Ultegra GS rear w/ 50-34 compact front 9sp ?

I'd like to run as wide a range as possible with a compact double 50-34 and if
possible still retain using an Ultegra medium cage road rear deraiileur - the
GS version (9 speed) which Shimano says will accomodate up to 27. So I could
use a standard 12-27 but will the compact double front and the conservative
Shimano ratings actually allow a larger gear in the cassette? This may have
to be a custom gear setup in the rear, perhaps 12-30?

I've been told you can trade out to an XT/XTR GSG rear and then go to an 11-32
or 11-34 but I'd like to hear from those who have tried it as to how far the
GS version really goes.

thanks to all, Rick

rs wrote:

I'd like to run as wide a range as possible with a compact double 50-34 and if
possible still retain using an Ultegra medium cage road rear deraiileur - the
GS version (9 speed) which Shimano says will accomodate up to 27. So I could
use a standard 12-27 but will the compact double front and the conservative
Shimano ratings actually allow a larger gear in the cassette? This may have
to be a custom gear setup in the rear, perhaps 12-30?

We sell a lot of 13-30 cassettes, they generally work even with the
short cage derailers, on normal doubles.

I would expect it to work fine with your GS rear derailer, though a very
small percentage of frames have issues due to non-standard hangers.

See: http://sheldonbrown.com/capacity

Sheldon "50-28, 12-28" Brown
+-----------------------------------------------------------+
| Faith is believing what you know ain't so. --Mark Twain |
+-----------------------------------------------------------+
Harris Cyclery, West Newton, Massachusetts
Phone 617-244-9772 FAX 617-244-1041
http://harriscyclery.com
Hard-to-find parts shipped Worldwide
http://captainbike.com http://sheldonbrown.com

Only problem with the 13-30 is the high gear 50/13 is only 3.85 which I think
too low. At least with a 12 and 50 front you get 4.17 .

I know Harris Cyclery builds custom cassettes. Would a 12-29 work with the gs
cage? That would be a nice enough range top and bottom.

thanks

In article ,
says...

rs wrote:

I'd like to run as wide a range as possible with a compact double 50-34 and
if

possible still retain using an Ultegra medium cage road rear deraiileur -
the
GS version (9 speed) which Shimano says will accomodate up to 27. So I
could

use a standard 12-27 but will the compact double front and the conservative
Shimano ratings actually allow a larger gear in the cassette? This may
have
to be a custom gear setup in the rear, perhaps 12-30?

We sell a lot of 13-30 cassettes, they generally work even with the
short cage derailers, on normal doubles.

I would expect it to work fine with your GS rear derailer, though a very
small percentage of frames have issues due to non-standard hangers.

See: http://sheldonbrown.com/capacity

Sheldon "50-28, 12-28" Brown
+-----------------------------------------------------------+
| Faith is believing what you know ain't so. --Mark Twain |
+-----------------------------------------------------------+
Harris Cyclery, West Newton, Massachusetts
Phone 617-244-9772 FAX 617-244-1041
http://harriscyclery.com
Hard-to-find parts shipped Worldwide
http://captainbike.com http://sheldonbrown.com

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----

In article ,
rs wrote:
Only problem with the 13-30 is the high gear 50/13 is only 3.85 which I think
too low. At least with a 12 and 50 front you get 4.17 .

I know Harris Cyclery builds custom cassettes. Would a 12-29 work with the gs
cage? That would be a nice enough range top and bottom.


_ sure. I use a Ultegra GS with either a 13-28 7 speed freewheel or
14-30 9 speed cassette and a 50/34 fromt. 50/13 seems plenty of
gear to me, but I like to spin and am a chicken descender.
You can always buy relatively cheap HG 70 MTB and Road
cassettes and do your own mix and matching.

_ However, after a year or so of riding a compact double in
some pretty hilly terrain, I've decided that a road triple
works better for me. I like that you get a closer
range on the bottom ( 2 or 3 granny gears vs 1 or 2 ) and
a much tighter range in the middle. IMHO, if you need a
lower gear than something like a 34/25 or 27, then you
give up too much in the middle of the range with a compact
double.

_ Booekr C. Bense


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In article ,
Booker C. Bense
. stanfor
d.edu wrote:

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----

In article ,
rs wrote:
Only problem with the 13-30 is the high gear 50/13 is only 3.85 which I think
too low. At least with a 12 and 50 front you get 4.17 .

