pottering around on my new Krampus, i think my lowest ratio (30:40) isnt low enough. There were a few hills i ended up walking up. Certainly going to want lower if i want to get bike packing this year.
Currently using an Airbike 9speed casette (11-40), with an XT mech on an Airbike goatlink extender, and a vintage (2000) XTR 9speed shifter.
Part of me quite likes the new Shimano Cues system. A bit chunkier, but much better in terms of replacement scope in the future, and in theorey long lasting. Would require a full replacement across the whole system though, and may require a new chainring too. Eugh.
Or could get a microshift 9 speed casette and possibly mech, to go onto the XTR Shifter and existing narrow wide chainring.
I guess, how does Microshift compare to Cues?
I've been using these Microshift levers (with an M8000 mech and Sunrace 11-46 cassette) for the last two years, and like them enough I'm refitting the commuter with an Advent-X shifter, cassette and mech in the next couple of weeks. I had considered a wide range 9 speed cassette and goatlink to go with an old 9 speed XT mech and shifter, but decided to go for the Microshift set-up.
Shimano 11 speed is a good balance of cost and range
Running Microshift Advent on 3 of my bikes now. No real issues* - solid, reliable, and it's cheap as chips.
*irritating skipping chain on one bike, but after swapping parts between bikes and A/Bing convinced it's nothing to do with the Microshift system.
Who needs more than 9 gears anyway? If Microshift (or anyone else) came up with a wide range 5 speed system I'd be all over that!
The SRAM 9 speed e-bike stuff looks interesting too, but the cost of the cassette!
I have Advent X on my FS bike. Seems good enough to me.
I recall shopping around for a wide range cassette from someone like Sunrace as the all steel Advent X cassette was very heavy.
The mech and shifter were pretty reasonable.
wide range 5 speed system I'd be all over that!
Rather you than me/each to their own but that'd have some horrible holes between gears.
I've been running Microshift Advent X on bike #2, a steel hardtail, Shifter, Mech and cassette all MS. Works very well, reliable and I don't worry about damaging super expensive kit.
I bought it more out of curiosity, to see if a cheap drive train would be good enough. A hearty recommend from me. It performs much better than its price tag.
Another happy user of Advent X here. Similarly bought it as a cheap why not option and was pleasantly surprised. In terms of min maxxing its spot on.