In more tech news, it is being reported now that Campagnolo is now going to spread it’s 11 speed technology across it’s three top gruppos. This would seem to indicate that including the already mentioned Super Record, that Campagnolo will also use 11 speed on Record and Chorus. Can Shimano be far behind?

Recently introduced Dura Ace is still 10 speed, but Shimano surely will not sit idly by if Campagnolo’s three top end groups go 11 speed and are successful in the market place. This means that the possibility for 8 and 9 speed parts to be phased out is even greater, which would be a real shame for those who want to keep their older rigs running into the future.

Added to this is the looming entrance into the drivetrain market of FSA components, who have been tight lipped about what, if anything they are coming out with. Rumors abound though, and the latest is that not only is FSA going to release an eleven speed road group, but an eleven speed mountain bike group as well! Surely, nothing is known for sure, but if this is true, the mountain group would have to have some serious technology to withstand the forces of mountain biking. And one would also have to question the overall weight of such a group, having two more cogs than the benchmark SRAM X-0 and Shimano XTR groups.

As far as having the extra cogs goes, I have to question the “why” in the case of the mountain bike. Is close ratio shifting for mountain biking a necessity? Is having two extra cogs worth it unless the cogs are larger than 34 teeth? (If they were, it would be the go to set up for 1 by, and 2 by drive train systems)

Interesting times to live in, that’s for sure. It seems that the “more must be better” philosophy is still king in the bicycle drive train world, if for no other reason than to differentiate marketing-wise and make more money by causing older drive train systems to become “obsolete”. “Shifty” motives, to be sure!