HiYoSilver

Not sure if this should go in general or mechanical. It's more availability question.

Road bikes have 10 speed cassettes available. Mtn bikes only have 9 speed available. Is this the way they normally introduce high ring count cassettes and by next year, or 2006, we can expect to see a 10 speed cassette for mtn bike? Or is there a good reason not to have 10 speeds available for mtn bikes?

thanks

FarHorizon

Gear counts will probably go up, up, up because of consumer demand.

But with each increase in cassette-cog-counts comes a corresponding decrease in drive train durability. Thinner cogs, narrower chains, more and more rear wheel dish.

You pays your money - you takes your choice.

Thor29

9 speed is already pushing it as far as being strong enough for mountain biking. Even those ******s over at Mountain Bike Action Magazine, who love every trend that comes along, have promoted going back to 8 speed. I don't think there is a very compelling reason to increase the number of gears on a mountain bike. On a road bike, where perfect cadence is more important, maybe 10 speed makes sense. For racers anyway. Heck, I've got mountain gearing on my cyclocross bike (11-32, 9 speed) and I still often find myself shifting 2 or more gears at a time. I have no use at all for one tooth increments between gears. If I had gears on my mountain bike (I took them off and went back to single speed) I'd rather have a narrower cassette with less dishing of the rear wheel. Maybe a 12-34 6 speed with 8-speed width chain.

HiYoSilver

Darn. I have a 12-27 with 28 low front and that's too high for some hills around here. I was hoping they would come out with a 10 speed 11-31ish cassette. I guess I'll just have to drop to a lower chainring to get low end and nice cadence.