When you have a drivetrain that encourages it, like the new Shimano 12spd stuff, there doesn't seem to be much downside. It's like butter. And without trying that you can't really evaluate shifting IMHO. I used to ride more like that but on modern drivetrains that aren't bagged and are well-tuned, it doesn't make sense to avoid it. And there are times on certain trails that go up and down (7th-Leppard-Krinkum on Fromme for example) where it becomes necessary if I blow a line or otherwise lose momentum. In those situations, it's a huge advantage to be able to move up the cassette.
March 12, 2020, 12:29 p.m. - Cam McRae
When you have a drivetrain that encourages it, like the new Shimano 12spd stuff, there doesn't seem to be much downside. It's like butter. And without trying that you can't really evaluate shifting IMHO. I used to ride more like that but on modern drivetrains that aren't bagged and are well-tuned, it doesn't make sense to avoid it. And there are times on certain trails that go up and down (7th-Leppard-Krinkum on Fromme for example) where it becomes necessary if I blow a line or otherwise lose momentum. In those situations, it's a huge advantage to be able to move up the cassette.