i didn't say it was the best hub for all situations, but there are plenty of cases where i think it'd be a perfectly viable option.

by the time one removes the extra chainrings, deraillers, cassette, etc, part of the extra weight of the hub is offset.

i still maintain that if that hub can be used successfully on something like a downhill bike it'll handle just about anything else just fine. the ability to shift while stopped would appeal towards a lot of people.

if a system like the g-boxx was developed for cross-country bikes i'd consider getting one. g-boxx solves the rotational weight issue by building the hub into the frame, so the rear wheel is pretty much a standard wheel. i'd feel a lot more comfortable in the tight singletrack we have around here with that sort of setup than i would with deraillers which love to get caught on things.