[Wayne77]

I’m probably missing something…

Classified now has a cassette for an Ekar drivetrain. So thinking about someone who had an Ekar drive train. They can run a 38,40,42, or 44T ring on the crankset, and cassette options 9-36, 9-42, 10-44. Setting aside debates about efficiency with small cogs and planetary gearing, I would think the draw for Ekar folks would be the possibility of getting even lower gearing then existing options, without sacrificing taller gear ratios. The Classified Power Shift hub is either 1:1 or a 20% reduction in gear ratio (like going from a 50 T to 34 T ring up front)

But to use a Classified power shift hub in an Ekar drive train, if one were so included requires their 11-36 13 speed cassette, the only option they offer for Campy Ekar. You loose top end by not having a 10T or 9T cog and you give up far more low end with a 36T cog than you gain by the hubs 20% ratio reduction.

Am I missing something? Why would gravel bike person with an Ekar drivetrain give up range to try a Classified setup? Before I saw the cassette limitation I was thinking a Classified hub could turn an Ekar drivetrain into an excellent bikepacking setup offering more range than the popular 1X mullet drivetrains (1X crank with an Eagle cassette)

Another way to think about this is why would someone with Ekar want to go 2X if their only option was an 11-36 cassette?

This is not complaining by any means…just seems like an odd choice for their first Ekar cassette given the use cases…