Can anyone tell me why a Campag medium or large cage rear derailleur can't handle a larger cog, say a 32 tooth? My ideal for a touring bike would be a compact triple(30-40-50) with a 12-32 cassette. Probably wishful thinking. Looking for any feedback. Thanks.

It's my understanding that the cage length only influences the capacity. How large the largest sprocket can be will be determined by the derailleur body.

Not sure if it helps, but Shimano 9spd stuff would be the only option I can think of right now that would give you your ideal combo.

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"Nothing compares to the simple pleasures of a bike ride," said John F. Kennedy, a man who had the pleasure of Marilyn Monroe.

Yps has it right. With Campy, the rear upper sprocket is the same distance from the cassette regardless of whether it is a short or long cage RD.

The cage length relates to the total takeup capacity of the RD.

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