Largest cog for 1997 Shimano 600 rear derailleur?

[Noel Llopis]

I have a 1997 Shimano 600 rear derailleur (RD-6401 VA) on a cross bike equipped with a double
chainring and a 12-25 cogset.

Does anybody know what is the largest cog I could use with that derailleur? Or, alternatively,
what I really want to know is would a 28 or even a 30-teeth cog work as long as I avoid a cross-
over gear?

Thanks.

--Noel

 

[Nick Payne]

My wife has the exact same model derailleur and it copes fine with a 13-30 cassette and 53-39
chainrings.

Nick

"Noel Llopis" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I have a 1997 Shimano 600 rear derailleur (RD-6401 VA) on a cross bike equipped with a double
> chainring and a 12-25 cogset.
>
> Does anybody know what is the largest cog I could use with that
derailleur?
> Or, alternatively, what I really want to know is would a 28 or even a 30-teeth cog work as long as
> I avoid a cross-over gear?

 

[Sheldon Brown]

Noel Llopis <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> I have a 1997 Shimano 600 rear derailleur (RD-6401 VA) on a cross bike equipped with a double
> chainring and a 12-25 cogset.
>
> Does anybody know what is the largest cog I could use with that derailleur? Or, alternatively,
> what I really want to know is would a 28 or even a 30-teeth cog work as long as I avoid a cross-
> over gear?

30 will work, but you'll need a longer chain. That's probably as big as you can go.

Sheldon "Using My Sister's Computer" Brown

 

[Qui Si Parla Ca]

noel-<< I have a 1997 Shimano 600 rear derailleur (RD-6401 VA) on a cross bike equipped with a
double chainring and a 12-25 cogset. >><BR><BR> << Does anybody know what is the largest cog I could
use with that derailleur? Or, alternatively, what I really want to know is would a 28 or even a 30-
teeth cog work as long as I avoid a cross-over gear? >><BR><BR>

yes, done it as has Sehldon.

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

 

[Noel Llopis]

Yesterday I went to my LBS and bought a cheap 11-30 cassette (no cheap 13-30s to be had anywhere). I
was afraid that the large difference in teeth would interfere with the operation of the rear
derailleur, but I could always take it back.

To my surprise, it works like a charm. At first the large-large combination wouldn't even go in, but
as soon as I put a chain of the correct length, everything worked like a charm. I didn't even have
to mess with the B screw (the rear derailleur always seems to be far from the cogs).

The chain is a bit slack on the small-small combination, but that's not really a big deal for me.

Many thanks again to all those who replied to my earlier post.

--Noel