XTR 12-32 cassette on 105 road bike?



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Ken

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My sport-touring road bike came stock with an 8-speed Shimano 105 STI drivetrain (12-24 cassette).
I'm a recreational rider and would like to expand my gear range for the spring century season (most
of the local centuries have 5000+ feet of climbing). I see dealers closing out 8 speed XTR 12-32
cassettes at good prices. Does anyone know if these will work well with my 105 setup? Or should I go
with one of Sheldon's 13-30 century specials (for about the same price)? Thanks.

Ken
 
It'll fit, but you're going to have to run a long cage r.der. and a longer chain.

If you don't want to go that far, a 30t may fit, but a 28t will fit better.

Mike "Ken" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> My sport-touring road bike came stock with an 8-speed Shimano 105 STI drivetrain (12-24 cassette).
> I'm a recreational rider and would like to expand my gear range for the spring century season
> (most of the local centuries have 5000+ feet of climbing). I see dealers closing out 8 speed XTR
> 12-32 cassettes at good prices. Does anyone know if these will work
well
> with my 105 setup? Or should I go with one of Sheldon's 13-30 century specials (for about the same
> price)? Thanks.
>
> Ken
 
"Mike S." <mikeshaw2@coxDOTnet> wrote in news:pZw2a.22289$q91.2245408 @news2.west.cox.net:
> It'll fit, but you're going to have to run a long cage r.der. and a longer chain. If you don't
> want to go that far, a 30t may fit, but a 28t will fit better.

Thanks for the response. Will a 105 triple derailleur work, or do I need a MTB derailleur? Also,
what do you mean by "better" in this case? I would like it so shift easily and quietly, but I'm not
racing and don't need lightening fast shifts. Thanks.

Ken
 
105 triple should work. Make sure you have enough chain...

Its not the gears in the middle, but the largest sprocket a derailleur will work with. Short cage
road derailleurs don't wrap enough chain for bigger than 28t (or so) sprockets.

Mike

"Ken" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> "Mike S." <mikeshaw2@coxDOTnet> wrote in news:pZw2a.22289$q91.2245408 @news2.west.cox.net:
> > It'll fit, but you're going to have to run a long cage r.der. and a
longer
> > chain. If you don't want to go that far, a 30t may fit, but a 28t will fit
better.
>
> Thanks for the response. Will a 105 triple derailleur work, or do I need
a
> MTB derailleur? Also, what do you mean by "better" in this case? I would like it so shift easily
> and quietly, but I'm not racing and don't need lightening fast shifts. Thanks.
>
> Ken
 
> Thanks for the response. Will a 105 triple derailleur work, or do I need
a
> MTB derailleur? Also, what do you mean by "better" in this case? I would like it so shift easily
> and quietly, but I'm not racing and don't need lightening fast shifts. Thanks.

A '105 triple won't work as well, because the cage might not drop down low enough to clear a 32t
cog. The variances in placement of the derailleur hanger (with respect to the rear wheel) is the
reason why there will be some bikes where a given combo might work, and others where it won't. I
would use an LX rear derailleur; they cost about the same as a '105 and work fine.

--Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles http://www.ChainReaction.com

"Ken" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> "Mike S." <mikeshaw2@coxDOTnet> wrote in news:pZw2a.22289$q91.2245408 @news2.west.cox.net:
> > It'll fit, but you're going to have to run a long cage r.der. and a
longer
> > chain. If you don't want to go that far, a 30t may fit, but a 28t will fit
better.
>
> Thanks for the response. Will a 105 triple derailleur work, or do I need
a
> MTB derailleur? Also, what do you mean by "better" in this case? I would like it so shift easily
> and quietly, but I'm not racing and don't need lightening fast shifts. Thanks.
>
> Ken
 
Don't know about an 8 speed 105, but I switched my Ultegra triple to a 9 speed 11-32 cassette on my
road bike. The Ultegra triple derailleur handles it fine. Yours might work if you have a triple. If
not you might need to switch to an XT or XTR derailleur. I see more XTR derailleurs with big
cassettes on road bikes these days.

"Ken" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> My sport-touring road bike came stock with an 8-speed Shimano 105 STI drivetrain (12-24 cassette).
> I'm a recreational rider and would like to expand my gear range for the spring century season
> (most of the local centuries have 5000+ feet of climbing). I see dealers closing out 8 speed XTR
> 12-32 cassettes at good prices. Does anyone know if these will work
well
> with my 105 setup? Or should I go with one of Sheldon's 13-30 century specials (for about the same
> price)? Thanks.
>
> Ken
 
In article <[email protected]>, Ken <[email protected]> wrote:
>"Mike S." <mikeshaw2@coxDOTnet> wrote in news:pZw2a.22289$q91.2245408 @news2.west.cox.net:
>> It'll fit, but you're going to have to run a long cage r.der. and a longer chain. If you don't
>> want to go that far, a 30t may fit, but a 28t will fit better.
>
>Thanks for the response. Will a 105 triple derailleur work, or do I need a MTB derailleur?

