Originally Posted by
cyccommute
mdithey does make a cogent point, however, about IGH. I doubt that you could walk into Ride On Bikes in Lewiston, Idaho and get the parts needed to fix an IGH of any flavor if something when wrong. If I screwed up a derailer, I could walk into any shop from Ride On Bikes to Ride 'n' Slide Sports in Beckley, WV and walk out with something that will get me down the road.
This is similar to what I was going to say. You could go with a top of the line, electronic shifting system if your tours take you in or near centres where repairs/replacements may be available. However, if you're crossing the plateaus in Nepal, you might be better off with a more easily fixable/replaceable system. The ultimate touring gruppo has to take into account, not just your preferences, knowledge and experience but where in the world you're going to tour and availability of parts/service.