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This Time, They've Really Gone Too Far Longtime visitors to this site will recall that we were hesitant to embrace 9-speed systems when they were first introduced by Campagnolo. We've come to love 9-speed, and it has proven to be a fairly durable product. But, with the advent of the first 10-speed cassette/chain system, we're getting cold feet again. In fact, we'll go out on a limb and say that 9-speed systems will be around for at least several years to come, while 10-speed will find only limited acceptance (particularly among the European pro teams). Why? Because 9-speed systems are already pushing the envelope in terms of strength and durability. Reader Henrik, a close observer of the European cycling scene, wrote to say, "In one of the last issues of the British cycle sport magazine, a pro mechanic from the Belgian Lotto team (Kojak) told that he had to change chains and cogs midway in the TdF! How long will a chain last for a pro training, let's say 200 km. a day? 4 or 5 weeks? That's ridiculous bad.10 speed can only be worse, unless campy makes the cogs and chains in a better quallity than 9 speed, -which will make it more expensive." We agree. Granted, most of us don't put that kind of stress on our drivetrains, but over the long term, 10-speed systems will wear out sooner and break more easily. And why do you need a 10-speed cassette? Let's take my everyday gear setup, which includes an 11-21 freewheel. With that cassette, I have 11-12-13-14-15-16-17-19-21 cogs. Adding a tenth cog would either give me an 18 or a 23. The 18 isn't needed--when I'm down in that range, I want a 2-tooth difference anyway. And while it would be nice to have the 23 along, I'm not sure I would want to trade that for the better durability of the 9-speed system. We'll be waiting for our road testers to return their impressions to us. In the meantime, we'll remain skeptical that this is really an improvement. Got an opinion on this subject? Write to us.
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