Review on 🚲 Upgrade Your Ride with the SHIMANO HG51 8-Speed Cassette by Joseph Harkins

Shifting isn't particularly quick, but that's due to the large gear jumps - an inherent limitation of the 8-speed. But the build quality is good and the weight is reasonable. Replacement 8-speed cassettes with 11 x 28/30/32 teeth will continue to decrease. I'm pretty sure Shimano replaced that cassette with the HG-41-8 which is lower quality on the smaller sprockets. Shimano's CS-HG31 (for low-cost applications) has a mysterious black finish prone to early rusting. SRAM's PG-850 is lighter, but the larger tooth differential results in slower downshifts. SunRace CS-R86 is made in China and has quality control issues. So out of the remaining Shimano compatible 8 speed cassettes, this CS-HG51 seems to be the best option in terms of durability and shift quality. Until they're sold out.