[BikerBoy28]

So after years of shimano I'm making the switch to SRAM. I have 2010 Kona Stab which has a fair amount of chain growth so I'm wondering whether I should get a long cage derailer or a short? My chain is probably a link or two shorter than it should be, so would a short cage make up for that? I'm oblivious when it comes to drivetrain Cant afford new chain and derailer, gotta work with what I got. I have the SRAM 970 cassette if it makes a difference. Thanks guys.

 

[rockofullr]

Depends on your cassette.

 

[BikerBoy28]

26-11

 

[MTBAlex]

sorryto hijack your thread. But would a 11-32 be compatible with a short cage?

 

[armada]

a friend of mine put a short one on his 09 stab and the chain growth broke it so if i were you i went with a medium cage

 

[BikerBoy28]

a friend of mine put a short one on his 09 stab and the chain growth broke it so if i were you i went with a medium cage

Ok thats what I am leaning towards anyway

 

[cableguy]

a friend of mine put a short one on his 09 stab and the chain growth broke it so if i were you i went with a medium cage

Was that with a road cassette or 11-32/34?

 

[marshalolson]

did he have a long enough chain?

 

[Slater]

With a chain of the proper length (at bottom out), cage length is irrelevant. Especially because in the instances when the chain does go taught and starts cranking the pedals backwards, it is only taught between the tops of the sprockets, and still under only derailleur spring tension down below.

 

[slyfink]

I hate to send you to another forum, but this sticky-ed thread pretty much covers your question: http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=284688

 

[rockofullr]

I hate to send you to another forum, but this sticky-ed thread pretty much covers your question: http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=284688

Nice, those guys were geeking it out hard.

 

[BikerBoy28]

Alright thanks I'll give that a good read through

 

[TWeerts]

you could break a long cage, too if you could flex the chainstay far enough. so, i would wager that the chain in the broken example above was too short. its all relative (to gearing, suspension system, frame geo...)

in general:

long cage = 3 rings up front
med cage = 2 rings
short cage = 1 ring

the crankset difference (like 24-44 or something for 3 rings) causes more chain growth (or shortening?) than the cassette.

that being said, a wide cassette (11-34) may perform better with a med cage even when running a single ring etc....

 

[IH8Rice]

that being said, a wide cassette (11-34) may perform better with a med cage even when running a single ring etc....

the difference is marginal in my experience. Sram's short cage can go up to a 34t cog too iirc

 

[BikerBoy28]

so since I'm running a single 36t up front and a 26-11 rear...short would be my best bet? my chain is also slightly short, so a short cage should theoretically lengthen it?

 

[Slater]

Yes and No. I run same gearing with a short cage and its good. With the derailleur pulled all the way forward in the lowest gear the difference in chain length will be very minimal. Especially with your bike's chain growth, if the chain is a bit small, it's cheap insurance to throw a new longer chain on there.

 

[miuan]

so since I'm running a single 36t up front and a 26-11 rear...short would be my best bet? my chain is also slightly short, so a short cage should theoretically lengthen it?

There's no such thing as lengthening the chain by means of shorter cage. You will still break the chain upon bottom out if it's too short, no matter what cage you run. With a proper chain length, a short x9 will be all you need for a 11-26 cassette.