SHIMANO CS-HG200 cassette, 8-speed, 12–32T

Shimano’s CS-HG200 is the standard replacement for 8-speed drivetrains, and it is the part those drivetrains were designed around.

What the manufacturer publishes

A CS-HG200 cassette sprocket set, 8-speed. A gear range of 12 to 32 teeth. Compatibility with Shimano 8-speed drivetrains. Even gear changes and optimal power transmission.

The 12–32 range

Twelve teeth at the small end and 32 at the large. The 32 is the useful number: it is a genuinely low climbing gear on a bike with a standard chainset, and it is what the derailleur has to be able to wrap.

Check your rear derailleur’s published maximum sprocket size before assuming it will handle 32 teeth. Exceeding that figure means the derailleur cage cannot clear the largest cog.

The freehub, which decides everything

The cassette slides onto a splined body on the rear hub. Shimano’s HG pattern is the most common, and it is not universal. That standard is invisible with the cassette fitted, so establish it from your wheel or hub manufacturer before ordering.

While it is off

The only convenient time to clean between the sprockets properly, and to check the chain against its wear limit — a new cassette on a worn chain will not last.