Depends on your definition of "work". I think all the Shimano road triple rear derailleurs (with
some "normal" front gearing) do not work acceptably with a 32t big cog. A 30t would be what I call
"marginal". A MTB rear derailleur completely solves the problem.

--Paul
 
Dude by Sheldon's it will shift smoother and better there is going to be less gear difference in the
shifting .So it will shift smoother .and you 105 should work that is what I ran on my cycle cross
bike and it shifted fine. Give Sheldon's a try .If your running a triple in front you would not need
a 32 low gear unless your climbing walls.
 
Like Mike J said, it's not a matter of chain length, it's the swing angle of the derailleur. Most
road derailleurs (I know that they vary) will swing down only enough to clear a 27 tooth (or so)
sprocket. If there is not enough room (again, it's not a chain length issue!), the derailleur will
swing down and hit the gear, not allowing the chain to switch over.

Lee Bower

"Mike S." <mikeshaw2@coxDOTnet> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> 105 triple should work. Make sure you have enough chain...
>
> Its not the gears in the middle, but the largest sprocket a derailleur
will
> work with. Short cage road derailleurs don't wrap enough chain for bigger than 28t (or so)
> sprockets.
>
> Mike
>
>
> "Ken" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> > "Mike S." <mikeshaw2@coxDOTnet> wrote in news:pZw2a.22289$q91.2245408 @news2.west.cox.net:
> > > It'll fit, but you're going to have to run a long cage r.der. and a
> longer
> > > chain. If you don't want to go that far, a 30t may fit, but a 28t will fit
> better.
> >
> > Thanks for the response. Will a 105 triple derailleur work, or do I
need
> a
> > MTB derailleur? Also, what do you mean by "better" in this case? I
would
> > like it so shift easily and quietly, but I'm not racing and don't need lightening fast shifts.
> > Thanks.
> >
> > Ken
 
I know that the r.der. geometry is more important than chain length, but if you're going to change
out to bigger cassettes, you need a longer chain. Don't want to force your chain up around your big
sprocket and get things stuck there. Seen it done, its not a pretty sight if you don't know what
you're doing.

"Lee Bower" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Like Mike J said, it's not a matter of chain length, it's the swing angle
of
> the derailleur. Most road derailleurs (I know that they vary) will swing down only enough to clear
> a 27 tooth (or so) sprocket. If there is not enough room (again, it's not a chain length issue!),
> the derailleur will swing down and hit the gear, not allowing the chain to switch over.
>
> Lee Bower
>
> "Mike S." <mikeshaw2@coxDOTnet> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > 105 triple should work. Make sure you have enough chain...
> >
> > Its not the gears in the middle, but the largest sprocket a derailleur
> will
> > work with. Short cage road derailleurs don't wrap enough chain for
bigger
> > than 28t (or so) sprockets.
> >
> > Mike
> >
> >
> > "Ken" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> > > "Mike S." <mikeshaw2@coxDOTnet> wrote in news:pZw2a.22289$q91.2245408 @news2.west.cox.net:
> > > > It'll fit, but you're going to have to run a long cage r.der. and a
> > longer
> > > > chain. If you don't want to go that far, a 30t may fit, but a 28t will fit
> > better.
> > >
> > > Thanks for the response. Will a 105 triple derailleur work, or do I
> need
> > a
> > > MTB derailleur? Also, what do you mean by "better" in this case? I
> would
> > > like it so shift easily and quietly, but I'm not racing and don't need lightening fast shifts.
> > > Thanks.
> > >
> > > Ken
> >
> >
>
 
kenton-<< I see dealers closing out 8 speed XTR 12-32 cassettes at good prices. Does anyone know if
these will work well with my 105 setup?

Add a longer cage rder and it will work. Like a XT, Deore, even a 105 triple rder..

Peter Chisholm Vecchio's Bicicletteria 1833 Pearl St. Boulder, CO, 80302
(303)440-3535 http://www.vecchios.com "Ruote convenzionali costruite eccezionalmente bene"
 
Thanks to everyone who replied. Sounds like it should work with a long cage rear derailleur.

Ken
 
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