derailleur cage swap

raymond82
raymond82 Posts: 330
edited August 2013 in Workshop
Just out of curiosity, I had a bit of a Frankenstein-ish idea, could you swap the cage of a rear derailleur?

I need a mid-cage derailleur to accommodate a 30t only for the space between the largest cog and the pulley but given my gears I don't need the longer cage for the chain wrap. So could I replace the cage with a short one?

Comments

  • nicklouse
    nicklouse Posts: 50,675
    yes and no.

    it all depends on what mech you have.

    BTW a new mech is often cheaper than a new cage.
    "Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
    Parktools :?:SheldonBrown
  • rolf_f
    rolf_f Posts: 16,015
    Given that you need to buy the mid cage mech anyway, why not just use it as is? It will work just as well with the medium cage as the short cage.
    Faster than a tent.......
  • raymond82
    raymond82 Posts: 330
    I'm buying a used Apex mid-cage derailleur and I have a Rival short-cage one. There's absolutely no real need to change the cage but I'll be using the Apex in the mountains but I think I'll replace it with the short cage again soon as I'm back in Holland. I guess I have to admit it's mainly for aesthetic reasons...
  • rolf_f
    rolf_f Posts: 16,015
    raymond82 wrote:
    I guess I have to admit it's mainly for aesthetic reasons...

    Yeah, but the bad boys will be too busy laughing at the size of your cassette sprockets to notice the cage* :lol:

    * just been to the Alps - put a 11-29 on with a medium range mech. That came back off as soon as I got home!!
    Faster than a tent.......
  • raymond82
    raymond82 Posts: 330
    Hahahaa! I guess a little bit of vanity is quite common in the biking community. Of course the bad boys will always find something to laugh at but I don't like the look of the longer caged mech myself. I thought it would be a great solution, putting the short cage on the Apex mech.
  • raymond82
    raymond82 Posts: 330
    I just took the cage of the Rival mech, that was easy but it's quite an ordeal to get it back on. I'm convinced though if I can do the same with the Apex mech the swap should work so tomorrow after I pick it up I'm gonna try. In the mean time if anyone knows it doesn't work let me know so I save myself the trouble of trying!
  • raymond82
    raymond82 Posts: 330
    I tried swapping the cages today but it didn't work, the pin in the Rival mech is longer than the one from the Apex mech so it didn't fit. Shame, cause I liked the idea of customizing the rear mech like this and with a short cage I would have kept it on. I also have to say it took about 5 minutes to change derailleurs so it's not a big problem.

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