Bicycle Mechanics - Rear Derailleur

Bikeforums.net is a forum about nothing but bikes. Our community can help you find information about hard-to-find and localized information like bicycle tours, specialties like where in your area to have your recumbent bike serviced, or what are the best bicycle tires and seats for the activities you use your bike for.



PDA

View Full Version : Rear Derailleur

cyclekolo
05-12-10, 09:29 PM
How can I tell if my rear derailleur is a short or medium cage? Thanks

Al1943
05-12-10, 09:37 PM
Is there a brand and model number?

Compare the cage length to other bikes with known cage lengths.
cyclekolo
05-12-10, 09:42 PM
It is a shimano 105 5600

RT
05-12-10, 09:46 PM
Need a more descriptive part number. There is a short cage and a medium cage.

http://www.ebikestop.com/derailleur_rear_derailleurs%29%29502.php
wunderkind
05-12-10, 09:49 PM
IIRC, if you have 2 chain rings, chances are you likely have a short cage RD, 3 chain rings would require a long cage.
Al1943
05-12-10, 10:04 PM
It's either a short cage, SS, or a long cage, GS. There are no Shimano medium cage road derailleurs. The SS is sold with double cranksets, the GS is sold with triple cranksets and may be used with double cranksets. Shimano does make some medium cage mountain derailleurs, but the 105 is a road RD. Take a look at the examples shown at http://www.shimano.com.
JiveTurkey
05-12-10, 10:23 PM
Road SS (short cage):
150555
vs.

Road GS (long cage):
150556

Once you've seen the two compared, I imagine it will be pretty easy to figure out which any given one is.
bikinfool
05-12-10, 11:03 PM
Or you can look at it like this, there are three cage lengths, SS, GS & SGS, i.e. short medium and long. If you're dealing with road group derailleurs then it's usually SS and GS, if mountain then it's generally GS vs SGS. Just relative to what your usual application is. Mountain bikers often call the GS short cage just as road bikers may call it long cage.