the now defunct Third Hand, Left Screw. For some reason Performance had a 6 speed
cassette about four months ago in their catalog but have since discontinued."

Third hand / Loose screws is not defunct. They just went off line while they overhauled
everything.

They can be reached at thethirdhand.comthethirdhand.comOpen ↗

I believe Nashbar has sone six speed cassettes in their catalogue too. nashbar.comnashbar.comOpen ↗

May you have the wind at your back. And a really low gear for the hills! Chris

Chris'Z Corner "The Website for the Common Bicyclist": geocities.comczcornerOpen ↗

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

[email hidden] (BillX) wrote:

"It's definitely a 6 speed freehub. Last time I replace the cassette I had to get a loose
cluster of cogs from the now defunct Third Hand, Left Screw. For some reason Performance had a 6
speed cassette about four months ago in their catalog but have since discontinued."

Shimano europe still lists a HG 30 6 speed cassette in the pricelist (AF, 11-24T)
--
Marten

BillX said:

It's definitely a 6 speed freehub. Last time I replace the cassette I had to get a loose cluster of
cogs from the now defunct Third Hand, Left Screw. For some reason Performance had a 6 speed
cassette about four months ago in their catalog but have since discontinued.

Possibly you could use a more regularly available 7 speed cluster as source for new cogs, while
keeping your old spacers. This might fail for the smallest cog if, as seems likely, it's UniGlide
and that one is screwed on. (plus the smaller cogs will have integrated spacers, rather than
separate ones. But still, for replacement of the bigger sprockets it might be an option.

Jasper

I've just bought a 1989 6-speed Raleigh road bike with SIS. I've had the same issue looking for a replacement cassette. The best link that I've found for old 6-speed Shimano isSt James Street Cycles UK

It's in the UK so you'd have to pay postage on top but if you find what you're looking for... 😄