Campy 11s with 32 cog

[mcteague]

Well, my 63 year old legs are asking for some help. Seems a 32 cog is in my future. My 6 year old Chorus 11s setup has a 34/50 crank and 12-29 cassette. I have been searching for options but no clear path has presented itself. So, asking the Paceline brain-trust for their opinions and experiences.

A) Just try the short cage RD with a 12-32 cassette by adjusting the B-screw and avoiding the large/large crossover. Chainstays are 41.3cm so, not too long.

B) Get a Wolf Tooth Roadlink to drop the derailleur down a bit. I understand that can work but wonder if the overall shifting quality goes down.

C) Get a Campy medium cage assembly to replace the short one. Trouble here is this part only really seems to exist in theory. No one seems to have them in stock.

D) Say "screw it" and go whole hog for a 12s Chorus group when it becomes available. Sure the RD is ugly but this would allow me to move my 11s setup to my old bike with has 10s Centaur. Tough part is I am not sure the 12s chain will work well with the 11s crank. I could always just sell the old one along with the Centaur stuff. Its only money after all!

Tim

[bfd]

Originally Posted by mcteague

Well, my 63 year old legs are asking for some help. Seems a 32 cog is in my future. My 6 year old Chorus 11s setup has a 34/50 crank and 12-29 cassette. I have been searching for options but no clear path has presented itself. So, asking the Paceline brain-trust for their opinions and experiences.

A) Just try the short cage RD with a 12-32 cassette by adjusting the B-screw and avoiding the large/large crossover. Chainstays are 41.3cm so, not too long.

B) Get a Wolf Tooth Roadlink to drop the derailleur down a bit. I understand that can work but wonder if the overall shifting quality goes down.

C) Get a Campy medium cage to replace the short one. Trouble here is this part only really seems to exist in theory. No one seems to have them in stock.

D) Say "screw it" and go whole hog for a 12s Chorus group when it becomes available. Sure the RD is ugly but this would allow me to move my 11s setup to my old bike with has 10s Centaur. Tough part is I am not sure the 12s chain will work well with the 11s crank. I could always just sell the old one along with the Centaur stuff. Its only money after all!

Tim

A) sounds like your short cage RD can handle the 12-32. Why not try it?

B) I hear good things about the wolflink, so that's a good option too.

c) Probikekit has the Chorus med-cage RD in stock and where I got mine:

https://www.probikekit.com/bicycle-d.../11479843.html

D) I don't know, not sold on 12 just yet. But if can move the Chorus 11 to another bike, well you will need another group....

Good Luck!

[Duende]

Seems like you’ll need the 11-32 cogset, in any of the scenarios you posted. Might as well get it. Try it first... then go the medium cage route if needed. No money lost.

FWIW, the 32 cog worked with my chorus 11 derailleur. But my chainstays are 420.

Betcha it’ll work though.

[woodworker]

I swapped out the cage from short to medium cage on my Chorus 11, and it works fine with the 11-32. I forget whether it was Potenza or Centaur, or something else, but the whole derailleur was pretty cheap and was available on line. I'd check around on the web.

[crossjunkee]

I just moved to 12 speed with the 11/32 cog and I'm LOVING it! I went from hating the looks, never wanting disc, and wouldn't even consider tubeless. I'm not looking back and I'm all in with 12 speed hydros and tubeless. I don't even know who I am.

But seriously, the 32t with a mid compact crankset is exactly what I've been dreaming about, especially for CO.

[bfd]

Originally Posted by Duende

Seems like you’ll need the 11-32 cogset, in any of the scenarios you posted. Might as well get it. Try it first... then go the medium cage route if needed. No money lost.

FWIW, the 32 cog worked with my chorus 11 derailleur. But my chainstays are 420.

Betcha it’ll work though.

You guys are stronger than me as I have an 11-32 cassette and wished I got the 12-32. The 16t, which is missing in the 11-32, is more useful for me than the 11t as I'm too old and fat to push such a small gear. As soon as I wear out this 11-32, it will be only 12-32 for me!

Of course, it could be worse, my buddy just splurged and got the new Sram AXS. He has a 10-33 cassette?! I can barely push a 12t cog and 11t hurts, so I really want a 10t?! I guess what saves him is he got the 46x33 crankset. Still, do you really need a 10t cog?!

YMMV!

Good Luck!

