Rival to Dura-Ace? The cheapest monoblock cassette on AliExpress...

Trace Velo June 12, 2024
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Trace Velo

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I love cycling, and I love getting pro cycling kit for less. If it’s cheap, from China, and made of carbon fiber, I’m interested! Road cycling can be an expensive hobby, and the barrier to entry for good quality cycling gear can be exceptionally high. My whole ethos is to get pro-level cycling gear on the cheap, and show that you dont have to have to spend extortionate amounts to get some fantastic kit! PLEASE NOTE: I currently run this channel entirely by myself. Any and all correspondence will come from [email protected].

Video Description

This monoblock cassette from ZTTO is cheap, durable, and the same weight as Shimnao Dura-Ace, so is it worth considering? I am always on the lookout for ways to drop weight from my road bike on the cheap, and this cassette from ZTTO really fits the bill. You can get it for £55 ($70) on AliExpress, and as it only weighs 199g, it’s only 5g more than a Shimano Dura-Ace R9100 cassette. Many of the cheaper lightweight cassettes on sites like AliExpress will include teeth made from aluminium to save weight. This is great, but the durability can be a bit lacking, especially if you ride in sub-optimal conditions. The ZTTO monoblock cassette in this episode is CNC machined from a single block of steel, so it is both ultra-lightweight, and incredibly durable. SRAM offer monoblock cassettes for their top of the line Red groupsets, but they are incredibly expensive at £350 ($450). So if this one from ZTTO is decent, it looks to offer INCREDIBLE value for money! Please note some links below are affiliate links: ZTTO monoblock cassette: https://a.aliexpress.com/_EwkylMX Slightly cheaper Goldix cassette (seems to be an identical product…) https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_Dex... Timestamps: 00:00 – Intro & SROAD cassettes 01:39 – ZTTO MTB cassettes 02:09 – Cost, weight, & comparison 03:18 – Shifting demo 03:39 – Potential drawback 04:38 – Durability 05:25 – Bonus clip Instagram:   / tracevelo   Email: [email protected] Please note: I am not a professionally trained bike mechanic. There can be risks associated with using products that are unbranded, untested, or come from sources where the provenance is unknown. Please talk to a qualified bike mechanic if you are in any doubt. In essence, be careful, do your research, and cycle safe!!!