Campagnolo Record HO Deral 2018 Short Cage carbon or alloy?

[3Pio]

Im interested in getting spare deral. Campagnolo Record HO Deral 2018 short cage version (RD18-RE1 part number) (yes, i dont like 12sp that much so now making some spare parts to stay 11sp as much as possible)

What im a bit confused is about cage material.. Is it still carbon as 2015-2016 version, or now cage is alloy in this 2018 HO short cage version?.. I know for Medium version of this deral, cage is definetely alloy (RD18-RE1M) but not sure for short version...

Anyone?

And if i get short version of this (Part Number RD18-RE1), since is HO deral, i think it's not a problem and easy swap for medium cage if needed? (i know it's not suggested for Non HO Derals)

Thanks

[CrankyCarbon]

I think the Front Plate is Carbon Fiber. at least it looks like it from the 2018 catalog for HO rear

The Campy Technical Document lists the HO 11 spd 2018 Rear Der as
RECORDTM REAR DERAILLEUR
New upper body with HO (Hydraulic Optimization) geometry in Ultra-light technopolymer reinforced with carbon
fibre - Upper pulley wheels with longer teeth - Lower pulley wheels with rounded teeth - Embrace TechnologyTM
- Carbon fiber cage construction - Front plate in carbon fibre - lower body in monolithic technopolymer with carbon
elements - Aluminum fixing bolt

AS you mentioned, I have the 2018 Record 11spd HO medium cage and I do believe it's aluminum. Here's the medium cage description which clearly identifies the "aluminum cage". I run Medium 2018 Record HO & Chorus HO on 2 bikes.
RECORDTM REAR DER. - MEDIUM
72,5 mm aluminum cage to fit the 11-32 Campagnolo 11 cassette - New upper body HO (Hydraulic Optimization)
geometry in Ultra-light technopolymer reinforced with carbon fibre - Travel limit screws positioned on the rear
of the upper body - Upper pulley wheels with longer teeth - Lower pulley wheels with rounded teeth - Embrace
TechnologyTM - Front plate in carbon fibre - lower body in monolithic technopolymer with carbon elements - Aluminum
fixing bolt

[AJS914]

I'd get the medium cage. Graeme, the campy service rep, has posted several times that the medium cage derailleur actually shifts better than the short cage derailleur. On top of that you won't put that carbon derailleur in a drawer for some years only to realize later on that you have one of those twisted carbon pieces that causes it to shift poorly.

For just a spare part, you can also just get a Chorus unit. Chances are that you'll never need it and then just be reselling it some day.

[3Pio]

Campy HO Rear Ders.jpgI think the Front Plate is Carbon Fiber. at least it looks like it from the 2018 catalog for HO rear

The Campy Technical Document lists the HO 11 spd 2018 Rear Der as
RECORDTM REAR DERAILLEUR
New upper body with HO (Hydraulic Optimization) geometry in Ultra-light technopolymer reinforced with carbon
fibre - Upper pulley wheels with longer teeth - Lower pulley wheels with rounded teeth - Embrace TechnologyTM
- Carbon fiber cage construction - Front plate in carbon fibre - lower body in monolithic technopolymer with carbon
elements - Aluminum fixing bolt

AS you mentioned, I have the 2018 Record 11spd HO medium cage and I do believe it's aluminum. Here's the medium cage description which clearly identifies the "aluminum cage". I run Medium 2018 Record HO & Chorus HO on 2 bikes.
RECORDTM REAR DER. - MEDIUM
72,5 mm aluminum cage to fit the 11-32 Campagnolo 11 cassette - New upper body HO (Hydraulic Optimization)
geometry in Ultra-light technopolymer reinforced with carbon fibre - Travel limit screws positioned on the rear
of the upper body - Upper pulley wheels with longer teeth - Lower pulley wheels with rounded teeth - Embrace
TechnologyTM - Front plate in carbon fibre - lower body in monolithic technopolymer with carbon elements - Aluminum
fixing bolt

Thanks.. Seem that is carbon, so it's what i wanted to know

I'd get the medium cage. Graeme, the campy service rep, has posted several times that the medium cage derailleur actually shifts better than the short cage derailleur. On top of that you won't put that carbon derailleur in a drawer for some years only to realize later on that you have one of those twisted carbon pieces that causes it to shift poorly.