[OtayBW]

Originally Posted by bfd

A) sounds like your short cage RD can handle the 12-32. Why not try it?

Really? I didn't think a short cage RD would handle >30.

[Mark McM]

I'd try A) first. The cage length only affects capacity, not maximum sprocket size, so the small cage should work with a 32.

Option B) shouldn't be necessary.

Option C) is the fall-back position if the short cage derailleur doesn't have the capacity for 12-32 + 50-34 (36 tooth capacity). The 2014 Campagnolo catalog doesn't show a medium cage Chorus derailleur, but there are long cage Athena derailleurs (in black) that will work with the pre-'15 Chorus derailleurs.

There is also option C2), which is to get a '15+ medium cage Chorus derailleur and '15+ right shifter. You might also be able to get '15+ lever/body assembly and rebuild your current right lever.

Option D) is obviously possible, but very expensive.

[Clean39T]

Originally Posted by mcteague

Well, my 63 year old legs are asking for some help. Seems a 32 cog is in my future. My 6 year old Chorus 11s setup has a 34/50 crank and 12-29 cassette. I have been searching for options but no clear path has presented itself. So, asking the Paceline brain-trust for their opinions and experiences.

A) Just try the short cage RD with a 12-32 cassette by adjusting the B-screw and avoiding the large/large crossover. Chainstays are 41.3cm so, not too long.

B) Get a Wolf Tooth Roadlink to drop the derailleur down a bit. I understand that can work but wonder if the overall shifting quality goes down.

C) Get a Campy medium cage assembly to replace the short one. Trouble here is this part only really seems to exist in theory. No one seems to have them in stock.

D) Say "screw it" and go whole hog for a 12s Chorus group when it becomes available. Sure the RD is ugly but this would allow me to move my 11s setup to my old bike with has 10s Centaur. Tough part is I am not sure the 12s chain will work well with the 11s crank. I could always just sell the old one along with the Centaur stuff. Its only money after all!

Tim

I vote for "D" -- it's only money

My satisfaction with Record 12 is quite high, and I'm expecting I'll like the Chorus 12 just as much...

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

[AngryScientist]

What about Option E - Get just the new chorus 48/32 crankset when it comes out for some lower end gear inches?

[jtbadge]

Originally Posted by AngryScientist

What about Option E - Get just the new chorus 48/32 crankset when it comes out for some lower end gear inches?

+1, or the Praxis versions that are affordable and readily available.

[ColonelJLloyd]

Originally Posted by jtbadge

+1, or the Praxis versions that are affordable and readily available.

+1 to Angry and jtbadge. Most people would be well served to spend a few minutes with a gear calculator and figuring out how various combos translate to them and how they ride.

Do you know what a 100" gear feels like? 110", 120"? How about 25"? Calculate the gear inches of the gears you spend most of your time in. Once you've got a good handle on this stuff the best options for you are easier to see.

[Mark McM]

Originally Posted by ColonelJLloyd

+1 to Angry and jtbadge. Most people would be well served to spend a few minutes with a gear calculator and figuring out how various combos translate to them and how they ride.

Do you know what a 100" gear feels like? 110", 120"? How about 25"? Calculate the gear inches of the gears you spend most of your time in. Once you've got a good handle on this stuff the best options for you are easier to see.

Swapping out his 50-34 crank for a 48-32 crank will reduce his low gear by 6% Swapping his 12-29 cassette for a 12-32 cassette will reduce his low gear by 10%. Cassettes are cheaper than cranks, so the cassette change will give him more gear reduction per dollar.

[ColonelJLloyd]

Originally Posted by Mark McM

Swapping out his 50-34 crank for a 48-32 crank will reduce his low gear by 6% Swapping his 12-29 cassette for a 12-32 cassette will reduce his low gear by 10%. Cassettes are cheaper than cranks, so the cassette change will give him more gear reduction per dollar.

True story.

I didn't say 48/32 was the best or cheapest answer (yes, I quoted Angry and he referenced a 48/32 - but, maybe a 46/30 is ideal?), I said knowing your gearing and how you use it then deciding on the best option for your riding style is important. Lots of people have a top gear they rarely, if ever, use.

The right gearing and in what form it is achieved should be the goal. The more you know. . . that's my point.

[jtbadge]

Sure, cassettes are cheaper than cranks, but not if you likely have to buy a new shifter, rear derailleur, and chain, which the OP probably will. I got the Praxis Zayante crank + BB for like $130.