AliExpress Cassette FAIL During Brutal Hill Climb Race
Tom Bowers Cycling
June 03, 2025
What happens when you race on ultra-light AliExpress components? In this week’s hill climb race up Standing Stone, a savage climb that finishes with a brutal 25% wall, disaster struck. My ZTTO SLR Gen3 cassette from AliExpress, weighing just 116g, started skipping under power every time I got out the saddle. I’ve featured this cassette in previous videos, and while the weight is impressive, it turns out it just wasn’t up to the demands of a full-gas hill climb effort.
For AliExpress stuff I do actually recommend go to https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_Ejvq4EA or enter the search code [AYMARW] on the AliExpress homepage
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Sunshine Savings/Seasonal Savings
CassetteZTTO SLR Gen3 12s Road Bike Cassette Super Light Weight 116g 11-28T 11-30 11-32 11-34 11-36 146g K7 12s Spokets HGR universal
Created: June 12, 2025The reviewer discusses issues with a cassette that caused chain skipping during a hill climb race, though they do not explicitly name the ZTTO SLR Gen3 12s Road Bike Cassette. They mention replacing it with a Shimano 105 cassette, which resolved the issues. The reviewer implies the problematic cassette was a cheap AliExpress purchase, contrasting it with the reliability of branded components.
AI-Summary
Pros
- Lightweight (implied by comparison to the 105 cassette)
Cons
- Chain skipping under load
- Unreliable performance
- Lack of compatibility or quality control compared to branded components
MyBikeParts
ZTTO SLR Gen3 12s Road Bike Cassette Super Light Weight 116g 11-28T 11-30 11-32 11-34 11-36 146g K7 12s Spokets HGR universal
ZTTO SLR Gen3 11speed Road Bike Cassette 11 Speed 11-30 11-32 11-34 11-36 11-28T 112g K7 11s Spokets HGR universal
Created: March 12, 2025The reviewer discusses their experience with a cheap AliExpress cassette (likely the ZTTO SLR Gen3 based on context) that failed during a hill climb race. They mention the cassette started skipping under power, particularly when standing on steep gradients, which ruined their race performance. After replacing it with a Shimano 105 cassette, all issues resolved immediately. The reviewer reflects that while the lightweight AliExpress cassette (approximately 112g) offered weight savings, its unreliability outweighed any benefits. They acknowledge that sometimes budget components work, but this was a clear failure case.
AI-Summary
Pros
- Lightweight (approximately 112g compared to 300g for Shimano 105)
- Initially seemed like a cost-effective option
Cons
- Chain skipped repeatedly under power
- Made standing on steep gradients impossible
- Unreliable performance during critical moments
- Forced rider to sit and lose power
- Caused significant time loss in race
- Required immediate replacement
- Not as tested or designed as branded components
MyBikeParts
ZTTO SLR Gen3 11speed Road Bike Cassette 11 Speed 11-30 11-32 11-34 11-36 11-28T 112g K7 11s Spokets HGR universal - AliExpress 18