13t smallest sprocket problems - much of an issue or no?

[DanD]

Hey, I just ordered a Silvio! Now I have to figure out what components to put on this thing. Doug is out of town & may not be around for a few days, so I thought I'd ask this group. Besides, maybe someone else will have this same question: is a 13t smallest sprocket on a Centaur cassette likely to cause a problem with the fork leg? According to the component guide this can be a problem with some Campy setups.

Can anyone here report on using a 13t smallest and how well it does/doesn't work?

Thanks!

Dan

 

[Mark B]

Hi Dan,

I don't have the answer to your question, but I would like to welcome you to the forum and welcome you to the Silvio club!

FWIW, I run a 12t Campy on my Silvio and can't imagine one more tooth causing problems. Stranger things have happened, I guess.

Welcome, once again!

Mark

 

[Doug Burton]

Hi Dan,

The cog size question arises if you have the TFT adjusted to a very short length. This makes the chainstay-to-fork-leg angle very acute, and can allow the chain to rub the inside of the fork leg in top gear, especially when the chain lifts for shifting. The TFT on my Silvio is adjusted quite short and I experience the problem with a 12t top cog.

To my knowledge no one has encountered this with an 11t cog at any TFT length.

I have made extensive experiments to solve this using spacers, but the results have been unacceptable. I used a 2.5mm axle spacer between the right hub face and the fork leg. This solved the clearance issue, but used up enough of the derailleur travel that the bike did not want to shift into the low cog. (read: massive clattering and chucking, and the shifting linearity was affected such that the registration between the "stops" on the shifter and the cog locations was off. This made it shift okay in top range, but not bottom, and vice-versa when re-adjusted.)

Thanks,

 

[DanD]

Well, I thought it worth the gamble to try campagnolo's 29-13 rear cassette. I have a fairly typical inseam for a 5'11" guy and have had no problems at all with the 13t smallest sprocket.