Short medium or long cage derailer on a DH bike

[Melch]

Hey

 

Noob question but I need to replace the derailer on my DH bike. Which cage length should I get? I would guess a short cage should work, and be less likely to get caught in stuff when I'm riding but thought I better check.

 

Thanks in adveance for the advice / opinions.

[patches]

I would go short cage. Medium at the most. Basically because it's a DH rig and only running a single blade at the front, you don't need the extra slack that a long cage gives in order to shift onto a big ringas well as track an XC cassette like an 11-34T.

 

Also... I've found that the shorter cage RD's tend to keep the chain a little tighter and so it slaps around a little less when going over the bumpy stuff.

 

I've had the follwing (in order of my favourite to least favourite):

 

1. Shimano Saint Short Cage (Super stiff. Tucked out of the way. Can track up to a 11-34T cassette with the AM converter on and a 36T up front... plus it looks bad-a$$!)

2. SRAM X9 Short Cage (although the cage on these is plastic and if it breaks you have to get a whol new RD)

3. Shimano SLX Shadow Medium Cage. (The SLX is highly undr-rated. I run one on my DH bike. Pretty stiff spring. Robust piece of equipment).

4. SRAM X9 Medium Cage. (Good RD, but it didn't feel as solid as the SLX. Plus because the SLX is shadow tech, it's more out of the way than the X9)

 

So yeah, if you've got the cash for Saint... do it! Else if you've got a Shimano shifter, go SLX, you won't be dissapointed. SRAM Shifter... go X9 Short Cage.

Edited June 29, 2011 by patches

[patches]

Oh another option that I've seen some gus use and it works well is, shimano 9sp road RD's. The 105 I think?! They're short cage with stiff springs. Also pretty compact and light

[nigelhicks]

what cassette ratio are you running? if you running a road-style cassette (11-26) or (11-28) then run a short cage SLX (if you use shimano shifers) ... or short cage X9 for SRAM .... if you run an 11-32 or 11-34 use a medium cage as it will shift smoother as the arch of the cage is longer and the spring wont be stretched as much in the mech!

[PeterWest]

Can you simply put a road cassette on your wheel, will it work as normal?

[patches]

Can you simply put a road cassette on your wheel, will it work as normal?

as long as it's 9sp and a Shimano/SRAM body. Campy won't work.

[Melch]

Cool Guys.

 

Thanks for the advice. I want to try the road caset some time. Will just make getting uphill a bit more chalenging.

 

Anyone know if you can run a shimano derailur with sram shifters? At the moment I have a sram x7 derailer on the back tith x5 shifters, I think. There are just more places I can get shimano stuff.

 

Anyway it is not an urgent upgrade at the moment.

[Flowta]

Cool Guys.

 

Thanks for the advice. I want to try the road caset some time. Will just make getting uphill a bit more chalenging.

 

Anyone know if you can run a shimano derailur with sram shifters? At the moment I have a sram x7 derailer on the back tith x5 shifters, I think. There are just more places I can get shimano stuff.

 

Anyway it is not an urgent upgrade at the moment.

 

Unfortunately not, SRAM with SRAM and Shimano with Shimano.

This is because of the pull ratios SRAM has 1:1 and Shimano 1:2

[The Drongo]

what cassette ratio are you running? if you running a road-style cassette (11-26) or (11-28) then run a short cage SLX (if you use shimano shifers) ... or short cage X9 for SRAM .... if you run an 11-32 or 11-34 use a medium cage as it will shift smoother as the arch of the cage is longer and the spring wont be stretched as much in the mech!

 

What he says... :thumbup:

[The Drongo]

Cool Guys.

 

Thanks for the advice. I want to try the road caset some time. Will just make getting uphill a bit more chalenging.

 

Anyone know if you can run a shimano derailur with sram shifters? At the moment I have a sram x7 derailer on the back tith x5 shifters, I think. There are just more places I can get shimano stuff.

 

Anyway it is not an urgent upgrade at the moment.

 

SRAM Attacks will work with Shimano rear D

[patches]

SRAM Attacks will work with Shimano rear D

 

aah! good to know!

 

But yeah, the 1:1 actualtion SRAM shifters won't work with Shimano RDs (only FDs).

[nigelhicks]

Unfortunately not, SRAM with SRAM and Shimano with Shimano.

This is because of the pull ratios SRAM has 1:1 and Shimano 1:2

As Flowta said ... you can only run SRAM Shifters with an SRAM Mech ... BUT ... you can use any chain and cassette ... so if you want you cna use a shimano cassette and chain with your SRAM shifter and mech and it will work fine! But dont try and interbreed your shifter and derailleur ... All you'll do breed a Malema