Advice needed: Med cage or short cage RD?

[d_douglas]

I am putting the new Veloce stuff on my all-purpose bike and the retailer is out of the med length RDs. If I plan on a 13-29 cassette, is it possible to use a short cage RD?

I see conflicting info on this, so some expert advice is needed!

If I NEED to use a med length RD, can I use a 10spd RD from previous years (ie., NOT the new style Campy RDs).

Thanks for your feedback,

Darren

[djg]

I don't see a problem using older 10 speed -- spacing on the cogs should be the same and so should pull.

As for short cage: I have used a short cage rd -- both record and chorus -- with a 29 tooth cog. It works fine. OTOH, switching to the climbing cassette, I've had to futz with it a little to get it to work smoothly. I'd say that if you are wondering whether you can make it work, the answer is yes. But if you're thinking that the 13-29 cassette is going to be your main choice, day-in and day-out, you might prefer to look for a medium or long cage derailleur.

[oldpotatoe]

I am putting the new Veloce stuff on my all-purpose bike and the retailer is out of the med length RDs. If I plan on a 13-29 cassette, is it possible to use a short cage RD?

I see conflicting info on this, so some expert advice is needed!

If I NEED to use a med length RD, can I use a 10spd RD from previous years (ie., NOT the new style Campy RDs).

Thanks for your feedback,

Darren

I had a 13-29 and short cage rear der on my Chorus 10s demo bike for 2-3 years and it works just fine. Proper chain length is key, not too long but certainly not too short either.

Any Campagnolo RD will work BTW, even 'older' ones.

[d_douglas]

The bike is my commuter / recreational cx bike (ie., I don't race) I will likely be getting this bike fairly muddy and gross, so does having the longer cage make it better for maintenance? I have a proper MTB and a nice road bike, so this fits somewhere in the middle.

[christian]

Whether you need a long cage or short cage is generally determined by difference between big-big and small-small combos (chainwrap), not by the size of the rear cassette.

Are you using a double front chain ring, in either a 53-39, 52-42, or 50-36? If so, a short cage should work. If you're using a triple up front, you'll obviously need a long cage.

[d_douglas]

Oh yeah, that's right:

48 x 34 by 13-29.

I have jury-rigged a standard chainring to fit on a UT crankset. If it does not work, I may have to use a 50t ring.

To be clear, I have never properly CXed in my life and now I feel like I want to try my hand on actual trails with a skinny tired bike. This bike will be offroaded.

[dogdriver]

Have a bud who does this (13-29 on Record) on our annual Moab road riding trip for the Lasalle Loop ride. He says its a little noisy on the 29, but works fine. Beyond that, I'm clueless, as I'm an unenlightened Shimano/ SRAM guy.

[oldpotatoe]

Oh yeah, that's right:

48 x 34 by 13-29.

I have jury-rigged a standard chainring to fit on a UT crankset. If it does not work, I may have to use a 50t ring.

To be clear, I have never properly CXed in my life and now I feel like I want to try my hand on actual trails with a skinny tired bike. This bike will be offroaded.


It'll work fine with a short cage. 14 tooth difference on the crank...14 for a standard crank. It'll work.

[christian]

48 x 34 by 13-29.

I *think* published Campy chain wrap capacity is 27 for short cage and 30 for medium cage. So 48+29 = 77 and 34+13 = 47 and 77-47 is 30, so you need a medium cage.

If you know you'll never do big-big or small-small, then you can probably get away with the short cage, but blacking out from effort on a CX course, you never know what might happen. In any case, I would size the chain to wrap big-big without tearing off the hanger. That would mean slack chain in small-small, but with a 48 big ring, there's no reason ever to be there.

Free advice from the internet. Worth what you paid for it. BTW, I'd totally do the short cage, because when I've tested derailleurs, they usually wrap a bit more than spec'ed.

[norcalbiker]

I have been using 13/29 on my short cage record with compact 34/50 when we do a lot of climbing and I have never had any problem. Just make sure to never go big front and the 2 big in the rear.

[d_douglas]

I have been using 13/29 on my short cage record with compact 34/50 when we do a lot of climbing and I have never had any problem. Just make sure to never go big front and the 2 big in the rear.


ha- ha - funny. Most of my riding will be in the small ring anyways... :)


Thanks to all - it looks as though the short cage is the way to go.

[oldpotatoe]

I have been using 13/29 on my short cage record with compact 34/50 when we do a lot of climbing and I have never had any problem. Just make sure to never go big front and the 2 big in the rear.

This thread is a-getting old but if then chain is the correct length, not one link too short, you can go big-big w/o killing anything with a compact or full size crank, short cage RD and 13-29. Like I mentioned, I had this on a demo bike for 2 years and I would not let a demo bike go out if you couldn't go big-big w/o killing something cuz the test rider surely would.

[norcalbiker]

This thread is a-getting old but if then chain is the correct length, not one link too short, you can go big-big w/o killing anything with a compact or full size crank, short cage RD and 13-29. Like I mentioned, I had this on a demo bike for 2 years and I would not let a demo bike go out if you couldn't go big-big w/o killing something cuz the test rider surely would.


I really never understand the big big whether or not you can use it. It also make it hard for the chain using big big or small small for that matter.

[oliver1850]

I really never understand the big big whether or not you can use it. It also make it hard for the chain using big big or small small for that matter.


If the chain's the right length you can use it. But running the chain crossed like that is harder on the chain and cogs. Just try to avoid crossing the chain either way and your drivetrain will last longer.

[norcalbiker]

If the chain's the right length you can use it. But running the chain crossed like that is harder on the chain and cogs. Just try to avoid crossing the chain either way and your drivetrain will last longer.

That's what I meant.