For just a spare part, you can also just get a Chorus unit. Chances are that you'll never need it and then just be reselling it some day.

Thank AJS914.. I reread few times posts mentioned that Medium cage work better then Short cage even with smaller cassettes then 29.. But to be honest, most of the time i ride 12-29 and i like how short cage work.... Medium cage probably will be for some future (when not enough time for riding and loosing some of the fitness ...)

And if i get the short cage version + medium cage as spare, i can always upgrade short cage on HO version im buying, with medium cage (seem easy and not time consuming operation) , and use the short cage i get like that as spare on my other two derals (which are 2015+ but not HO)...

If i go with medium cage, but want short in the future, i realized is harder to source short cage vs medium

So probably will go Medium cage from SR + Short Cage HO Record Deral (and that way i'll even cover jockey wheels which i need to replace soon since i have 25000 km on them)

And about spares that i wont need ever.. Maybe true But another thing i dont plan to do as long as i can is switching to Disc... So since i'll have almost spare groupset, probably will be matter of time when i source on SALE Rim Brake Frameset which nobody want (let's say Colnago C60 or C64, or SuperSixEvoHiMod or maybe Specialissima...) and build another bike and that way avoding moving to disc for long long time...

[Attermann]

if you ride the 29, then it's exactly where you would want the medium, even on a 11-25 it shifts better for me than a short cage.

[robertbb]

I'd get the medium cage. Graeme, the campy service rep, has posted several times that the medium cage derailleur actually shifts better than the short cage derailleur. On top of that you won't put that carbon derailleur in a drawer for some years only to realize later on that you have one of those twisted carbon pieces that causes it to shift poorly.

For just a spare part, you can also just get a Chorus unit. Chances are that you'll never need it and then just be reselling it some day.

The medium cage shifts better on the 27/29 cassettes.

Also, all the "HO" offerings had fully aluminium inner and outer cages - including right up to Super Record.

[robertbb]

Also, 3Pio, if you just want the cages and nothing else - look at Potenza HO derailleurs. The cage is fully compatible. (But the derailleur as a whole won't work on C/R/SR because the strength of the spring is different).

[3Pio]

Thanks guys.. I decided to order just a Medium Cage new Rear Deral Record, and spare Jockey Wheels (RE-900), for my old groupset

So this way i'll have spare deral and beeing able to try 32 cassette in the future, and to compare short vs medium on 12-29 i ride now

Thanks for ur help

[3Pio]

Ok, i just got the Medium Cage Rear Deral (Campy Record)

Still did not installed, but two things i dont like:

1. 17 gm heavier then Short Cage

2. Ugly (Short cage, especially older version with carbon cage is thing of beauty.. Elegant, very pleasant for eyes.. And in my case work flawless on both my bikes 52/36 12-29)

Anyway, i have spare deral for 32 duties if i need in the future, or if i build another bike

[CrankyCarbon]

Ok, i just got the Medium Cage Rear Deral (Campy Record)

Still did not installed, but two things i dont like:

1. 17 gm heavier then Short Cage

2. Ugly (Short cage, especially older version with carbon cage is thing of beauty.. Elegant, very pleasant for eyes.. And in my case work flawless on both my bikes 52/36 12-29)

Anyway, i have spare deral for 32 duties if i need in the future, or if i build another bike

I have 11-32 on both my main bikes.
I have not used the 32 much at all or anything above a 27.
Being 53 yrs old there are some days my body says "ugh, call a taxi" on long climbs and then my largers cogs come in handy.
I figured, having 32 is better than not having the option "just in case".

One bike is 53x39 (2014 Chorus) and the other is 52x36 (2018 Rec) though so one is even lower than the other overall.

It's true that carbon cage is a thing of beauty .. but functionality for me won over beauty.