11 v. 12 speed durability

[Mr. Cow]

Perhaps after Christmas I am looking to replace my everyday commuter. Most off the shelf bikes I am looking at in this range all now seem to come with 12speed/Di2.
There are some options for staying with 11sp however.

What I would like to know is what do people reckon on durability, ie would an older 11 speed chainset be more durable than a 12 speed, as I am guessing 12 speed stuff is more narrower/compact? I would rather sacrifice the latest and greatest in favour of weight and some old-school reliability.

 

[fossyant]

Similar durability, but more costly. 10 speed may be cheaper to run.

 

[cyberknight]

Most of my bikes are 10 ,for commuting I run 8

 

[All uphill]

How important is maintaining a steady cadence to you? Do you need or want to have close gear ratios and are you prepared to pay for them?

If, like me, you are happy to have moderate steps between gears you can save money by going with 10 speed, or 9 speed, like me.