Medium cage mechs

ferritic

Hi,

Is there any reason why a medium rear mech (Campagnolo) would not work with 53/39 chainrings coupled with both 11-23 and 12-27 cassettes. I understand there is a maximum capacity of chain which each length cage can 'soak' up but is there also a minimum.
Are there downsides to running medium or long caged mechs where not required.

Thanks in advance for your help.

gkerr4

campag don't make a "long" mech - the medium one copes with pretty much everything bar the 13-29 cassettes!

rake

a longer cage will soak up more sprocket difference in either direction be it big or small. so your question will a longer than necessary mech cause problems, no is my answer provided you have a suitable length chain.

Wheelspinner

gkerr4 wrote:

campag don't make a "long" mech - the medium one copes with pretty much everything bar the 13-29 cassettes!

Wrong...

I used the Chorus 10 sp medium cage with a 13-29 cassette, on standard 53/39 cranks and it worked flawlessly for years.

In fact, I found it better than using the Comp triple derailleur which has a longer cage again.

But your original question, no problems using it with smaller cassettes, just that the difference in chain length may make it a little noisy depending on which one you optimise it for.

Berk Bonebonce

Of course, Campag do short, medium and long rear mechs.

A short will do either a standard/compact chainset with max 26 sprocket at back.

A medium will do standard/compact chainset with a max 29 sprocket at back.

Using a rear mech that is a bit too long will bring with it no problems.

ferritic

So that raises another question. What, if nothing other than saving a few grams, is the advantage of using a short cage over a medium/long cage where chain length and cog parameters permit the use of either.

John.T

ferritic wrote:

So that raises another question. What, if nothing other than saving a few grams, is the advantage of using a short cage over a medium/long cage where chain length and cog parameters permit the use of either.

Mainly it looks better.

gkerr4

Wheelspinner wrote:

gkerr4 wrote:

campag don't make a "long" mech - the medium one copes with pretty much everything bar the 13-29 cassettes!

Wrong...

I used the Chorus 10 sp medium cage with a 13-29 cassette, on standard 53/39 cranks and it worked flawlessly for years.

In fact, I found it better than using the Comp triple derailleur which has a longer cage again.

But your original question, no problems using it with smaller cassettes, just that the difference in chain length may make it a little noisy depending on which one you optimise it for.

ah - sorry, yes I shouldhave said that the medium mech is the only one recommended for the 13-29 cassette - the short does everything else.

gkerr4

Berk Bonebonce wrote:

Of course, Campag do short, medium and long rear mechs.

A short will do either a standard/compact chainset with max 26 sprocket at back.

A medium will do standard/compact chainset with a max 29 sprocket at back.

Using a rear mech that is a bit too long will bring with it no problems.

they don't do a "long" rear mech for the groupset items (veloce, centaur etc..)

they may do a long one for the triple specifc stuff - can't remember the names (champ?) but it;s crap anyway isnt it?

huuregeil

Campag triples are (were) called Comp and Race, roughly equivalent to Centaur and Veloce respectively. Decent stuff actually, but the reality is that you don't really need it. A medium cage rear mech will do a road triple (53-42-30) with a 12-25 quite happily. Front mechs are front mechs, frankly.

Shorter cages weigh less and give snappier changes.

gkerr4

huuregeil wrote:

Shorter cages weigh less and give snappier changes.

... and look better...

Berk Bonebonce

You need a long mech for a triple, or if you are using a double standard/compact chainest and have a sprocket/sprockets larger than 29 at the back.