Campag Record concerns...

cabbagetom said:

Hello All,

Well i just bought a new bike which was quite good value, but I have a couple of concerns about the Record components on it.

1) It comes with a medium cage rear derailleur, the person I bought it from used 13-27 I think. I plan on using a 12-25 cassette for racing...will I notice any real problems or should I be ok, or is there any way of changing the cage?

2) The crankset is 170 and I have been riding 172.5. I realise there may be no right answer but do you think I will notice any real distance. I realise Sheldon Brown thinks I will likely be ok, but I do like riding hills and I guess my style is slightly more mashing than spinning, but at the moment my lowest rear sprocket is 13, and now I have 12 could this compensate for the difference in leverage somehow?

Any help would be so greatly appreciated
Tom

1)Too expensive to change the cage. Just use it, it will work just fine. No 'penalty' whatsoever.

2) 2.5mm, I'd say go ride and be objective about how they 'feel'. If you think there is a big difference, when you ride it there will be, psychologically. But in actual practice, the difference in leverage, etc is teeny.

I find I only notice 2.5mm of crank length when out of the saddle sprinting, I think my top rpm comes from shorter crank length. That said I also feel my top acceleration comes from longer! hehe I cant tell any difference, climbing or cruising, low or high rpm...I can hear the murmurs already (what a headcase...)

;-)