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As above I’m looking at buying an uktegra r8000 rear mech in medium (gs) cage length so I can accommodate an 11-32 cassette. I’ve found some info on the previous gen (6800) mech but not true r8000.
What length should there be between the 2 jockey wheel centres on the medium cage? I’m trying to check a second hand mech is the correct type.
About 90mm (didn't want to destroy the packaging to get an accurate measurement)
It's pretty easy to tell from looking at the cage. SS doesn't have a cut out, GS does. This is an SS

This is a GS

Cheers - still not 100% sure though - the pictures on the advert don’t show the right front angle to see the cutout on the cage. I’ve got a picture with a measurement of say 73mm ish between the centres of the jockeys. Is a 6800 I’d think that could be medium cage but it sounds like it’s a bit short on the r8000 which is a completely different design.
Link to the advert?
https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F153395814863
I’m thinking it’s an SS but there’s an unhelpful standard picture (showing an ss) but it’s listed as medium cage.
I should probably just go and buy a 105 r7000 new for similar money but the lure of Ultegra is calling me!!
.
Anyone any further thoughts on the link I sent - SS or GS mech?
I recently bought a silver 105 7000 GS from ChainReaction that cost me £38 (cheapest colour option at time), the black one is now £37.
https://www.chainreactioncycles.com/shimano-105-r7000-rear-derailleur/rp-prod173487
11-34 cassettes in stock for ~£37 https://www.merlincycles.com/shimano-105-cs-r7000-cassette-11-speed-117086.html , CRC now out of stock.
Anyway, your Ebay link, I think it's SS cage... Distance between pulley axles on my GS is ~8.5cm, from upper pulley axle to cage base running past lower pulley axle is ~11.5cm. All approx as mech yet to be fitted, along with 11-34 cassette!
Joe - that's a short cage by the look of things. I run an 11-32 cassette with a medium cage (GS) Ultegra R8000 mech on one bike and 11-28 with a short cage Ultegra 6800 on the other.
I don't think you'd notice a huge difference between 105 and Ultegra for this part alone, but I do think it's worth putting the small cost difference into perspective. You could easily save a lot more that the difference in cost between an Ultegra and 105 mech by paying more attention to how your pension / savings / mortgage / other costs are doing!
Life's too short. If you want an Ultegra mech for another £15-20 over 105, just do it!
Cheers for the above. I’ve knocked that Ultegra mech idea on the head and ordered an r7000 105 rear mech in black from crc. I won’t notice the difference if I’m brutally honest! I’ve already received a new chain and an 11-32 cassette from merlin this week so as soon as the rear mech arrives I’m good to go. Hoping the existing cable will be fine as I don’t want to spend hours messing with internal cables on my caad 12. I have got spare cable / outer on standby though just in case.
It looks like the cassette I’ve ordered has a 32t cog then the next down is a 28t so should just give me that bail out I want/ need on some steeper hills. Will probably stick with semi compact rings up front for now and see how it goes.
one of the pictures shows the back of the cage and that says "japan SS" ?
I wasn’t sure if that was an ‘SS’or something else - but good point!