Good thoughts Laura, and I appreciate your comments - they are quite encouraging. I am going to call SRAM today and have a good talk with them - assuming they will talk directly with a customer. I don't think I want to go lower than X7 components - am currently considering X7 derailleurs and X9 shifters unless I become satisfied that I won't be able to tell a real difference between the two on asphalt. I will summarize their comments here, assuming they talk with me and not ask me to work through my LBS with our questions.