# Cheap DIY Cassette Spacers



## eastcoaststeve (Sep 19, 2007)

I'm almost done my newest singlespeed project (total budget $300)...since I dropped $200 of the budget on the rolling frame, I'm being pretty stingy with the remaining bits.

Thought I had a pile of old cassette spacers left in the drawer, but came up empty.

I've used white PVC pipe in the past, but wanted something with a bit more side support, so after rooting through the electrical deaprtment I came up with these nice grey 1 1/4" bx adapters for $1.27 each:









Taped to an old piece of scrap wood with the lip over the edge to get a straight cut:









Made the cut with a small tooth carbide blade on my miter saw (gently):









Repeat for the second spacer:









Untaped and ready to go:









Done, for less than $3.00:









And the pieces I cut off will go back in the spacer drawer for my next cheapy build :thumbsup:

Steve


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## fishcreek (Apr 10, 2007)

wow. such steady hands :thumbsup:


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## ThundaCrymz (Oct 22, 2012)

repped +1 Awesome Idea and I'll have to keep this in mind !


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## Wo Show (Oct 2, 2012)

Great idea!


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## fwinter (Nov 20, 2010)

Brilliant, can this be a sticky?


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## rob1035 (Apr 20, 2007)

Krylon fusion if you really wanted to get fancy! Great work


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## zukrider (Nov 14, 2009)

very good idea! i like the plan ahead for the shoulder to keep things "tighter"! great job!


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## MrBaker (Jan 23, 2010)

Why not just collect old cassette spacers from your LBS? I'm sure they'd hand them to you for free. Just leave a few bucks in the tip jar after. The little dimple things can be EASILY sanded down for use next to the cog. Hell, just ask for old cassettes if you can. You'll get the lockring and cog to lock it too as well.


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## milehi (Nov 2, 1997)

MrBaker said:


> Why not just collect old cassette spacers from your LBS? I'm sure they'd hand them to you for free. Just leave a few bucks in the tip jar after. The little dimple things can be EASILY sanded down for use next to the cog. Hell, just ask for old cassettes if you can. You'll get the lockring and cog to lock it too as well.


BB spacers can be used if you need a half size spacer


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## sasquatch rides a SS (Dec 27, 2010)

I've got enough spacers for four wheels in my parts box...and I wanna do this just because its awesome. Do you know if they make the same piece in copper or brass? That'd be cool!


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## sasquatch rides a SS (Dec 27, 2010)

No luck on brass or copper fittings, picked some pvc ones up today, will cut them and post pics later this week!


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## snellvilleGAbiker (Apr 30, 2009)

thanks for sharing you idea


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## NEPMTBA (Apr 7, 2007)

Very good idea, and great intricate work...

...now lets see the build...


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## eastcoaststeve (Sep 19, 2007)

NEPMTBA said:


> Very good idea, and great intricate work...
> 
> ...now lets see the build...


Glad you guys liked the spacers....

I should have the "cheapie build" finished tomorrow. I'll post up pics when I get it on the trails.

Steve


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## sasquatch rides a SS (Dec 27, 2010)

*Made my spacers today..*

Just finished up my set of DIY spacers and I am really liking how they look for some reason. A couple things to keep in mind if you decide to make a set, though..make sure you use some sort of digital caliper for measuring them because even .5mm will throw off your alignment and your cog will move side-to-side slightly when spinning it around. Another thing to watch, at least for me, was that the pvc dug in to my freehub body up by the spokes which threw off my chainline and also caused the cog to have some side-to-side movement. My solution for that was to sand down another couple mm's off the inside spacer and install an aluminum spacer (can be seen in pics) first so that everything sits flush and straight. I wasn't too happy with how everything felt as I tightened down my lockring. It felt "soft" and I didn't want to go too tight, it felt different, like I was about to rip the threads out of my freehub...but I guess I'm used to my alloy spacers. It installed well, I think the weird feelings I got was just because it was plastic. No harm done and I'll keep an eye on it and let you guys know if it loosens up at all.

