I wondered if there were any other big guys (like me) whom have had success with a single chain ring setup.

I’m intrigued by he idea, and would dearly love to get rid of a chain ring and a derailleur, noisy and bothersome as they are, but I do worry about that steep ‘last climb’ on mile 27 (if you know what I mean).

Any thoughts?

sc

I’ve geared mine quite low by choosing a small front ring. Means in theory it’s not that much worse than my old 3x. The loss is at the top end but I tend to freewheel downhill and don’t do much on the road so it’s not a big issue. If anything the climbing is easier as I’m in the right gear more often.

I’m bigger than you and got up most every hill I ever tried on a S/S – and rocked 1×9 for a few years before switching 1×11.

If anything, you’ll find it makes you fitter as you are commited to gear 11.

Do it, you’ll like

I’ve just put my 30t chainring back on, and added a 40t the expander to the cassette, as 32×36 was a bit high for some things I go up. Any lower than 30×40 I reckon I’d be quicker pushing and in any case falling over sideways.

I waver at around 15 stone.

Just been out for my first ride on a GX 1x 11 setup for a shakedown run really.

Up front I have an oval 32 N/W from Absolute Black. Running 26″ wheels, obviously a 29er would be a bit different.

My impressions after a short run:

If any thing its TOO low geared, felt like I could climb a wall practically. Would have to be massively steep/ long to be a problem and Im not fit by a long chalk.

Secondly, it runs out of juice on the flat pretty easily but I was expecting that. Coming from a 3x 9 it will take a bit of getting used to, freewheeling on the long downs/ flat sections.

That said, this is only with a 32 t front so going up a size will probably (for me) make sense at some point.

Again, the above is based on a 15 stone none too fit, rider on a heavy AM full sus. 🙂

I Went from 30t with 11-36 to 32t with 11-40. Essentially I get the same bottom gear with a bit more top end, but if winching is the goal a 30-40 like thegreatape suggested or even a 30-42 ratio should do the trick, 30-42 shouldn’t be that much taller than the old 22-32 ratio most 2/3×9 setups used to have…

Gearings so personal I’m not sure you can get definitive advise about what will work for you. 30/42 is noticeably higher than 22/32 and I know of lots of people riding 22/34 as a lowest gear. Only way to know for sure is to try it.

@poopscoop I reckon on 26″ wheels 34T on the front if you aren’t used to a 1x or aren’t fit, 36T if you are. For 650b subtract 2 from each of those and for 29er subtract 4. This would be for a typical 11-40 cassette BTW where the 40T is really a get out of jail card

Not only is gearing a personal thing, its also strongly influenced by what and how you ride.

I’m running 1×10 on both my bikes (1 hard-tail, 1 F/S) with 30t.

Climbing is not generally a problem, but out-and-out driving speed IS compromised.

Very little of my descending is of the pedal balls-out variety though, so its not something I really miss. Mostly it shows itself down long double track descents and I tend to coast those and save my beans for the good bits.

Obviously, YMMV. Think about how and what you ride.

Decide what works for you with your current gearing. Divide one number by the other. See if that can be replicated with 1×11. Simple.

whitestone

@poopscoop I reckon on 26″ wheels 34T on the front if you aren’t used to a 1x or aren’t fit, 36T if you are. For 650b subtract 2 from each of those and for 29er subtract 4. This would be for a typical 11-40 cassette BTW where the 40T is really a get out of jail card

The Gx has a 42T…. so I reckon a 34T (or push the boat out) 36 might be worth a try… particulrly if the oval chain rings really do have a benefit grinding away uphill.

Thanks for advice mate. The 32T deffo feels too low, I would be quicker getting off and walking as someone commented earlier in the thread. lol

@poopscoop I reckon on 26″ wheels 34T on the front if you aren’t used to a 1x or aren’t fit, 36T if you are. For 650b subtract 2 from each of those and for 29er subtract 4. This would be for a typical 11-40 cassette BTW where the 40T is really a get out of jail card

This is why I don’t get “what gearing threads” No idea where you ride whitestone but a 34/40 for someone who “isn’t fit” that’s equivalent to 22/26 in old money. Come to S.Wales, if your not fit you’ll be pushing up everywhere with that gear.

