Does anyone know whether SRAM's 2 x 10 speed groupset priciple will trickle down through to the lower end groupsets in their range, or do you think it will be purely the domain of their uber expensive XX range aimed at racers.
The whole concept really appeals to me of running just a double front set up, whilst keeping all but a few of the granny ratios for my race hardtail, but at no point could I justify the sort of money required to buy XX

Well having just read this months dirt mag there is a suggestion that someone is making a 11/36 cassette at the moment and with various companys making front double systems already or even runnig a single set up which is where the artical in dirt was going ie a 36 front aligned to a 11/36 rear should give you a pretty good range for even the hardest hills or so they recon. As for everything else well it's only an evolution of what already is out there with minor weight savings or not in some case's.
Bat.

Shimano already make a 12-36 cassette, but an 11-36 would be nice

The Shimano cassette is 9 speed.

XO is going 2 x 10 next year (as is XTR and XT). No news of trickle down below that as yet.

XO is going 2 x 10 next year (as is XTR and XT)

The XT, sounds interesting it hopefully should be in my budget.

Yep. Link here:

http://weightweenies.starbike.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=68108

With piccies of new bling shiny XTR (in fact a bit too bling IMO!) and not so bling, not-as-nice-as-current XO.

I am running XX and the front shifting is a revelation. The rest is just like before, but the extra cog at the back enables you to run 2 up front and not sacrifice usable gear range. Even if you don't stretch to XX, 2 x 10 is highly recommended.

With your spindly legs….better off with a quad setup..4 chainrings at the front :lol:…you can just use your existing chainset and get some TA rings mate…could have asked me about this yesterday…I had enough breath to talk on a coulple of occaisions!

Actually, looking at the spec sheet on that link, it looks like Shimano are reserving double chainsets for XTR. Still, the rest of XT will be 10 speed so a mix'n'match aproach should work.

10speed slx too

could have asked me about this yesterday

Busted !! my cover is blown !!

Its the 10 speed thing thats the key, dont want to simply convert my bike to 2 front rings, I want 10 speed, so I can keep the majority of my ratios

Everything on my bike is about to hit the "out fo date" bracket.. oh well just I can just get fitter. 🙂

Want or need?….not sure you'd notice one less gear…plus reckon a 34 on the rear is plenty for a man of your calibre 😉

The Shimano cassette is 9 speed.

i know – but still has a good range

Want or need?….

Lets face it, with the exception of a few things, like food, water and oxygen everything is a "want" and not a "need" Unless you are the current Mrs Jengin who obviously "needs" 8 handbags and 12 pairs of boots 😆

According to that weightweenies link SLX will be 10 speed. XTR has a quick link chain too.

Well, SLX and XT are going 10sp next year, so I can only imagine SRAm will follow. Pics were posted on here, with a copy of the spec sheets as well, and they were hushed up and removed very fast indeed, so I won't repost the pics. 🙂

Shimano will have 11-32, 32 & 36 cassettes in 10sp XT and SLX

much more interested in going the other way.

started with 22/32/44 & 11-32 9spd
now on 22/36 & 11-32 9spd

so the next logical step is to keep the range and reduce the number of gears so 8spd, maybe even 7spd

proper chains and rings that dont wear out each year anyone?

Oh a quick link chain for anybody interested.

I've still got an 8s setup as a spare!

When it's fitted I can't tell if I'm on 8 speed or 9speed unless I look at the very 90's looking shifter!

Last time arround I was all in favour of 9speed, it was great (ok, maybe I can tell when I'm on 8 speed, the jumps are a little learger) but TBH if my bike had 8speed, and shimano had continued developing 8speed I wouldn't have upgraded.

I_Ache.

Is that picture as randomly posted in this thread as I think?

What am I missing?

Solarider

New XTR is getting a chain with a quick link rather than a replaceable pin like old ones. Check my previous post.

Aha, now I get it. Looks easier to use than the SRAM 10 speed version too. Once they are clicked into place, they are a real bugger to get back undone.

I was considering ditching my current 22/32 11-28; 8spd to go to 22/36 11-32 9spd then I got all excited about SLX going 10spd. but the more I think about it why should I bother at all?
I think I'll renew my 8spd cassette and chain in the summer and I've already got the 36t ring and a new chain bought I’ll just knacker my current drive until the end of winter and then change the business end parts, I think I’ll just go 22/32 11-30, 8spd….

All I’m really missing is a couple of “in between” ratios, I like 9spd I run it on my Road and DH bikes, but having used 8spd for ages on my trail bike and gotten used to it I can’t see the need for me to jack in a perfectly good shifter for the sake of an extra couple of sprockets…

No doubt I’ll wind up with a 10spd MTB someday, probably when they’re common as muck and the price of owning one has reduced (due to 11speed becoming the norm), realistically it’s a bit of a willy waving arms race between the 2 Big S’s, the useful side effect will probably be thet it drives the cost of 9spd cassettes and chains down for those people who simply want to renew their current drive rather than have the latest and greatest 10spd toys…

Looks easier to use than the SRAM 10 speed version too. Once they are clicked into place, they are a real bugger to get back undone.

The SRAM 10spd powerlinks aren't meant to be undone once fitted!

The XO looks terrible I thought at first it was a new Shimano DX group (anyone remember that?) as the X0 logo looked like DX upside down on the crank.

Those XTR cranks look absolutely gorgeous IMHO.

SRAM announced a new budget road group last week which will feature an 11-36 cassette so that they don't need to do a triple for tourers. Looks like the same cassette as the 10 speed none XX will be using.

I too still have a set of 8 speed XT waiting for a bike to go on.

It seems to me that SRAM won't rush to duplicate the best parts of XX for 9-speed. The extra gear isn't that big a deal, it's the 36T cassette and the 1.5:1 cranks that seem to make the difference. Give us a 36-11 lightweight 9-speed cassette and an X9 and X0 rear mech that can accomodate it and we could get most of the benefit of XX tomorrow for about a hundred quid.

So, if they want to sell much XX, that's not in their interest unfortunately 🙁

(oh, the 36-12 deore 29er cassette can apparently be converted to run 36-11m, but it's pretty heavy)

XTR, XT and SLX will be 10 speed next year with both triple and double options on the chainset for SLX and XT. I've seen a Shimano parts list sfor 2011.

Poppa. Blimey, you really got me thinking there, and sure enough they are meant to be broken, but not rejoined. I just assumed that you could break the chain and relink it like the 9 speed versions. That does somewhat negate the benefit of the Powerlink to break and rejoin the chain easily for cleaning on a 10 speed chain. Rubbish! Oh well, looks like a KMC chain beckons next time!

Yeah, my road bike came with a SRAM chain but I use a KMC link on it!

Sram are making a 1070 cassette in 12-32 (should be about £50-60 ish?). Add some Doubletap flat bar shifters of bar ends with Paul thumbie brackets and you're good to go (might not work with a short road rear mech though, unless you're 1×10).