What is the difference between a short and long cage derailleur?
The cage is those 2 idler wheels on the rear derailleur. In a short derailleur, the idler wheels are closer to together while a long derailleur they are further apart. Short derailleurs shift quicker than a long derailleur so it is not preferable to have a long derailleur on a regular double.
What is a short cage derailleur?
Short cage derailleur This gives you the advantage of a better chain tension, providing more precise shifting, and the chain no longer hits the frame. Shifting gears also become more silent. As we (should) know, a chain must be long enough to fit the largest chainring – largest sprocket ratio, plus two links.
Which is better long cage or short cage derailleur?
It’s generally best to go for as short a derailleur cage as you can get away with, as long as you can avoid the chain contorting on the extremes of the cassette, such as using the largest on both sprocket and chainring. Smaller cages tend to have snappier gear changes, they’re lighter, and also less exposed to damage.
Do I need a long or medium cage derailleur?
If you are in-between the capacity ranges of the two, which is often the case with mountain bikes, then note the following: long cage derailleurs will accommodate a wider gear range and deliver a better chain line, while medium cage derailleurs are less likely to be hit by rocks on the trail.
Do I need short or long cage derailleur?
Is my derailleur SS or GS?
It’s easy to remember that SS (short cage) is for cross-ratio road sprockets and GS (medium cage) is for wide-ratio sprockets, but just because the maximum number of teeth is large doesn’t mean that GS (medium cage) is the best choice.
Can you make a short cage derailleur into a long cage?
Yes, if the derailleurs are the same model, and you can get all the parts, (which isn’t usually a straightforward process) youcan convert from short cage to long cage.
Can you change the cage on a rear derailleur?
Yes, it is possible to convert your Ultegra SS rear derailleur to a GS rear derailleur. We would just buy two rear derailleurs — a Dura-Ace Di2 SS (short cage) rear derailleur and an Ultegra GS (long cage) rear derailleur. We would remove the lower knuckle assemblies from both and interchange them.
How do I know what derailleur to buy?
When buying a new rear derailleur be sure to match it with your drivetrain ‘speed’. 10-speed drivetrains use narrower chains than 9-speed so you’ll need a mech to match. Most rear mechs are made of a polymer and alloy mix but you’ll find carbon fibre in top-end models to shave even more weight.
What makes a derailleur a long or short cage?
The cage length of a derailleur is the distance between the two small idler gears known as the tension pulley (T-pulley) and the gear pulley (G-pulley). As stated, there are long cages, medium cages, and short cages. Naturally, a longer cage can take up more slack in the chain.
Can you put a medium cage on a SRAM Mountain derailleur?
You’ve got a medium cage. Sram makes a short cage mountain derailleur in the X.0 line, but only goes as low as a medium in the X.9. Quick answer: The medium cage will work, but you’ll drop your chain if you accidentally shift to the small-small combo.
What’s the difference between a short cage and a long cage?
Naturally, a longer cage can take up more slack in the chain. But a short cage derailleur is lighter and has less of a chance of suffering impacts. The reason why there are different cage lengths is that the number and range of gears vary a lot from one kind of bike to another.
What is the purpose of a rear derailleur?
We all know that a rear derailleur is used to shift the chain between different sprockets/cogs of the cassette. The cage of a derailleur is the part that you see hanging out. The purpose of the derailleur cage is to pick up slack in the chain and maintain tension.