At some point I'd like to upgrade my Voyageur to 9 speed but keep the 27" wheels. It's not easy to find a 9 speed compatible, 40 hole hub without going real expensive (phil wood, white industries, etc.) or using a tandem hub...which isn't much cheaper. This at least provides another option, and at a fraction of the price (~$20 vs ~$150) of getting a new hub.