Upgrading Campag cassette

expresso love

I'm running a compact Campag drivechain; 50 -34 in front with a 13-26 cassette. I'm a tourer & recreational rider rather than a boy racer and it's quite hilly where I live. Last month I was touring in France with panniers and on one particular hill - le Puy Marie - found myself at the limits of my gears and only just got up without getting off. I see that Campag offer a 13 - 29 cassette and wonder if I could run that on my current set-up - or would I have problems with the rear mech?
Any advice appreciated.
Mike

Wheelspinner

You will likely need a new derailleur. Assuming this is for 10 speed, then Campag do two versions of the rear mechs: short and medium cage.

The short cage unit (actually the "normal" one) will work with the 26 cassette, but to go up to the 29 you need the medium cage, which has a greater distance between the pulley wheel axles.

They have modified the design somewhat on the new 11 sp so that the standard "short" cage mechs will work up to 27 tooth, but for 29 you still need the medium cage.

Here's a sample of what you'll need, plus it notes the requirement for the cassette size with medium, and it's in stock too! Bonus!!


http://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/sp/road-track-bike/Gears-Rear-Road-Campagnolo-Centaur-Carbon-10-Spd-Rear-Gear/CAMPGRRR730

expresso love

Wheelspinner,

thanks for the prompt and excellent reply. Shouldn't you be tucked up in bed at 4:30 rather then reading Bike Radar?

Regards,

Mike

Wheelspinner

Welcome!

Mid afternoon and bored at work in Australia. Lovely sunny winter day outside, absolutely perfect riding weather and I'm stuck on the wrong side of the window...

:x

Monty Dog

Many people run the 13-29 Campagnolo cassette successfully with a short arm rear mech on a 10 speed drivetrain - I wouldn't change the rear mech until you know it doesn't work. It's nothing to do with the length of the rear mech arm either.

beetle1

I second Monty Dog's comment. I ran two 10 speed Campagnolo set up's on my bikes with 50/34 and 13/29, both were short rear mech and worked flawlessly. I think Campagnolo recommend it but its not necessary.

Nelson Longflap

beetle1 wrote:

I second Monty Dog's comment. I ran two 10 speed Campagnolo set up's on my bikes with 50/34 and 13/29, both were short rear mech and worked flawlessly. I think Campagnolo recommend it but its not necessary.

I'm boggled as to how you achieved this! I can just get by using 50/34 and a 13/26 (16+13=29 teeth capacity), without the cage being pulled to near horizontal when in big ring/big sprocket mode (and putting a great strain on the spring), and it not catching on the cassette when in small/small. Obviously, I don't use these two gear configurations when actually riding, but I'd like to think that my bike should be able to handle these just in case. Any future campag mech I buy will be a medium cage. And sod the aesthetics.

cq20

I also run a 50/34 with a 13/26 or 13/29 using a short cage rear mech. It will run OKish on the 50 & 29 combo but I've only tried this on the workstand. I also never use the 34 & 13 combo because of the cross chaining and the chain is just a bit too slack.

Wheelspinner

Nelson Longflap wrote:

beetle1 wrote:

I second Monty Dog's comment. I ran two 10 speed Campagnolo set up's on my bikes with 50/34 and 13/29, both were short rear mech and worked flawlessly. I think Campagnolo recommend it but its not necessary.

I'm boggled as to how you achieved this! I can just get by using 50/34 and a 13/36 (16+13=29 teeth capacity), without the cage being pulled to near horizontal when in big ring/big sprocket mode (and putting a great strain on the spring), and it not catching on the cassette when in small/small. Obviously, I don't use these two gear configurations when actually riding, but I'd like to think that my bike should be able to handle these just in case. Any future campag mech I buy will be a medium cage. And sod the aesthetics.

Have to say I agree.

I'm sure it can be made to "work" with a short cage, but I suspect at the expense of much greater wear, and considerably more stress on the components.

markmod

I have an 11 speed with the new 12-29 campag cassette on chorus on a standard cage, it works fine and is an approved campag set up.

They do have a minimum distance between centre of wheel and centre of the derailler pivot which I believe is 28mm, mine was just above this so was ok, but if not a small modification allows the standard 11 speed derailler to be upgraded to work... All latest 11 speed detlraillers are supposed to be fully compaible.