XD was never going to be the new universal standard, it is too limiting for technical reasons even if it is wide open. But there are other options. For example Garbaruk also offers aftermarket cassettes for XD. They are also high end options, but fairly priced. e13 and Garbaruk also reveal part of the problem with XD, it's not a very good freehub design. The e13 cassette requires a complicated structure and installation, and they have had difficulty making it quiet and reliable. Garbaruk makes their cassettes similar to SRAM from a steel billet. They make versions for both Shimano and XD freehubs, the difference being that the Shimano ones are limited to an 11 tooth smallest cog. But otherwise very similar in construction. But because of the limitations of XD, those versions are costlier and much more complicated to install. And they changed the design to use 2 lockrings to make it more secure. SRAM's own cassettes would probably work better if they were changed to work with the new Shimano design than they do currently, XD has never been known for ease of install. The new Shimano freehub should prove to be a superior and more versatile design, I just hope Shimano has plans to open it up.
May 27, 2018, 1:37 p.m. - Daryl Naskale
XD was never going to be the new universal standard, it is too limiting for technical reasons even if it is wide open. But there are other options. For example Garbaruk also offers aftermarket cassettes for XD. They are also high end options, but fairly priced. e13 and Garbaruk also reveal part of the problem with XD, it's not a very good freehub design. The e13 cassette requires a complicated structure and installation, and they have had difficulty making it quiet and reliable. Garbaruk makes their cassettes similar to SRAM from a steel billet. They make versions for both Shimano and XD freehubs, the difference being that the Shimano ones are limited to an 11 tooth smallest cog. But otherwise very similar in construction. But because of the limitations of XD, those versions are costlier and much more complicated to install. And they changed the design to use 2 lockrings to make it more secure. SRAM's own cassettes would probably work better if they were changed to work with the new Shimano design than they do currently, XD has never been known for ease of install. The new Shimano freehub should prove to be a superior and more versatile design, I just hope Shimano has plans to open it up.