Originally Posted by
twocicle
Bill your points are all valid but they are do not answer the OP's question. The OP hates wide range cassettes and has no need for them (typically flat FL except for KOM sprints on overpasses and bridges). I'm not a hater of long cages - we have a SGS on our tandem in order to use wider ranged cassettes as needed.
Longer cages do introduce a couple slight negatives not mentioned... namely increased cage flex (ie: more shift imprecision), a couple more chain links and a longer/lower chain loop.
Either a green or a polka-dot jersey would be nice...
Thanks all y'all for the opinions/insights. While the very valid arguments for a DA or less have been made, I think I'll
try to stick with the XRT for the time being. With a new hanger. I really didn't think that my current RD could handle a 10-sp if I went that route. Since the bucket list includes riding in all states east of the Mississippi, maybe I'd better keep the long cage (& an extra wheel w/ mountain gearing). And if
I drop a pound, that should more than compensate for the weight of XTR. As for that 11-sp, I'm not sure that I can count that high. Entertaining notion, though, what with plans for a 601/603 crankset in the offing.
Jeff