Originally Posted by R. Danneskjöld
That's obviously a matter of opinion and your opinion is only one of many.
I've gone from six, to seven, to eight, to nine speed and chuckle when I read the hand wringing about the fragility of nine speed systems. I've never had a problem, nor have all of the disparate folks that I've ridden with, and I appreciate the extra gear/tighter spacing, depending upon cassette choice.
I was only going by what we saw in the shop I worked in, and personal experience. The only chain I've ever broken was a 9 speed. But it's no big secret that a 9 speed chain cannot be as strong as an 8, and that the big cog on a 9 speed cassette is weaker than on the 8. Perhaps Aussies are just a tougher lot, because it was not uncommon over there to see problems with 9 speed drivetrains.