largest cassette with Ultegra double and Ultegra rear derailleur?

[Eddie Flayer]

I am trying to find out the largest rear cog I can use with a 39/53 chain ring combo up front and a
Ultegra double or triple rear derailleur. I would like to avoid going to a triple if possible but
still need about the same climbing capability in the neighborhood of a 35 inch gear. I know I can
go to an XT or XTR rear derailleur, but was wondering what the tested capacity of road rear
derailleurs is?

 

[Bill]

"eddie flayer" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I am trying to find out the largest rear cog I can use with a 39/53 chain ring combo up front and
> a Ultegra double or triple rear derailleur. I would like to avoid going to a triple if possible
> but still need about the same climbing capability in the neighborhood of a 35 inch gear. I know I
> can go to an XT or XTR rear derailleur, but was wondering what the tested capacity of road rear
> derailleurs is?

I've used the long cage Ultegra with a front 39-53 and an 11-32 SRAM cassette in the rear. The 32
can be a bit noisy but runs ok. Probably depends on your rear derailleur hanger. I used this for a
trip to the Dolomites. If I were going to leave the 32 on I'd go for the XT derailleur. The Ultegra
worked for me but just barely. Bill Brannon Bill Brannon

 

[David Storm]

Don't know about a double, but I have used an 11-32 on an Ultegra triple derailleur for the last
three years (yes its great for climbing walls). No problems except for a comforting little purr-like
grumble when in very lowest gear (30 front/32 back).

"eddie flayer" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I am trying to find out the largest rear cog I can use with a 39/53 chain ring combo up front and
> a Ultegra double or triple rear derailleur. I would like to avoid going to a triple if possible
> but still need about the same climbing capability in the neighborhood of a 35 inch gear. I know I
> can go to an XT or XTR rear derailleur, but was wondering what the tested capacity of road rear
> derailleurs is?

 

[Cy Galley]

I have an XT derailleur with a 12-34 cassette that works very well. The XT is rated at 34 teeth.

"David Storm" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Don't know about a double, but I have used an 11-32 on an Ultegra triple derailleur for the last
> three years (yes its great for climbing walls). No problems except for a comforting little
> purr-like grumble when in very lowest gear (30 front/32 back).
>
> "eddie flayer" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > I am trying to find out the largest rear cog I can use with a 39/53 chain ring combo up front
> > and a Ultegra double or triple rear derailleur. I would like to avoid going to a triple if
> > possible but still need about the same climbing capability in the neighborhood of a 35 inch
> > gear. I know I can go to an XT or XTR rear derailleur, but was wondering what the tested
> > capacity of road rear derailleurs is?

 

[David Storm]

Yes that's what I have on my Cannondale T2000 touring bike, an XTR with a 12-34. It works very well.
The 11-32 Ultegra triple derailleur is on my road bike and that's about the limit for that
derailleur. I'm seeing more folks putting XTs and XTRs on expensive custom road bikes too,
especially us oldsters who want to continue road riding in the mountains.

"Cy Galley" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:G4A8a.297760$tq4.6410@sccrnsc01...
> I have an XT derailleur with a 12-34 cassette that works very well. The XT is rated at 34 teeth.
>
> "David Storm" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > Don't know about a double, but I have used an 11-32 on an Ultegra triple derailleur for the last
> > three years (yes its great for climbing walls). No problems except for a comforting little
> > purr-like grumble when in very lowest gear (30 front/32 back).
> >
> > "eddie flayer" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> > news:[email protected]...
> > > I am trying to find out the largest rear cog I can use with a 39/53 chain ring combo up front
> > > and a Ultegra double or triple rear derailleur. I would like to avoid going to a triple if
> > > possible but still need about the same climbing capability in the neighborhood of a 35 inch
> > > gear. I know I can go to an XT or XTR rear derailleur, but was wondering what the tested
> > > capacity of road rear derailleurs is?
> >
>

 

[Qui Si Parla Ca]

eddie-<< I am trying to find out the largest rear cog I can use with a 39/53 chain ring combo up
front and a Ultegra double or triple rear derailleur.

With the triple/XT triple-32/34t w/o problem. With the double rder and imaginative chain length-30t
w/o problem.

Peter Chisholm Vecchio's Bicicletteria 1833 Pearl St. Boulder, CO, 80302
(303)440-3535 http://www.vecchios.com "Ruote convenzionali costruite eccezionalmente bene"

 

[Eddie Flayer]

So David.... To be clear, are you saying, based on your experience, I could have an Ultegra double
crank on the front and an Ultegra triple d on the rear, and go up to a 32 tooth cog and have it
work smoothly?

