Originally Posted by cudak888
Ease of shifting? Hah. I've had HG systems before, and I can name 1000+ reasons why I hate it - I'll just name a few:
*Extremely quick wear rate on low cogs (as if traditional freewheels didn't wear fast enough already), resulting in skipping chains, bad freewheels and worn cassette cogs.
I've not noticed any significant difference between wear rate of cogs on freewheels and cassettes. Why should there be any difference? The cogs aren't any thinner or thicker... is there some difference in their manufacture? To my knowledge, all quality cogs are forged, and then ramps are machined into them.
Originally Posted by cudak888
*Those damn pins!
I don't use Shimano chains. I use SRAM or KMC. KMC are cheap and good. I agree that the chain pins are a pain, but since you can use any chain, who cares?
Originally Posted by cudak888
*It is potentially disasterous to use genuine friciton levers with HG - Light Actions only, or else your chain will be skipping all over the place
That's news to me. I've been using Suntour barcons with Shimano LX derailers and 105 cassette for well over a year on my commuter. Smooth as can be. My chain isn't "skipping all over the place". Why would it???
Originally Posted by cudak888
*I've yet to get anything 8-speed HG to work right. 7-speed is fine, 8-speed? Forget it.
8-speed works for me in friction mode on my commuter, and in indexed mode with STI shifters on my road bike. I used 9 speed in friction mode on the road bike before getting the STI shifters used. That worked fine too. I've also used 7-speed Suntour bar-end shifters with Suntour derailer and an HG freewheel... that works too.
Of course indexed shifters are more finicky to get adjusted than friction. In particular front indexing is a pain to get right. But once you get it, the indexing should stay perfect for months if not years. The most you'll have to do is fiddle with the adjuster barrel for 30 seconds if the cables stretch.