the specialized worldcup dh team runs a micro cassette with the smallest cog being 9T. It shifts fine. Sure you need a special hub because the 9T is smaller than the standard freehub body.

10 speed might not be going anywhere but 9 speed will! I don't disagree with the one chainring, one deraileur and one shifter idea just that in my humble opinion there are better ways to achieve the same goal! Whatever happened to the micro cassette idea? It would allow you to run a 32T chainring or smaller and you'd still have a good range WITHOUT the dinner plate rear cog! You seriously wanna ride around with a 41T in the back?

The argument "if you don't like it don't buy it" isn't valid because sooner or later you won't HAVE a choice. Go to the sram website and check out their range for 2012! X-5 is 10 speed. X-7, X-9 and X0 are 9 or 10speed for the moment. XX is 10speed and now XX1 with 11 speed. I've been running a 1x8 setup since 1998 until few years ago I was running sram X5 trigger shifters and x-7 deraileur (all 9 speed deraileurs are compatible with 8 speed systems). Now I'm running an X4 trigger shifter with another x-7 deraileur. Sram makes 3 8speed cassettes which are good enough for me as I have no interest in having an XTR/XO/XX drivetrain. But in 2014 whose to say I'll still be able to find 8 speed parts or even 9 speed parts? I'll probably be force to buy a 10 speed which I will no doubt cut down to 8 or 7 speeds! Wish they'd just go in the micro cassette direction like in the specialized DH team...

I predicted this for 2013 or 2014 in the last pinkbike post about the new 10speed system!!! If you're going to stick to the prehistoric deraileur system please move in the direction of the micro cassette! I'd prefer a 9-30T 8 speed cassette with a 26 to 30T chainring! It'd be lighter AND you could use existing deraileurs! I've been using a 1x8 system on all my bikes since 1999!

Well if they came out with a micro cassette with the smallest cog being a 9T then you wouldn't need a retarded 11-41 or 10-41 cassette!

Sram and Shimano made 11-32 8 speed cassettes until recently (looks like I need to stock up on 8speed parts or I will be forced to switch to 10speed!) which with a 32T front ring is all you need to make a decent 1x8 speed system.

Going to be in Châtel, France aka Portes du Soleil for the next 4 months. Want to come over to ride during the summer?

Good to see him back. Love the technical riding. The top section of the Aiguille Rouge secret freeride trail in Deux Alpes is like that. I would like to know what kind of bike harness he has.

I never said Sam was shit! He's great! He is my current favorite worldcup rider but and it is a big BUT he is NO WAY the greatest rider of all time! As for smoothest that also goes to Nico. Just watch the old eurosport videos and you'll see what I mean.