Just trying to get the apples and oranges clear here. Thanks, Eddie

"David Storm" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
> Yes that's what I have on my Cannondale T2000 touring bike, an XTR with a 12-34. It works very
> well. The 11-32 Ultegra triple derailleur is on my road bike and that's about the limit for that
> derailleur. I'm seeing more folks putting XTs and XTRs on expensive custom road bikes too,
> especially us oldsters who want to continue road riding in the mountains.
>
> "Cy Galley" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:G4A8a.297760$tq4.6410@sccrnsc01...
> > I have an XT derailleur with a 12-34 cassette that works very well. The XT is rated at 34 teeth.
> >
> > "David Storm" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> > news:[email protected]...
> > > Don't know about a double, but I have used an 11-32 on an Ultegra triple derailleur for the
> > > last three years (yes its great for climbing walls). No problems except for a comforting
> > > little purr-like grumble when in very lowest gear (30 front/32 back).
> > >
> > > "eddie flayer" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> > > news:[email protected]...
> > > > I am trying to find out the largest rear cog I can use with a 39/53 chain ring combo up
> > > > front and a Ultegra double or triple rear derailleur. I would like to avoid going to a
> > > > triple if possible but still need about the same climbing capability in the neighborhood of
> > > > a 35 inch gear. I know I can go to an XT or XTR rear derailleur, but was wondering what the
> > > > tested capacity of road rear derailleurs is?
> > >
> > >
> >

 

[Ken]

[email protected] (eddie flayer) wrote in news:[email protected]:
> To be clear, are you saying, based on your experience, I could have an Ultegra double crank on the
> front and an Ultegra triple d on the rear, and go up to a 32 tooth cog and have it work smoothly?

This will work on some bikes (depending on frame geometry), but not others. Probably most racing
frames (steeper angles and shorter wheelbases) will not work, while many touring frames will work. A
30 tooth cog will work on many more bikes.

If the Ultegra doesn't work on your bike, a Shimano mountain bike derailleur should work fine
(Shimano XT is the same quality level as Ultegra).

Ken

 

[David Storm]

As I said I don't know about a double, but with Shimano Ultegra triple crank and triple derailleur
it worked on my Cannondale R1000. When I switched to an 11-32, the mechanic in the bike shop it may
or may not work. He said Shimano does not recommend. I lucked out and it worked on my bike. To be
absolutely certain you might want to consider an XT or XTR derailleur. That way you could even go to
a 12-34 cog.

"eddie flayer" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> So David.... To be clear, are you saying, based on your experience, I could have an Ultegra double
> crank on the front and an Ultegra triple d on the rear, and go up to a 32 tooth cog and have it
> work smoothly?
>
> Just trying to get the apples and oranges clear here. Thanks, Eddie
>
> "David Storm" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
> > Yes that's what I have on my Cannondale T2000 touring bike, an XTR with a 12-34. It works very
> > well. The 11-32 Ultegra triple derailleur is on my road bike and that's about the limit for that
> > derailleur. I'm seeing more folks putting XTs and XTRs on expensive custom road bikes too,
> > especially us oldsters who want to continue road riding in the
mountains.
> >
> > "Cy Galley" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:G4A8a.297760$tq4.6410@sccrnsc01...
> > > I have an XT derailleur with a 12-34 cassette that works very well.
The XT
> > > is rated at 34 teeth.
> > >
> > > "David Storm" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> > > news:[email protected]...
> > > > Don't know about a double, but I have used an 11-32 on an Ultegra triple derailleur for the
> > > > last three years (yes its great
for
> > > > climbing walls). No problems except for a comforting little purr-like grumble when in very
> > > > lowest gear (30 front/32 back).
> > > >
> > > > "eddie flayer" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> > > > news:[email protected]...
> > > > > I am trying to find out the largest rear cog I can use with a
39/53
> > > > > chain ring combo up front and a Ultegra double or triple rear derailleur. I would like to
> > > > > avoid going to a triple if possible
but
> > > > > still need about the same climbing capability in the neighborhood
of a
> > > > > 35 inch gear. I know I can go to an XT or XTR rear derailleur,
but
> > > > > was wondering what the tested capacity of road rear derailleurs
is?
> > > >
> > > >
> > >
>

 

[Bill]

"eddie flayer" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> So David.... To be clear, are you saying, based on your experience, I could have an Ultegra double
> crank on the front and an Ultegra triple d on the rear, and go up to a 32 tooth cog and have it
> work smoothly?
>
> Just trying to get the apples and oranges clear here. Thanks, Eddie

Eddie, if you put an XT on you will be very happy with the performance. A long cage Ultegra will
"probably" work, will certainly be noisy and difficult to adjust. David Storm said the Ultegra was
at it's limit. I didn't read any implication of "smoothly"

He specifically said, "No problems except for a comforting little purr-like grumble when in very
lowest gear (30 front/32 back)." That grumble is the jocky wheel running agaianst the 32.

On the other hand it is only an issue in the 32. If this a bike that you like to ride fast with
others then you ought to really consider the triple with a 23 or 25 in the back and a little cog in
the front as a bailout when the hills get long or very steep. Bill