After the implosion of my rear mech at the weekend, I'm in the market for a new one, but not sure what length to get. I'm thinking either long or medium cage XT or a short cage ZEE.
Trouble is, I'm not sure how short a cage I can get away with.
I have 26/38 up front and 11-34 in the cassette. I would use all of the cassette in the 38 ring and probably the 5 largest in the cassette with the 26 ring.
Basically, is there a any way of telling what I can get away with without trying a short cage out? I've always just had long cage in the past.
Cheers.
Medium I always used with a 2x...
Mechs have in their technical spec a Capacity - this is the amount of slack it can take up in terms of the difference in teeth between big big and small small ring cassette combinations.
Basically, is there a any way of telling what I can get away with without trying a short cage out? I've always just had long cage in the past.
Yes, check the capacity of the mech that you intend to use - the mech's capacity is to total difference between the largest and smallest sprocket and largest and smallest chainrings.
In your case this is (34-11)+(38-26) = 35 teeth.
A short-cage Zee rear mech has a capacity of 28T so would not work with your setup. The long-cage version has a capacity of 36T so it will work.
Whilst all that is true, there are plenty of folk (me being one of them) who use medium length rear mech with a 3x9 setup. I'd be amazed if you couldn't use a medium length mech, provided that you are careful with your gear choice.
[i]A short-cage Zee rear mech has a capacity of 28T so would not work with your setup. The long-cage version has a capacity of 36T so it will work. [/i]
This is incorrect I am afraid. There is only one cage length on Zee mechs, both with a capacity of 25T. The maximum sprocket size changes between the DH version with 28T and the FR version with 36T. The wording on the Shimano website is wrong.
An SLX or XT GS cage has a capacity of 35T so would be ideal for your set up.
To further what Mister P said... Zee is essentially a mech for use in a single ring setup only. With a 25T capacity, that is taken up by the difference on an 11-36 cassette. If you ran an 11-28 road cassette, even then you would only be able to run 2 front rings with an 8T difference, such as 24/32 up front...
Generally the following rule works in the majority of cases;-
1 x = Short cage
2 x = Medium cage
3 x = Long cage
Simples 😆
It only doesn't work when you're trying to go too large a range on single, in which case you need to go SRAM XX1
The wording on the Shimano website is wrong.
That's where I picked it up from. I stand corrected...
I've got a long cage XT mech for £22 posted if wanted?
Short will work if you pay attention to what gears you use out back. I didn't a few times and snapped the odd chain. Medium for an easier life.
Thanks for the replies. Medium cage it is then. I'd rather have the option of using all my gears rather than having to make a mental note of what gear I'm in.
Cheers.
I'm running a 2011 SRAM short cage X7 with 22/32 front and 11-36 out back. Only had a few rides on it including Cwmcarn DH but it seems to be working.
To be honest I bought it in a CRC sale last year to be used as a 1 x 11-36 and forgot it was short cage until I was trying to figure why it wouldn't take up much slack in the chain.
I probably wouldn't recommend running one like this (I'd suggest mid cage for 2x10) but I reckon I should be ok as long as I don't run 32x36 and remember to use the granny ring on the front for low gearing (new to granny rings as always had 1x9 but now to unfit and do more uphill).
I'm sure I will be eating my words after my next ride when the whole thing explodes and eats itself.
Tom KP
Short cage just don't shift into small/small