combined rear hub and derailleur set

They're also releasing a new groupset for 2005 called Hone, same idea as Saint but priced about as LX, aimed at freeriders

no mention of it being adapted to road??

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by byron27
Just seen the new SAINT line up from shimano specifically for those crazy downhillers and the rear derailleur is mounted directly onto the hub. I think this is a great idea and would love to see this adapted to the road market. No more bent deraileur hangers!!!. :o

It's heavy as hell and what's so wrong with derailer hangers anyway?

Downhill stuff is generally heavy as hell, but a more refined road version surely could be made lighter??.
Derailleur hangers bend and due to the influx of replaceable hangers on frames these days, i have found this is always the weakest point on a frame.
Im thinking of this more from a cyclocross, street riding, courier/messenger perspective. For road racing maybe it isnt worth it, but for a "work" bike or even road training bike, i would like to have a bike that could handle what i threw at it without having to worry too much about it.