Bicycle Mechanics - Long cage and short cages

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r3v0
02-07-07, 01:37 AM
I am looking a Specialized Carbon Epic, probably mid 1990's unsure. Still has the Shimano 105 group on it. Should i upgrade it to new Shimano 105?

It currently has a 7 speed cassette.
Is it possible to have brake/shift levers set up on a 7 speed?

Should i upgrade to a higher speed cassette?


I want to buy a new Shimano 105 9 speed de-raileur but came across this problem.
what is the difference betwen long cage and short cage rear de-raileur?


What teeth range on the crank and crank set combo gives the best ride.


Overall i think this bike is worth the fix as long as the fixxing does not exceed the bikes original cost.

Retro Grouch
02-07-07, 04:07 AM
1. I think that it's still possible to buy new 7-speed Sora brake/shift levers.
2. Measure the distance between the rear dropouts. If it's 130mm, then it's possible to upgrade the bike to 8,9,10 speed. If it's 126mm, forget it.
3. Rear derailleur cage length determines how much chain slack it will wrap up. The quick/dirty answer is that triple cranksets need a long cage, double cranksets don't.
4. What teeth range gives the best ride? I think that's a question that only you can answer. Basically, you need a gear low enough to get yourself up the biggest hill that you climb.