Originally Posted by
clink83
If he already has a 36t on the front, he *has* to have a 110bcd crank, and just needs new chainings. I also don't know where you guys are getting that there is a short cage RD for apex, because according to SRAM there isn't:
http://www.sram.com/sram/road/produc...ear-derailleur
If you guys are going to give advice, at least know what you're talking about. He already has a compact, and has a RD that has a 32t capacity. If he wants to change his gearing, all he has to do is either put on a new chain and cassette, or new front chainrings, which may require shortening the chain.
On your link, look in the bottom left and click on "alternate views" to see a picture of the short cage derailleur (you might notice it has a shorter cage than the primary picture). Yes, no information is listed for it in the specs, but it can be readily found elsewhere on the internet (weight 200g, wrap 33 links, max cog 28t). I assume this is because so much of their marketing for Apex has focused around it as a triple replacement, rarely mentioning that it can also serve as a standard road group. The Allez is equipped with this derailleur (I happen to know, as I have one sitting in my house, I also have a cross bike with the Apex mid-cage derailleur, and they are definitely different cage lengths).
The Allez comes stock with a 110 bcd crankset with 36/52 chainrings. As suggested, the OP could change the inner ring to a 34, and in doing so would probably want to also put a matching 50t ring on the outside.