SEA OTTER CLASSIC 2010 - Shimano has finally pulled the embargo and
secret shroud off their new XT and SLX groups, and they’ve both gone to
10 speeds in the rear while keeping their triple chainrings up front.
“When
we started developing the new groups, we didn’t set out to make a 10
speed set up just to do 10 speeds,” says Devin Walton, Shimano’s man of
the media. “It was about making the best possible drivetrain, and what
we figured out was that 10 speed was the way to do that.
“It allowed
us to have a 36T cassette while keeping a close ratio between the
gears. And in the front, it let us create more efficiency by tweaking
the tooth ratios.”
The new system uses Shimano’s Dynasys moniker
from the road side, and the end result is a more efficient and usable
drivetrain that claims to improve the overall ride experience in many
ways.
More info, specs and photos after the break…
The big ring was reduced to 42T (from 44) and the granny was upped to
24T (from 22). The middle ring remains at 32T. Together, the closer
range loses a little bit at the top end of the gear range, but most
riders aren’t going to miss it. Seriously, how often are you pounding
through in a 44/11 combo anyway?
“A 44T is a lot of gear for a
mountain bike,” says Walton. “A 42 is a lot more usable and lets you
stay in the big gear longer. Moving from a 22 to a 24 on the little
gear reduces chain tension by about 10%, which reduces friction by
about the same amount, thereby increasing efficiency by about that
amount.”
