I'm using this cassette, but it is 36T version, never had problems with it, surely there are more expensive ones, but haven't found any benefit of getting more expensive ones. Of course this works only if you have 9 speed sifter and chain.
Shimano 9-fach Kassette CS-HG300 | 9-speed Shop
For 8 speed this is fine:
Shimano Cassette 8-speed CS-HG41 11-34 | 8-speed Shop
34T is nice to have, 36T would be even nicer as it allows to ride steeper hills. Look those HG numbers from your local shops, they might try to sell you something overly expensive.
If you have 7 speed cassette, it might be threaded/screw on type and that is bit different then, bit harder to find and not much options for those anymore, so replacing rear wheel might be then best option.
Youtube has lot of rear derailleur adjustment videos, it is best to do whole setup from zero to get it to work best, but if cassette is on way out, then no point adjusting it, new chain and cassette should help a lot, then good complete adjustment of limiters and cable and it should be good long time.
Shimano XT chain is quite nice, it does not rust so easily. I think that it was 93 number for 9-speed, 53 was for 9-speed but rusts easily, for 8-speed numbers were different again, but you can use 9-speed chain on 8-speed too, it is not best, but works, however best to get correct chain and not the low end as those tend to rust.
Rust is bigger issue on trail riding, wet clay, mud etc. tends to be quite brutal for the chain, on road it is not so important. I should of taken a pic of my chain when I did ride on wet clay, sank a bit few times, after the ride chain was clay covered, then I forgot to lube it, so it rusted quite well + clay made it solid as clay dried up and became quite hard, just would of needed to put it to oven and I would of had chain pottery
Shimano 9-fach Kassette CS-HG300 | 9-speed Shop
For 8 speed this is fine:
Shimano Cassette 8-speed CS-HG41 11-34 | 8-speed Shop
34T is nice to have, 36T would be even nicer as it allows to ride steeper hills. Look those HG numbers from your local shops, they might try to sell you something overly expensive.
If you have 7 speed cassette, it might be threaded/screw on type and that is bit different then, bit harder to find and not much options for those anymore, so replacing rear wheel might be then best option.
Youtube has lot of rear derailleur adjustment videos, it is best to do whole setup from zero to get it to work best, but if cassette is on way out, then no point adjusting it, new chain and cassette should help a lot, then good complete adjustment of limiters and cable and it should be good long time.
Shimano XT chain is quite nice, it does not rust so easily. I think that it was 93 number for 9-speed, 53 was for 9-speed but rusts easily, for 8-speed numbers were different again, but you can use 9-speed chain on 8-speed too, it is not best, but works, however best to get correct chain and not the low end as those tend to rust.
Rust is bigger issue on trail riding, wet clay, mud etc. tends to be quite brutal for the chain, on road it is not so important. I should of taken a pic of my chain when I did ride on wet clay, sank a bit few times, after the ride chain was clay covered, then I forgot to lube it, so it rusted quite well + clay made it solid as clay dried up and became quite hard, just would of needed to put it to oven and I would of had chain pottery