I know Harris Cyclery builds custom cassettes. Would a 12-29 work with the gs
cage? That would be a nice enough range top and bottom.


_ sure. I use a Ultegra GS with either a 13-28 7 speed freewheel or
14-30 9 speed cassette and a 50/34 fromt. 50/13 seems plenty of
gear to me, but I like to spin and am a chicken descender.
You can always buy relatively cheap HG 70 MTB and Road
cassettes and do your own mix and matching.

_ However, after a year or so of riding a compact double in
some pretty hilly terrain, I've decided that a road triple
works better for me. I like that you get a closer
range on the bottom ( 2 or 3 granny gears vs 1 or 2 ) and
a much tighter range in the middle. IMHO, if you need a
lower gear than something like a 34/25 or 27, then you
give up too much in the middle of the range with a compact
double.

That is how I configured my road machine. Around here it
is all uphill.
Triple: 24, 38, 48. Nine speed cassette: 13-19,21,23. I am
very pleased with the close gearing.
Typically run 48/13-19, 38/13-23, 24/17-23.

--
Michael Press

On Sat, 20 Aug 2005 02:55:35 -0500, (rs)
wrote:

Only problem with the 13-30 is the high gear 50/13 is only 3.85 which I think
too low. At least with a 12 and 50 front you get 4.17 .

I know Harris Cyclery builds custom cassettes. Would a 12-29 work with the gs
cage? That would be a nice enough range top and bottom.

Harris also sells a 9 speed cassette with Shimano cogs called "High &
Wide" with a range of 11-28. Perfect for compact 50:34 rings.

http://sheldonbrown.com/harris/k7.html#9cassettes

Also see http://www.interlocracing.com/cassettes_steel.html for
compact cassettes.

Will the 11-28 work with the Ultegra (or other Shimano) GS derailleur if you
have a 50/34 double in front?

thanks, Rick

In article ,
says...

On Sat, 20 Aug 2005 02:55:35 -0500, (rs)
wrote:

Only problem with the 13-30 is the high gear 50/13 is only 3.85 which I
think
too low. At least with a 12 and 50 front you get 4.17 .

I know Harris Cyclery builds custom cassettes. Would a 12-29 work with the
gs
cage? That would be a nice enough range top and bottom.

Harris also sells a 9 speed cassette with Shimano cogs called "High &
Wide" with a range of 11-28. Perfect for compact 50:34 rings.

http://sheldonbrown.com/harris/k7.html#9cassettes

Also see http://www.interlocracing.com/cassettes_steel.html for
compact cassettes.

rs wrote:
Will the 11-28 work with the Ultegra (or other Shimano) GS derailleur if you
have a 50/34 double in front?

Yes...will work with a short cage rear der as well.

(rs) wrote:

Will the 11-28 work with the Ultegra (or other Shimano) GS derailleur if you
have a 50/34 double in front?

thanks, Rick

No problem in the rear with this cluster using Shimano Ultegra or Dura
Ace short cage derailleurs (I have used both).

I had more of a problem getting the standard front derailleur designed
to shift from a 39 to a 53 to move the chain easily from 34 to 50.
Ultegra shifters and derailleur work much less efficiently than Dura
Ace for compact rings, IME.

IRD makes a compact specific front der. designed for the 16 tooth
jump:

http://www.interlocracing.com/cdfrtder.html
--dt

On Mon, 22 Aug 2005 18:16:48 -0400, Doug Taylor
wrote:

I had more of a problem getting the standard front derailleur designed
to shift from a 39 to a 53 to move the chain easily from 34 to 50.
Ultegra shifters and derailleur work much less efficiently than Dura
Ace for compact rings, IME.

IRD makes a compact specific front der. designed for the 16 tooth
jump:

I happen to be using a DA x 8sp front derailleur with my 50/34 and
Ergo shifters and it shifts fine. I've set up severl bikes with
Shimano 105 x 5500 front derailleurs and they work fine too. Grinding
a bit on the front part of the outer cage made the derailleur work
perfectly.

On my wife's bike, also a braze, the 1991 Chorus front derailleur was
sluggish in getting the chain up onto the 50t FSA ring. I tried the
Campy CT front derailleur and it wasn't any better. The IRD front for
compact worked wonderfully. The chain pops up effortlessly.

Most times, I just use a Campy 9/10 front derailleur and the results
have been fine.