I need your help optimizing/troubleshooting this setup: 50/34 12-32 10 speed Campy

[warren128]

Trying to make a new (to me) 12-32 10 speed cassette work on my Lemond Zurich.

Starting Point:

50/34, 13-29, Campy Chorus medium cage (pre-2015, I believe), chainstays are 415mm, chain is probably one link too long, but shifted fine

Attempt 1:

Without changing anything else, I swapped out the 13-29 for the 12-32

Chain length seems perfect because it shifts into and out of the 32 cog and 30 ring, fine, with actually no length to spare. However, there is interference on the upper pulley with the 32 cog. It shifts okay into every other usable gear.

Adjusting the H screw did not help.

Attempt 2:

I added a Wolf Tooth Roadlink, not changing anything else.

Now it shifts fine into the 32 cog, but in the small ring, the chain is too slack in the last 3 small cogs (15, 13, 12). I don’t want to remove any more links because then I wouldn’t be able to shift big-big (not that I would, but it would be disastrous if I accidentally tried it, right?)

I’ve already gone on a couple of rides after installing the Roadlink, and it all seems great. The loss of the last 3 cogs in the small ring is not that important to me because I can get similar ratios on the big ring.

So, is there anything I can do to optimize this setup even more?
Is there something wrong or is there an adjustment that I’m missing on the rear dr?
Is the cage pivot spring abnormally weak?
Should I take one more link out of the chain and just remember to avoid big-big?
Do I need a new/different derailleur? I have a long cage from my former triple setup that I can try to see if that will take care of the problem with using the small-small cogs.
Based on the big cog to upper pulley interference, does this mean that I HAVE to use a Roadlink on this bike, or is there another way to get around it?

I read on Paceline how many folks are running a similar setup just fine, and I’d like to get mine to that point too.

Thanks.

On 4th smallest cog here, still works:





On 3rd smallest cog here, too much slack (beyond the dr's limit?)

[Hindmost]

Something odd about the rear derailleur orientation. The cage should be taking up chain such that the upper pulley nearly rubs against the bottom stretch of chain; your cage doesn't appear fully retracted at you have a ton of slack.

Does the wolf tooth change derailleur orientation? The parallelogram should be pointed slightly downward I imagine.

[warren128]

Originally Posted by Hindmost

Something odd about the rear derailleur orientation. The cage should be taking up chain such that the upper pulley nearly rubs against the bottom stretch of chain; your cage doesn't appear fully retracted at you have a ton of slack.

Does the wolf tooth change derailleur orientation? The parallelogram should be pointed slightly downward I imagine.

Yes, I believe the Roadlink did change the derailleur orientation.

[Cicli]

Post a photo in the big/big.

[Hindmost]

Does your first post say you are able to shift big big with no chain to spare? Because that should be about right for chain length.

[Dave]

The RD does not have enough wrap capacity. If you shorten the chain by 1 inch, it won't wrap the big/big.

[Hindmost]

Isn't a Campagnolo medium cage capable of wrapping 36?

[warren128]

I'm out on a ride (different bike) will reply later . Thanks.

Sent from my Moto G (5) Plus using Tapatalk

[pbarry]

Would a longer B screw help? As others have mentioned, the angle of the body isn’t right: Too much wrap on the small cog in the last image.

[Dave]

Originally Posted by Hindmost

Isn't a Campagnolo medium cage capable of wrapping 36?

Older 10 speed medium cage RDs could only wrap a 53/39 with A 13/29. That's a 30T wrap.

Clearing a larger cog is a different matter, where a road link provides more clearance.

A long cage RD will wrap 39T - 53/39/30 triple crank with 13-29.

[Hindmost]

https://branfordbike.com/rear-derailleur

I dunno...

[Dave]

So a medium cage should handle a triple with a 13-29 or 36T.

[warren128]

Originally Posted by Hindmost

Does your first post say you are able to shift big big with no chain to spare? Because that should be about right for chain length.

Yes, that's what I said. Shifts into and out of the big-big, removing one link will not allow this.

[warren128]

Originally Posted by Dave

The RD does not have enough wrap capacity. If you shorten the chain by 1 inch, it won't wrap the big/big.

This is what I think too.

[warren128]

Originally Posted by Dave

Older 10 speed medium cage RDs could only wrap a 53/39 with A 13/29. That's a 30T wrap.

Clearing a larger cog is a different matter, where a road link provides more clearance.

A long cage RD will wrap 39T - 53/39/30 triple crank with 13-29.

Hmmm, maybe my Campy Chorus Long cage will work here.