Hope Ti Glide Rear Cassette

Advantages: Light, strong, durable, relatively cheap, looks great
Disadvantages: None

...Awesome rear hub for the money. Made from 1 piece heat treated, forged 6061 aluminium and it runs on smooth, double lip sealed cartridge bearings. The hub has an international 6 bolt mounting. It is fairly light at 385g due to lots of weight saving holes in the flanges, although these do not affect the strength. The hub is fitted with a 3 pawl ratchet and steel freehub ensuring reliability and durability. The finish is either black or silver and has lazer etched graphics so they wont wear off easily, and they look smart. I have used one of these hubs for nearly two years now for street, downhill and commuting. I have never had a single problem with the hub, it has run smooth as silk from the day it was bought and has been used on an almost daily basis in all conditions with no maintenance whatsoever. If built correctly it will produce... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful

Advantages: Smooth, Well built, Lightweight
Disadvantages: Very loud when freewheeling, Difficulty fitting cassette

...of a Hope rear hub who gets annoyed by the loudness of it. Unlike many freehubs, it's also surprisingly easy to service, requiring no tools the freehub just pulls straight off, revealing the ratchet mechanism, which is incredibly simple and easy to service. Fitting the cassette (cogs, for the non-cyclists!) takes a bit of gentle persuasion, however, in the form of a rubber mallet. Removing the cassette is even more difficult. Could do better there, I'm afraid. In use, the hubs are a dream. Despite riding in mud, through rivers and general neglect of the bike, the hubs have stood up to it all admirably. Let's hear it for British Engineering! Since I wrote this opinion, I've noticed two things: 1) Shimano XT cassettes seem to fit no problem, unlike cheaper stuff that just gets stuck. 2) Having lost the springs from the freehub... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: Top of the range "bling" rear mech
Disadvantages: 9 speed "only", superceeded by RD-7800 10-speed version

...I bought this rear derailleur to replace an Ultegra mech when upgrading my bike from 8 to 9-speeds (well, 16 to 18 speed really with my double front chainset). Apparently, this mech is also compatible with 8-speed systems, you just need to change the cable mounting position. Dura Ace is the name of Shimano's top of the range group of bicycle components, or "groupset", for road race bikes, and the 9-speed 7700-series was introduced to the public in 1997 after Shimano sponsored riders using Dura-Ace 7700 series equipped bikes in 1996. Year by year, it's been enhanced, and this review is of rear mech from the 2004 model year. For the non-bike-ophiles among you, the rear mech (or mechanism) is the device at the back end of the bike that moves the chain across the muliple cogs (cassette) on the back wheel to change gear - bigger cog... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful