Campy 11 speed clearance

[mjpolo]

I installed a new Chorus 11 speed groupo and have been having problems with the rear derailleur. On one set of wheels there is barely enough clearance for the derailleur (Hed Jet 60s) on another set of wheels there is no way to get to the lowest gear without hitting the spokes (Fulcrum 1s)! Any thoughts on this issue? I thought the total width of the cassette was the same for the 10 speed and 11 speed.

 

[Dietmar]

I installed a new Chorus 11 speed groupo and have been having problems with the rear derailleur. On one set of wheels there is barely enough clearance for the derailleur (Hed Jet 60s) on another set of wheels there is no way to get to the lowest gear without hitting the spokes (Fulcrum 1s)! Any thoughts on this issue? I thought the total width of the cassette was the same for the 10 speed and 11 speed.

The 11-speed cassettes do fit on the same body as the 10-speed ones, but the largest cog is actually cantilevered a little bit inward. As a result some hubs (those that try to minimize wheel dish) that are nominally compatible will cause problems, or not work at all. I'm not sure what the issue with derailleur clearance is that you were referring to.

 

[mjpolo]

The clearance issue is the derailleur itself. When I try to shift to the lowest gear the derailler must hit the spokes to get to the lowest gear.

 

[Dietmar]

The clearance issue is the derailleur itself. When I try to shift to the lowest gear the derailler must hit the spokes to get to the lowest gear.

Ah, so the same problem as with the Fulcrums. For the Fulcrums I doubt there is much you can do, but I wonder if you could get a different hub for your HEDs. Otherwise, it's a new rear wheel, sorry.

 

[mjpolo]

The Heds work thankfully just very little clearance. I have a powertap so a pretty hefty investment and it would be a non-starter if it didn't work. I don't use the Fulcrums that frequently but VERY annoying that a wheel manufactured by Campy won't work with Campy.

 

[Dietmar]

I don't use the Fulcrums that frequently but VERY annoying that a wheel manufactured by Campy won't work with Campy.

Yeah, and a bit surprising, too. I have a set of Campy Shamal Ultras, and they work perfectly fine, with plenty of clearance.

 

[alienator]

It's a known problem for some wheels. The fix is just a spacer placed between the cassette and hub, or even better, between the freehub and hub. It's a very thin spacer and may have even come with your cassette. Send an email or call HED. They'll tell you the best way to fix this.

 

[alfeng]

The clearance issue is the derailleur itself. When I try to shift to the lowest gear the derailler must hit the spokes to get to the lowest gear.

I presume you are not using an 11-speed rear derailleur. Is that right or wrong?

When Campagnolo went from 9-speed to 10-speed, the inner cage was modified to achieve more spoke clearance ...



So, consider this:

1. take the inner cage off
2. incrementally file down the top edge & round the top edge with a ~60º bevel
3. re-install
4. check for clearance

Repeat until clearance is achieved.

Clearance may NEVER be achieved with some wheels; so, before you actually do any surgery on your rear derailleur simply detach the inner cage from the upper pulley and see how much-or-little clearance exists & ascertain if there will be enough material left around the bolt if you do remove (file away) the 'excess'.

If you are using a 10-speed rear derailleur & don't want to work on it, then you may have to pony up for a new, 11-speed rear derailleur OR at least a new, 11-speed inner cage.

 

[Dietmar]

I presume you are not using an 11-speed rear derailleur. Is that right or wrong?

He said he bought the Chorus 11-speed group, so that would include the proper derailleur.

 

[alfeng]

He said he bought the Chorus 11-speed group, so that would include the proper derailleur.

I saw that, but sometimes people say one thing when they mean another ...

And, when many of the paid 'reviewers' in periodicals say that a 10-speed Campagnolo rear derailleur was compatible with the 11-speed drivetrain in their tests, it would be understandable if some people might try to get by without spending another $200 +/- for a new rear derailleur, calipers/etc. and yet possibly describe the components as a new group ...

I'll never have THAT problem since the last two "groups" that I bought were around the turn-of-the-Century when I actually had a "full" Chorus group & a "full" Ultegra group on a couple of bikes ... but, mixing-and-matching was before & is subsequently my preferred way to choose & use components.

 

[mjpolo]

Yes I am using an 11 speed rear derailleur. I spoke with Hed and they suggested a spacer. Interestingly enough they indicated they have been contacted about this issue before but have never heard back from individuals that have had the problem to get feedback on the suggestion. Must have worked. Now for the Fulcrums.....

 

[alfeng]

Yes I am using an 11 speed rear derailleur.

Okay ...

Good luck with your Fulcrums!

 

[Peter@vecchios]

I presume you are not using an 11-speed rear derailleur. Is that right or wrong?

When Campagnolo went from 9-speed to 10-speed, the inner cage was modified to achieve more spoke clearance ...



So, consider this:

1. take the inner cage off
2. incrementally file down the top edge & round the top edge with a ~60º bevel
3. re-install
4. check for clearance

Repeat until clearance is achieved.

Clearance may NEVER be achieved with some wheels; so, before you actually do any surgery on your rear derailleur simply detach the inner cage from the upper pulley and see how much-or-little clearance exists & ascertain if there will be enough material left around the bolt if you do remove (file away) the 'excess'.

If you are using a 10-speed rear derailleur & don't want to work on it, then you may have to pony up for a new, 11-speed rear derailleur OR at least a new, 11-speed inner cage.

11s use bigger pulleys, different cage, not possible to convert a 10s RD to 11s pulleys, cage BUT
I don't think a 9/10/11s rear derailleur is this gents problem.

As was mentioned a teeny spacer under the boggest cog and hopefully that will solve the clearance issue with these fat aluminum spokes(another issue altogether).

 

[alfeng]

11s use bigger pulleys, different cage, not possible to convert a 10s RD to 11s pulleys, cage BUT
I don't think a 9/10/11s rear derailleur is this gents problem.

Thanks for jogging my memory ...

Since I don't have an 11-speed Campagnolo group, I forgot that the 2009 Campagnolo rear derailleur now uses 11t pulley wheels ...

The easiest solution to gain clearance MAY-or-may-not be to simply use a 10t upper pulley wheel as I have done on Shimano rear derailleurs to restore their largest cog capability to something approaching 'light touring' capability (i.e., cassettes with larger cogs) ... the first thing I have done with ALL my recent [21st Century] Shimano ROAD rear derailleurs was to change the upper pulley wheel to a 10t regardless of the potential cassette that I intend to use it with ...

Just as a 10t provides ~2mm of additional cog clearance lost when an 11t pulley is used, it should also provide SOME additional clearance for the spokes ... maybe enough, maybe not ...

AND, it should be possible to use-or-modify-to-fit a 10-speed, 10t pulley wheel in an 11-speed rear derailleur.

 

[John M]

I installed a new Chorus 11 speed groupo and have been having problems with the rear derailleur. On one set of wheels there is barely enough clearance for the derailleur (Hed Jet 60s) on another set of wheels there is no way to get to the lowest gear without hitting the spokes (Fulcrum 1s)! Any thoughts on this issue? I thought the total width of the cassette was the same for the 10 speed and 11 speed.

Try backing the "B-screw" out to give more clearance between the pulley and the largest cassette cog. That will let the RD top pulley run lower and should give it more clearance since farther from the hub, the spokes angle away from the RD.