Shimano date codes - M900 XTR

I’ve got two cassettes Pete.

One has PH, PE, PF, PI. Same year but different months.

I also have a NOS boxed one but rings are stamped QR, QR WJ, XF which suggests that the two smallest cogs are later replacements. 😕. Wish I hadn’t looked now.
 

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I’ve got two cassettes Pete.

One has PH, PE, PF, PI. Same year but different months.

I also have a NOS boxed one but rings are stamped QR, QR WJ, XF which suggests that the two smallest cogs are later replacements. 😕. Wish I hadn’t looked now.
Your set with PH, PE, PF, PI would stack up with mine then (apart from one which was a from the previous year), as I’d expect Shimano built up a stock of cogs over the preceding months from which to assemble cassettes as needed. Unlikely they made the effort to ensure or cogs were exactly the same age.

As for the NOS set with WJ & XF cogs…that would suggest they are from ‘98 & ‘99 if the build date sequence continues, which seems way off for M900. Could those cogs be from M950/1/2/3 cassettes? Are they even the same colour/style?
 
Exactly my thoughts mate. I imagine there are giant bins of them and Japanese children under 10 assembling cassettes for $2 a week and shipping them to the UK.

I think my lock ring is correct but more than likely the last two rings are donated from a 737 cassette which would have the right sizes. Not the best find on my NOS boxed M900 cassette I paid for but an occupational hazard I guess. At least they are new.
 
They would be silver it they are 737.. But dates too late.

Could be grabbed from a nine speed setup with the similar finish. Check widths though..
 
Finding this interesting regarding cassettes, as there is one sitting on the side I thought I'd have a look. 12-32 type P, fully riveted so later. Has codes between YI-ZE which puts it much later, September 2000 to May 2001.
This was boxed NOS when I bought it, very surprising that it's so late! _20220522_105147.JPG _20220522_105122.JPG _20220522_105019.JPG
 
Crikey Benjabbi. That makes me feel better about mine. Having the same issue. 😀😀

Wonder whether it was a later run to get rid of surplus stock. Date codes are usually bang on.
 
Seems a touch strange that we all have early 90's xtr cassettes with odd year sprockets.
I'm thinking maybe, just maybe that the date codes might not apply to the cassette as such?

Cos there's some wild differences in years coming up
 
I would agree with you Magpiegifts however the earlier cassettes have the date codes on. It is all a bit weird.

Like you’ve said it could be either they don’t matter or a later run to use up surplus stock.

I’m happier the chance is mine is correct after all.
 
According to Mombat the M900 cassette was an option through the M950 years as well, makes sense, not everyone would have seen the point in/wanted to pay for the ti sprockets on the M950. Then I expect they carried them on for a bit afterwards for spares.
Different date codes in the same cassette, they were probably shipped to Madison in separate bits and they just grabbed the right sprockets out of a box to make up a cassette.
 
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