Overall, I really like these spacers. I like the wide base and that they match. The color isn't offending to me either. The only other thing I may dislike, that you'll see in the picture, is that with my Surly cog the holes will fill up with dirt and trail grime and will be hard to clean out. But that's not a serious concern at all.



















Props to eastcoaststeve for this thread. I've heard of using pvc before, but was never thrilled about those because it was the exact same thing as my alloy ones. Even though, performance-wise, I don't think a wide base will affect anything, I'm glad I made a set. Post some pics of your bike, man!

*edit* I am also using a very wide Shimano Hyperglide lockring to increase surface area on the pvc


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## eastcoaststeve (Sep 19, 2007)

sasquatch rides a SS said:


> Just finished up my set of DIY spacers


That's awsome!

Nice job, and I like the idea of the alloy spacer next to the spokes. :thumbsup:

I finished my budget build tonight, and I'll post a few trail pics tomorrow. (came in $3 under budget )

Steve


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## sasquatch rides a SS (Dec 27, 2010)

eastcoaststeve said:


> I finished my budget build tonight, and I'll post a few trail pics tomorrow. (came in $3 under budget )


Just enough to make some more spacers


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## eastcoaststeve (Sep 19, 2007)

sasquatch rides a SS said:


> Just enough to make some more spacers


Maybe for the $3 I can pick up one alloy spacer and we can be twins. 

Steve


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## eastcoaststeve (Sep 19, 2007)

manbat said:


> You cheap bastard


Thanks...You have no idea...I have entire bikes with less than $100 into them.
Doing it on the cheap makes me 

Steve


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## sasquatch rides a SS (Dec 27, 2010)

I love my cheap-bike build. Less than $75 has me a nice fixed gear/singlespeed mountain bike. Hey! I should make some spacers for that bike this weekend!  I wish I could get a length of 1-1/4" copper pipe that's less than 5ft long. Shiny copper spacers would be so cool, even teal-oxidized copper spacers would look neat I think.


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## LWright (Jan 29, 2006)

You can get aluminum pipe with 1 1/4 id in thin and thick wall. The thicker stuff you can cut designs into.


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## NEPMTBA (Apr 7, 2007)

manbat said:


> You cheap bastard


...LOL


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## hoolie (Sep 17, 2010)

I so don't like this. I really don't. But it is so cool you guys are doing it! I thought I was cheap. Be safe. Very creative, and I like the Idea of using other metals sasquatch.


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## camekanix (Sep 1, 2012)

Just singled my 85ish Diamondback Apex using this method, seems to work well so far.


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## sasquatch rides a SS (Dec 27, 2010)

With a few rides on mine they're holding up just fine, too. Do you have any pics of your bike/spacers camekanix?


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## eastcoaststeve (Sep 19, 2007)

Camekanix, sounds cool... let's see some pics.

Mine's holding up well, and makes me pretty happy:




























Steve


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## sasquatch rides a SS (Dec 27, 2010)

Neat bike :thumbsup: there needs to be more yellow on bikes.


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## banditfl (Nov 17, 2012)

My single speed conversion has an old Suntour 7 speed cassette. Good luck buying Cogs or spacers for it. Thank goodness for the DIY crowd. After a little dremel work to the inside they fit perfect.








Finished product:


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## eastcoaststeve (Sep 19, 2007)

Nice work Banditfl. I like the two speed option. Let's see the rest of the bike.


Steve


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## fishcreek (Apr 10, 2007)

i think its just used as a lockring..


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## banditfl (Nov 17, 2012)

eastcoaststeve said:


> Nice work Banditfl. I like the two speed option. Let's see the rest of the bike.
> 
> Steve


Fishcreek is right. On the old Suntour Accushift 7 Speed cassettes the final cog doubles as the lock ring.

Here is how the bike looks before replacing the rigid fork with a Rockshox Indy C fork.


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