Living abroad, when I buy things for my bike, I need to get it right. No popping back to the shop. I’m ordering stuff for my family to bring over at Christmas. Money’s a little tight as MCPH Jr II came a fortnight ago (and no NHS here!) and I bought a new frame and forks 4 months ago.

I’m happy with my X0 3×9 set up but need a new chain and cassette. The rear mech works well but even with the limit screw all the way in, it’ll push the chain into the spokes, if I’m not careful. I figure it’s time to get all modern and switch to 10 speed as 9 speed cassette/chain/mech aren’t economical.

I hate to use the ‘E’ word, but my riding and my bike are both enduro-ey. Slowly up, hammer down. I need to be able to winch a 30lb+ bike up long (30 min+) technical, slippery trails but not spin out on equally long, swoopy, fast, perfect DH singletrack.

I think, in an ideal world, I’d have a 32 or 34 NW front with a 11-40(T-Rex) rear and Saint mech / shifter. I paid attention on my last ride on a typical local loop and don’t think I’d miss the big ring. I needed the granny though.

Does a 2×10+bash (Zee and SLX) sound like the sensible way forwards? Perhaps having a T Rex-able cassette for futureproofness? Or, can you do more on a 30 – 11-36 than you imagine and rule #5 comes in to play.

My shopping list is:

a)

SLX (11-36) cassette & chain – £40
Zee M640 mech – £35
Zee M640 shifter – £15
Superstar Trident bashguard – £23

= £90

b)

SLX (11-36) cassette & chain – £40
Zee M640 mech – £35
Zee M640 shifter – £15
Single ring bolts (E-13) – £15
Race Face N/W – £40
T-Rex – £54

= (gulp) £199

Whilst I think, having seen the 2 totals, I know which way I’m leaning, but is there any justification to go single at the front for twice the price? It’s not like the 300g saving makes any difference to my bike!

So:

1. a) or b)?

2. Is there anything I’ve missed? Either the thought process or the shopping list(s)?

3) are there better components in either list I should consider?

Thanks as always

*It wasn’t that long ago, my wife was my girlfriend, I didn’t have children and I gave myself £300 a month ‘bike budget!’

You can knock £20 off option 2 by getting an SS or On One ring.
I’d go option 2 without the T-Rex (but being able to add it later if you need it).
I went 1X10 a while ago with, pretty much, your option 2.
SLX 11-36 cassette, Zee mech, XTR shifter, RF 30T. I don’t find it’s a struggle going up but I did find a cadence that I have to keep up to keep moving.
This is on a 31lb bike..

Hi, i went 1 by ten around four months ago and wouldn’t go back to 2 by ten. I did it by buying lots but the T. rex second hand. Xt cranks with NW ring and bb , xt cassette and chain all from here for 90 I think. Got an Slx clutch mech for about 25 quid I think then a new cable and trex from CRC I think.

I’m not certain but I think without the use of a hacksaw you can’t use an sllx cassette with a trex.

Do it seriously it feels really ‘right’ with 1 by 10

i went a bit of a different way with this to other people..

i went 1X10 with a shimano 11-36 cassette Zee mech and shifter and an on-one 30T ring..

This is fine for the majority of my riding but i intended to get a 40 or 42 and a rad cage in the future..

however.. i couldn’t really afford to go down that route before a long ride i had planned.. so i just bolted my old 22T granny ring back on..!

it does mean i need to stop to change down.. (and get an oily finger in the process..) but by that point im usually shattered and need a minutes rest anyway.. and it gives me (unfit) a nicer lower gear ratio than 30 / 42

so far i’ve only really needed to do it on lengthy climbs (like up cut gate for example..)

it means i get to keep the extra security and simplicity of the single narrow wide ring at the front but get a bailout with the 22t if i need it.. and the 30/11 top gear has been more than enough for my riding..

The secret granny thing totally works if you want to spend as little as possible. I used to use it for races in areas hillier than my local trails. Made transitions much more pleasant. I’ve since got a TRex though so the granny’s gone now and I’m not missing it so far.

Will a Zee mech work with an extender ring?

I looked into it recently and read from multiple sources that the cage was too short to cope with the range of gears (40t – 11t).

