It Goes to Eleven

The big news from three months ago was that Shimano has finally gone to 11 speed. Although in the electronic version all this means is some new software and a different cassette, chain, and crank the mechanical 11 speed group was completely re-designed with new polymer coated cables, adapted lever throw, variable cable-to-front-derailleur placement, and all new shifter and derailleur design. The key change is that the amount of cable pull needed to shift is different for each gear - that means shifting from the 11 tooth cog to the 12 tooth cog uses less cable than shifting from the 22 tooth cog to the 23 toother. They did this so that the shifting would feel more precise and consistant throughout the gear range, but it also makes the new system incompatible with the old.

Awesome.

Well, not to be outdone, SRAM has just released its 11 speed group, "Red 22". This comes just one year after their re-design of the 10 speed Red group, which has some people a little miffed. The good news, from an upgrade standpoint, is that all SRAM did was add an extra click to their shifter. The cable pull is the same, so a Red 10 speed rear derailleur will, supposedly, work just fine so long as every single other component, including the rear wheel, is replaced.

But not to be out-miffed, Shimano has just this week released 11 speed Ultegra, the cheaper and heavier version of the new Dura-Ace that uses all the same technologies but fewer precious metals. This has me irritated because I just got a new Felt with 10 speed Ultegra that I quite liked, and now as a good slave to technological trends I have to upgrade.

Or do I? The last piece of news is that Campagnolo has been dropping the price of its Athena 11 speed group like it's going out of style (12 speed on the horizon?) for $900 on Ebay you can get an entire  brand new group shipped. The current 10 speed Ultegra group retails for the same, but you get one less gear and of course the new Ultegra will probably cost an extra $200 or so (exact numbers haven't been released). The Campy chain and cassette also last longer and the shifters and derailleurs are somewhat rebuildable, though don't ask me to try.

Actually I have one last piece of news. The new SRAM electric group is here, on the streets of Chicago. A SRAM exec came into our shop with it on his Madone. They painted it to look like Dura-Ace but I noticed it was dressed as first generation 10 speed Dura-Ace but used 11 cogs. Also, it had a different battery. Very clever SRAM. I expect to see it released later this year.