Cyclone MKII what’s the biggest you’ve run ?
 

Velobase says I can use a 26t cog as a max. But I compared a Cyclone to another Suntour that has a listed max of 28t and they look about the same. In terms of jockey wheel spacing. So I need an experience based option. And no, indexing will never come into consideration.

hmm.... I've been running a Cyclone GT Mk I with a 13-30 seven speed cassette (and previously a similar freewheel) for over 20 years.
I think I've used the Mark II version too, but since I don't have pictures, I won't swear to it. I don't think there's any significant difference in the capacity of the Mk I and II, though.

https://live.staticflickr.com/5569/3...a490dc_c_d.jpg


and for context, here's the whole bike...
https://live.staticflickr.com/5711/3...3b7756_c_d.jpg

Steve in Peoria

I remember running a 26 cog with my Cyclone MkII RD, back in the 80's.
Even though the MkII RD looked and weighed like serious racing tackle, it had a long enough pulley cage to accomodate the medium ratio rear cogs, with no problem.

I think the length of the derailleur hanger is a factor, because once you jump to the GT cage, the max cog is rated at 34 teeth. There is probably a catalog page on the interwebs that would shed some light.

EDIT: Aha! https://www.disraeligears.co.uk/site...-_page_14.html

Should have made that clear from the start: I am using the RD 3500, the shorter version of the MK II. Guess I’ll just throw it on and see if I can coax it on to a 28.

I’ve run the short racing cyclone mkII on two bikes with 28 rear cogs. One early 80s road bike with horizontal suntour dropouts and one on a Bridgestone XO3 with suntour vertical do. The shifting on the suntour horizontal DOs was marginal. On the vertical DOs it was fine. Can’t hurt to try, if you are using horizontal DOs you might try different forward or backwards positions to see if the shifting improves

oops... sorry! I was assuming a GT, not the short cage.

The closest I got to using a short cage Cyclone was when I used a Superbe on a 26T freewheel. I'm not sure I would have tried 28T on that derailleur.

Steve in Peoria

What about using the trick we use with the Campagnolo NR? Just move the axle as far back in the drop out as possible. I run 28 tooth lows on most of my bikes that have the NR or SR set up.

Yeah, I’ve run a 28 with an NR, and it worked okay most of the time. Figured the same might be the case with the MKII. This will go on a Trek 300 series with horizontal DOs so there may be some adjustments needed. Still, I have two of these RDs that Either need to get used or find a new home. Thanks

I use the Cyclone 6000, and it takes a 28T cog with no problem. Velobase quotes it as 26T max. I am under the impression that any Cyclone will take a 28T. If it fails to negotiate larger than 26T, Wheels Manufacturing makes a dropout extender.

It's not clear to me why the largest rear cog is different between the two. I always thought max cog was determined by the distance from the axle to the top of the upper pulley. As far as I know, the Cyclone and Cyclone GT derailleurs are identical except for the GT's longer cage (which increases total capacity). How do you get from 26/28t to 34t max just by extending the cage? I would think you'd need to either change the geometry of the derailleur body or move it down, either with a longer dropout hanger or a hanger extension.

Also, what is a "Superbe rear end?"

+1. Several years ago I bought my Crescent which had suffered through a RD hanger removal. My frame builder had a hanger to braze back on but asked what drop I wanted. I researched the topic and was surprised at the variety of choices. Some RD catalogs stated RD capacity along with qualifiers such as “26T with 28mm drop”. I picked one (don’t recall what now) for my Cyclone MKI GT and that pairing easily handles a 28T cog.

So, yes the answer is beyond just the RD. May include drop distance (center of axle to center of RD mounting hole), dropout type and dimensions, dropout spacing, etc.

I'm wondering if the OP is having trouble with the derailleur capacity, why not just use the GT version?

If the OP doesn't have one, I know of a guy nearby that has a few and owes the OP a favor or two...:innocent:

The non-GT attaches the cage between the pulleys, while the GT attaches through the upper pulley, so the GT does have more room. I’m not sure what Superbe rear end is, but it’s probably referring to the dropout.

Doesn't every man know when he sees one? (Sorry, couldn't resist.)

I wish hanger drop was a commonly noted number. It has real effect on how big a cog you can run. And it varies quite a lot on older bikes and dropout manufacturers and models. (I ran a wide triple with a 13-19 FW for years. Bike had no integral hanger so I made a short hanger out of 1/4" aluminum plate. Top of derailleur hit the QR nut. Can't get much shorter. Rear shifting with a V-GT Lux was full race precise. Now you can get hanger extensions - Wolf Tooth. Haven't tried that; still not being a big cog guy but that might work for the OP. (Probably cost more than two or three of the Cyclones out there also.)

Thanks for the offer. But…….

Why not the GT? Basically, It’s because I’m cheap and lazy. Cheap in the context of I want to use what I have on hand, currently two of the MKIIs. If the MKII doesn’t work, I need to offload them. Can’t envision ever riding less than a 28 again, except on the fixed gear. Lazy in that changing from the existing RD will mean finding the box that has the cable housing, which is buried under the gardening supplies. That might not seem all that daunting but a lot of veg gets grown on the Spadoni spread.

Is that rack coated steel? I have one just like it that I bought in the for sale section some years ago.

13-26 6-speed in back, with 45-42 half-step in front, on a "claw" mount -- works like a champ, all 12 gears

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...53ea7fe239.jpg
My UO-8 with barcon cables routed between the rack and the cylindrical Bellwether front bag.

yep. It's a Tubus Cargo rack. It's held up to about 20 years of use now. I've used tape and stuff to keep the panniers from rubbing through the paint, but that's to be expected. It's been an excellent rack!

Steve in Peoria