Dolan Halbrook wrote:
> My wife's bike has a standard road triple (53/40/30) in front and a 12-27 (IIRC) in the rear.
> However, we're looking to do some loaded touring and so I was planning to put an XT 11-32 cassette
> on it. The current der. is a 105 long cage -- will that handle an 11-32 or am I going to have to
> swap it for an long cage MTB der (like an XT) to run that cluster?
32 is marginal for that derailer, though 30 is no problem. I wouldn't recommend the 11-32, beause
the 11 is quite useless when you've got a ring as big as 53 in front. Even a 12 is of very little
value there.
My advice is to convert your 12-27 to one of my Century Special 13-30 setups (see:
http://sheldonbrown.com/harris/k7.html#9) and put a more useful granny gear on in front, a 28 or 26
instead of the silly 30 tooth chainring.
Your present derailers will handle this with ease, the upgrade will be cheap, and you'll have more
pleasant gear spacing in the cruising range.
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| Which yet survive, stamped on these lifeless things, | The hand that mocked them, and the heart
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