I had my first ride last night with the new setup, and I am truly amazed at the difference. First off, chain slap is 99 percent gone. Taking two links out and using that narrow wide was an improvement I never expected - one quiet drivetrain indeed, and I bombed down some seriously stupid rock gardens. Secondly, the range (for me) of gearing now is spot on. I can hold a gear longer and found I am a bit quicker on some sections of the trail with none of the in-between gearing issues I had before with the 38/24 setup. Current weight of the bike stands at 27.2 pounds, with a weight loss just shy of a full pound after dropping the shifter, chainrings, cable, and front derailleur. Eventually the RD will be replaced, but with the performance I saw last night, it isn't real high on the priority list for me. YMMV