Having been forced into a tighter than usual situation for a while with cash. I’m still using ( dare I mention ?) 3×9.
As those I ride with replace bikes and go all Enduro and 1x , I haven’t noticed that I can’t climb happily, or, come to that if occasion demands get a move on on tarmac connecting sections. I doubt I’ll be any quicker if I ditch any weight either.
Meantime a chain and cassette every few months is cheap.
All that said I’m sure I’ll end up with less gears , more travel and bigger wheels at some point. Bloody marketing men and their pretty machines. But then……….

It does for me, but that’s on an HT. On an FS it’d depend very much on the chaingrowth.

Secret granny could be the way to go that way you can also have a fractionally bigger main ring although obviously no quick rolling change. This is what I planned to do but in the endI went back to 3*9 for the more general xc riding I do from 1*9 (34*11-34). This was partly to get the 44 outer for bashing out tarmac sections.

I use the secret granny system for riding/guiding in the Alps. Works really well, and chain retention with a narrow/wide is so much better than with a normal 2-ring setup.

smatkins1 » Will a Zee mech work with an extender ring?
I looked into it recently and read from multiple sources that the cage was too short to cope with the range of gears (40t – 11t).

It does for me, but that’s on an HT. On an FS it’d depend very much on the chaingrowth.[/quote]

This was one of the things I read and hence why I didn’t put a Zee or Saint mech on my full sus.

Have you got a hardtail OP????

Hi there. Thanks for all the help.

It’s a full bouncer. 6″ Norco. I don’t know how the sus design works re a lot / little chain growth.

Having googled and read, I think an XT (or SLX) might be the way forwards to allow for chain growth and also for a future T-Rex. I like the idea of a secret granny but, to my mind, why not keep ‘proper’ 2×10 + bash for a while? That allows me to upgrade to N/W and T-Rex in the future. It also means I only need a bash, cassette, chain, shifter and mech.

I’d prefer to run 1×10 with a T-Rex but, like I said, funds are tight.

I’ll keep an eye on the classifieds. I’m happy to go second hand and the £’s go further.

Three more questions.

1) Are all cassettes T-Rex-able? If not, what recommendations?

2) Do I need single ring chain bolts to add a bash or will the regular bolts work? Does it depend on the bash ring?

3) I understand why the rear mech would be 1×10 (chain growth) but are shifters 1,2,3 x 10? Why would they be single ring specific?

Thanks again

1) No you can’t I think in Shimano it’s XT and above, I’m running SRAM fine
2) Bolts normally come with a bash and it depends on the bash.
3) 3x front shifters are standard from a while back, there are some specific 2x ones that only have 2 clicks or a bung/spacer to prevent a third click. 1x front shifters are like rocking horse crap though 😉

I went 1x after years of 2x it’s just nice and simple.

Thanks Mike.

1 x front shifters are certainly a niche market!

I meant though, the RH Zee shifter says 1×10 speed. why not simply 10 speed.

Is the Zee not limited in range so won’t do multiple rings?

Why do people stick a 32 ftont then spend ££ getting a 40T rear?

30T x 36 FFS!

Mike – mech yes, but surely not the shifter.

Hora – for 32-11, I’d have thought. But it does seem like a shite load of money!

OP mines a Norco too. Sight killer B . New chain was needed due to chain growth. Slx mech is medium cage

Thanks howsyourdad. Think I’ll go for a SLX med cage too. Just going to see what a wanted ad brings up before I decide on a t rex, a secret granny or a 2×10.

Do amfew ridesnpaying attention to what gears you actually use first but I wouls say go for it. Shop around for the best deals and you will hit your budget. There are cheaper N/W rings out there but I have no idea how they will wear if you are riding lots. I am currently runningn slx 11-36 with a works 34t ring and not missed the granny yet God rest her!. Slx/Zee shifter can be had cheap, go slx shadow+ over Zee and an XT cassette. That is probably the most future proof/cost effective combo if you are thinking about a range extender/ One Up rad cage.

I love mine and wouldn’t go back. When it comes time to renew parts the Absolute Black oval ring and casseteexpander are high up on the wish list.

As an aside many people are installing an16t to even out the cassette so if you have one on your 9speed cassette consider keeping it as it will apparently work fine with a 10speed set up. ( Though do some research on all fhese options for peace of mind)

hora – Member
Why do people stick a 32 ftont then spend ££ getting a 40T rear?

30T x 36 FFS!
Not everyone is a god like you hora, just remember that 😉