08-31-2013, 05:34 AM
I'm not sure about the 6 speed cassette, but I was given an old racer / commuting bike with a 5 gear cassette. It was hardly used and the owner gave me a replacement cassette with the bike. It has lasted a very long time and wears much better than the usualy 7-8-9 speed cassettes we get these days. It isn't rustfree, us heavier, with much thicker sprockets, probably harder steel too. My point is there might even be an advantage to the 6 speed cassette, even if it isn't as light weight or has as many gears as the new ones. It a while to become used to the gear shifter with out indexed gearing though ;-)