ZTTO 9 Speed Cassette Review & Install

ZTTO 9 Speed Cassette Review - Intro

The old saying goes "you get what you pay for" but NOT in the case of this 11 - 40 ZTTO 9 speed cassette. I purchased mine for around £15 on eBay, and I am very impressed with it.

I sued a Short Cage Rear Mech, and an extender for the gear hanger. All good. 

I also made a video review, if you are too lazy to read this one!

ZTTO 9 Speed Cassette Review - Building Quality 

I compared the quality of this ZTTO 9 speed cassette with the shimano cassette that it was replacing. The shimano one was used of course, but you can still compare the finish of un worn parts.

Comparison between Shimano HG 400 11 - 34

I should imagine that the sprockets are "pressed" in manufacturing rather than cast of machined, the finish is very good. The sprockets are steel: "high tensile steel" apparently.

I mean to the untrained eye this look OK right?

One thing I was very impressed with was the weight saving measures, the sporkets had been designed on the ZTTO 9 speed cassette had been design to incorporate a lot less steele (proportionally) compared to the shimano cassette.

Rear view showing the construction. 

If I had just one improvement comment it would be for a steel lockring. Alloy threads, cringe. 

ZTTO 9 Speed Cassette Review - Installation / Install

I "few" years ago I vested in a short cage shimano saint rear mech. Which is a great piece of gear. I had read that you can use a 11 - 40 cassette with a short cage rear mech, and it works OK. It does work.

On the bike. Works great. 

I had a slight complication in that (unknown to me) my front chain ring was worn, and this was cause a dropped chain when I shifted on the the largest rear sprocket. Of course initially I suspected the lack of chain cacapcity in my rear mech, but no.

Size Difference 11-40 vs 11-34

I did use a sunrace hanger extender, I am not sure if this was required, but I fitted it anyway. For the record I should point out that I do not think my rear mech would take a larger rear sprocket, it may just about stretch to a 42 tooth. But I very very much doubt it would be OK with 46, 50 or 52.

When on 40 tooth sprocket, the chain has just enough slack to operate, but not much.

In summary the install would have been very easy, if it weren't for the worn chain ring.

ZTTO 9 Speed Cassette Review - Extra Photos and Conclusions 

All in all this is a well made product that enables 9 speed drive chain uses to add extra gear range to their machines without breaking the bank. If your old chain and cassette are worn out, then it is a no brainer to upgrade, more range, same price and weight penalty is minimal. 

In use this provide a similar amount of range to my alfine 11 hub gear. It certainly makes a 1 x 9 drivetrain more realistic in hilly parts of the world. 

Close up showing quality of pressings. I think it looks fine. 

Each sprocket is labelled with tooth number. I nice touch. 

Not sure what these bales mean. 

Close up of rear, showing structure. Second largest sprocket shares spider with largest. 

My only complaint: alloy lock ring. Probably fine, bit alloy threads make be nervous. 

Preliminary Ecological Appraisal 

Environmental Consultants Bristol