 I'd like both manufacturers to work on some chainrings, sprokets, and jockey wheels that don't wear out so quickly. A long lasting bb wouldn't go amiss either! I don't suppose they're keen to do that as it would result in us spending less money with them.
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 Sprokkit was on about the next Gen of XTR which is going to be battery powered and run on little motors and you can tune the indexing for each rear cog and front position for which rear cog your in and bla bla bla. Go out for a ride, battery goes flat can't change gear, hmmm NO thanks!!
Dynamo hub sorts that one Dyl 
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 Electronic Dura Ace is already in the pipeline, weighs more than mechanical though and apparently isn't all that amazing in use, I'm just not sure I see the point either! I doubt a Red style 'Powerdome' cassette will be used though, they clog with mud in seconds, and they're really noisy. I reckon a PG990 style cassette with a carbon spider, that was what Red was originally rumoured to have anyway!
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 The automatic front mech trimming is really cool, though 
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 I do like the auto front mech trimming myself, be easier to switch back to a friction shifter though.
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 If Rockshox are in on it, integrating the fork lockout with the shifter rather than leaving it looking like an afterthought on the handlebars would be nice. As would some sort of dual control. The current XTR dual control is the current pinnacle of gear shifting/brake integration in my experience - haven't used anything that even comes close, the instant cable release and dual gear release are a massive improvement in both performance and ergonomics on everything they and everyone else has done before (Strangely Altus shifters from about 1996 had the instant release feature but were manky in most other ways). It would be interesting to see if SRAM try something in the same line though, SRAM have made nothing in drivetrains/shifters yet that would persuade me to leave Shimano (Except for their chains, though that's thanks to them buying Sachs and not fixing what wasn't broken)...
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Cormac, sadly the chain quality has dropped off, over to KMC these days much better!!
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 Strange though after the huge backlash that Shimano received after integrating shifters and brakes which gave SRAM the opening in the top end of the market, that is exactly what SRAM are going to attempt a few years down the line.
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 10 speed cassettes? If they can go bigger than 34 or smaller than 11 then they have a point otherwise they will just be going for closer ratios and that should be left for roadies. Aren't SRAM supposed to have a 9 speed hub gear in the pipeline? Surely that's where the future lies. I used my Alfine for the mud fest that was this year's Dusk Til Dawn and it didn't miss a beat. I can't see a 10 speed cassette and extra long cage rear mech achieving the same record.
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 Sprokkit was on about the next Gen of XTR which is going to be battery powered and run on little motors and you can tune the indexing for each rear cog and front position for which rear cog your in and bla bla bla. Go out for a ride, battery goes flat can't change gear, hmmm NO thanks!!
Dura Ace for 2009 will have this technology and a single charge of the battery is good for hundreds of shifts (will find a more exact figure when I get to work). As for it going flat on a ride all you need to do is make sure it is charged before you leave the house the same as you would with your lights or your mobile phone. This level of kit is not aimed at people who get back from one ride, chuck their bike in a shed then dig it out only seconds before their next ride.
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Electronic Dura Ace is already in the pipeline, weighs more than mechanical though and apparently isn't all that amazing in use, I'm just not sure I see the point either!
It should be available in May 2009 Nick. You don't want me to backorder you a groupset then?
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I very much doubt that we'll see any sort of brake/shifter integration from SRAM beyond the (existing) option to have both bits attached to the same bar clamp, especially given that Shimano's Dual Control has pretty much died off. It has its fans, like Cormac above, but they're heavily outnumbered, and if the people who choose what parts get specced on bikes don't like it, then it's game over. they will just be going for closer ratios and that should be left for roadies XX is for top-level XC racing, which (apart from the surfaces) isn't all that different. I can't see hub gears breaking in to XC racing (as opposed to JRA) for a long time yet. I suspect there'll be something in XX that'll surprise everyone, but I've no idea what it is. I'm going to mention integrated brakes and forks again, though, just on the off-chance
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 I'm going to mention integrated brakes and forks again, though, just on the off-chance Is there any merit in that ?
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I like your thinking there Mike, cover all bases. Do you really think they would go integrated? I remember the fuss when Shimano released dual control. People making comments about Shimano trying to monopolise the market by making people who wanted Shimano shifters having to use Shimano brakes even though separate shifters were carrying on so you had a choice to run whatever you wanted.
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 I'm going to mention integrated brakes and forks again, though, just on the off-chance Is there any merit in that ? I'd have thought it would be crazy, sure it could be lighter to include the caliper half on the forks but you'd be then fixed on rotor and how would you centre them and good god when if you stacked it? ...or have I completely misttok whatyou meant?
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No, that's what I meant. I've no idea on the execution, particularly the adjustment aspect, but fixed rotor's not a problem - no XC racer uses anything other than 160 up front. P-Ness, I think the real fuss about DC was that people simply didn't like it and were scared that the RF+ option would go away. I don't think that many would dispute that those couple of years when DC was being pushed hard gave SRAM and X.0 a huge opportunity. For that reason, I can't see SRAM subsequently integrating brakes and shifters to DC levels. I reckon it's going to be flat-bar DoubleTap with integrated lockout levers, though. I'm trying to think of other ideas to chuck into the pot now - if I make enough predictions some of them are bound to stick
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I agree on the fixed rotor size, nobodies going to put a 200mm on a sidi fork are they. As for the adjustemnt thing I must have ground off the best part of a mm on the adapter to get my hope, fox and crossrides to all play friendly with each other, the other wheels worked a treat. Oh and whilst I'm thinking about it. You know when centering your brakes can you put washers behind the rotors so they stand out further or is this a one way ticket to bent rotors and a faceplant?
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People have done that BHB, I have not heard of any horror stories because of it.
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You know when centering your brakes can you put washers behind the rotors so they stand out further or is this a one way ticket to bent rotors and a faceplant? Syntace do custom rotor shims
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Wish I'd though of doing that a few weeks back :/ Just makes me wonder how some parts really do seem to vary, Surely the rotor mount on a Hope Hub should be in exactly the same place as a Mavic or Shimano?
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