Plan on 11-36 cassette and a 32 or 34 nw front ring. Never done a set up like this before so no idea, did a search on here and google, some say a medium and others a short cage? Any input? Its going on a hardtail btw
Hardtail - Short mech
For 11-36 I use a Zee FR. I suspect the other Zee must be too short.
I'm using a short cage Zee on a 34t ring 11-36t cassette on a 125mm travel Blur TR. To be honest it's too short! It can only just cope with the chain growth during suspension movement. However on a hardtail this won't be an issue so crack on!
Weirdly, my zee didn't work on my hardtail properly but works fine on my full sus. Everything else the same.
Anyway, Zee should be fine with 11:36 (inc all but the most chain-growth-y full sus frames I'd imagine) although if you're planning to use one of the extender sprockets then definitely go for medium cage (Shimano GS).
Zee FR needs its B-tension screw set "too tight" on my Mega with a 11-36, and even then the chain is always a little slack in the 11t cog. I'd probably get a medium cage if I needed to replace it.
Short X9 on my hardtail.
Have looked into the zee, suprised they are only £40 on crc. Guessing the fr is the wide range option?
Have no plans for trex etc, bike will get used fir Thetford high lodge area and a 3 mile road ride to work now and then, do you think a 34 front is ok for this without spinning out on road?
Short should be fine on a hard tail. Though being a clutch, medium probably won't make a noticeable difference.
I'm running 34t with 11-36 and that's easy in capacity of a short mech Type 2, but running it for a bit on the full sus I was finding it struggling to shift into big cog, regardless of b screw position, and creaking when it shifts up there. Chain length was fine and accounted for suspension. It also 'knocked' when the suspension compressed, but Type 2s have known 'knocking' issues. Changed it for a medium mech and it's fine. I put the short on the hard tail and that's been fine on there.
34 on road, if you're not going for it, it will do. Speed up and you can spin out. Personally I can't go bigger for off road use though, not with the hills I do. If I was in Wales or somewhere like Lakes I might even consider a 32. That said there's also the option of putting a 40t cog on the cassette. Not sure if that affects mech choice though.