roadwarrior

Sram. No batteries required.

halfspeed

There's always a lot of griping every time the number of cogs goes up because suddenly everybody is riding something "old". Get over it. The increase in number of gears will continue, probably up to 14 speeds, maybe even more. Nobody is forcing you to upgrade. Parts will continue to be available for legacy drivetrains for many years. You can move with the times or stay where you are.

robbyville

I don't think it's been answered yet so I will... Yes the DA 9000 front shifter has trim detents in both upper and lower ring (4detents total). IN my humble opinion I have never experienced better shifting than on my DA 9000 although I have not yet used DI2. I have owned 7800 and liked it, I've played with SRAM and Campy but never major miles or rides. I am a DA fanboy. And the brakes are ooh la la

halfspeed

Yet.

mihlbach

I agree with this as much as I disagree with the "8 is enough" mentality. If you've ridden 10 or 11 and don't notice the benefits over 8 or 9 then you aren't riding hard enough. Ride at the top of your ability (i.e. get yourself in a lot of pain) and you'll notice where gaps can be filled.

Personally, the huge gap between 17 and 19 on my 10 speed 12-25 cassette bothers me...its the largest gap in the cassette and near the middle of the cassette where it is frequently crossed. I sometimes use a 13-25 just to fill that gap...I lose the 12, but gain the 18. However I do miss the 12 when I get over 40mph. Even before 11 speed was available I have been thinking about the benefits of an 11 speed 12-25 cassette (12-13-14-15-16-17-18-19-21-23-25).

Bike Gremlin

htfu!

mihlbach

This argument doesn't work. Its like telling me to loose a pound off my body before dropping a pound off my bike, when in fact I can do both. Dropping weight off the body doesn't negate the benefits of dropping weight off the bike. In the same manner, one can HTFU regardless of the number of gears.

Bah Humbug

I'd like 11-speed if it would mean a 12-28 or 12-29 cassette with spacing at least as good as my 12-27. That'd let me jump to a 52/38 crankset without losing climbing ability, and my nice cruising speed is often near the top of my 36t or bottom of my 50t, currently.

Bike Gremlin

8 to 10 is not THAT much of a difference. You can always make it a big problem, companies selling groupsets certainly will make it a big deal, but it's not really that bad... as can often be made in one's head. One can enjoy rides and keep up with group, even with 2 tooth jumps at the back, really.

mihlbach

The difference between riding a 15LB carbon road bike and a 30 pound hybrid isn't THAT much of a difference either. Surely you can enjoy rides and keep up with a group in a hybrid.

The size of the difference is obviously what you make of it.

I'm not under the delusion that 11 gears are required to enjoy riding, but there are indisputable advantages to filling in the gaps on the cassette without decreasing range (or increasing range without increasing the size of gaps). Its up to you to decide if the difference is meaningful. For me it will be meaningful, though I have yet to make the leap. I just blew my annual upgrade budget on MTBs and high end BMX racing gear so I'm stuck with 10 speed for awhile, but just because I can't have 11 right now, doesn't mean I have to be a grouch about it and deny the benefits of what I can't have.

robbyville

For me the 11 spd was not the selling point but incidental to the new and better functioning groupset. I can say though that I love, love, love having the 11-28 (albeit I use the 28 way more than the 11!).

Bike Gremlin

Whatever makes one happy. When I compare chain costs, just the chain: 8 s and 10 s (or even 9), it just screams "RIPOFF"! Not worth it.

15 to 30 LB bikes - if the rider is really light AND is climbing, the difference can be significant. But even then, if the rider is not racing (or training to race) it just doesn't matter.

laserfj

You get that he was being sarcastic, right?

Bike Gremlin

Yes, sarcastic indeed. Still, I think most of the weight, gears, aero etc. is mostly "invented" to take your money.

As far as gearing goes, 3 x 8 is the sweet spot. Durable, cheap, decent range and not bad spacing. I don't like it's being phased out. Even Shimano Sora is now 9 speed. "Progress" - we pay more and more for things that last less. With lots of "improvements" we don't really need. But they sure make us WANT them.

patentcad

I would guess that Fabian Cancellera could hang with the groups I ride with on a hybrid. You or me, not so much.

Campag4life

Hang? He could drop the local group A ride on a hybrid. He's a freak....a super freak. Sing it Rick James.

banerjek

And no one would expect one from pcad. What would be the point of him writing posts that have a point?

zigmeister

Exactly, kick it into the next cog and start powering.....manly man.

rangerdavid

wheeeew!! I was afraid the upgrade was going to be mandatory!!

halfspeed

It might seem that way until you start trying to hang with extremely fit people half your age. Small differences can matter.

njkayaker

The difference between (more-realistic) 18lb and 30lb bicycles "matters" (in some way) to non-racers too. At the least, it's a bit quicker and a bit more pleasant to ride a lighter bike.

mihlbach

I said "a group" not " the A group".

Young Version

What's wrong with that? Bike companies exist because people buy new bikes and new bike parts. Selling new stuff isn't evil, regardless of the significance of the changes. I'd rather see incremental improvements than a stagnant industry.

halfspeed

Considering the amount of crying and moaning from the retrogrouches it's hard not to come to that conclusion.

banerjek

Yeah, but I would do great with an electric motor too...