It doesn’t matter if you can get off and walk quicker, the point it being to ride a bike over it.

It does when everyone is waiting for you 🙂

the point it being to ride a bike over it.

You are a grown man dicking around on a bike in the woods. Make up arbitrary rules for yourself but don’t expect anyone else to listen…

I would be quicker getting off and walking as someone commented earlier in the thread. lol

When people say this, it always makes me have a little chuckle inside… To be quicker getting off and walking, you’d have to be turning the pedals so slowly that you wouldn’t be able to balance anyway!

I created a spreadsheet ages ago, when I was working out my own optimal gearing based on various different systems, and what I could and could not get away with. The long and the short of it, the typical bottom gear of the time was 22/32 in a 9spd setup. Turning a mere 80rpm (a pretty low cadence) in this gear on a 26″ wheeled bike (650b and 29er would be roughly 4% and 9% faster respectively) means you’d be moving forward at almost 4.5mph! Even a paltry 60rpm, which is barely turning your pedals, you’d be moving at 3.3mph… Now I don’t know about you, but 3mph is about the fastest I can reasonably walk on the flat, not pushing a bike. If I’m pushing a 30lb bike up a hill, I CAN GUARANTEE that despite the easiest gearing you can physically put on a bike, you’re still going to be quicker pedalling it than you are getting off and pushing (terrain willing)…

Anyway…

Got 2 29ers myself, both with 30T ring and 10-42 out back. I’m not the fittest/fastest, but I’m not the slowest either. I also have a fairly smooth, high cadence pedalling style. The 42T gets a fair bit of use on both bikes, especially over the Malverns! Not come across anything that’s caused me to get off an push yet due to steepness, but have had a few low cadence moments where I was wishing for a 28T chainring! By contrast, the 10T doesn’t see any use offroad at all, only on any extended fast road descents (where freewheeling is usually quicker anyway). This works well for me, but everybody is different.

well I am 15 stone, 50, fittish but not very but it’s hard to quantify (200 ish out of 500 ish in Dyfi) I’m deffo no great climber

went from 24/38 with 11/36 to 1 x 11 30 front and 10/42 (29’er)

so far I’ve been okay, including epic cymru, but have lost about half a low gear. I’ve noticed it a few times, but don’t think it has ever actually stopped me. It’s short sharp bits where I’d have ability to grab low gear and spin up I’ve noticed. If I grind up I tend to spin out more easily.

I use the lowest gear a lot

top speed 25 mph is a sensible cadence, 27mph gets a bit spinny, after that give up

if that helps!

I’m either even less fit than I thought, or you lot don’t have any proper hills.

30t front and 10-42 rear is just about right for me on the 601.

Try this

Plug your gear options into this. Might surprise you as to how little difference it actually makes.

I’m sure you’re right mboy, but that’s how it sometimes feels.

@taxi25 Most of my biking is in the Dales plus the Lakes and a bit in the Peak. One or two lumps around here 😆 I’m reasonably fit (came in the mid seventies in the Kielder 101 which was my first “race”) but in my mid 50s I’m under no illusion that I’m as fit as I was and I’m at the upper limit of acceptable weight for my height.

Usually if I’m getting off having run out of gears at 30:40 (or now 32:40) then those on “traditional” 3x systems are getting off their bikes at about the same point give or take a few metres.

With a 1x setup you lose about 3 gear ratios, where you actually lose them is up to you. According to Onzadog’s link a 30T with 11-40 loses just one and a half ratios at the low end compared with a typical 3x and 11-36 cassette, 0.82 compared with 0.67

1×11 30t front 42t rear for me. I find this perfect and I only ever run out of gears on road which I tend to avoid anyway. I use the 42t rear quite a bit as I tend to take it as easy as I can on the ups. I go fairly quick down hill and have never spun out of gears. People I ride with reckon they would spin out downhill with my gearing but we still ride at a similar pace. I guess it is a bit of a personal thing. I’d start with 30t x 42t, you can always change the front ring if its not right.

Onzadog

Try this

Plug your gear options into this. Might surprise you as to how little difference it actually makes.

Hey thanks, looks handy.

Found a n/w 38 so think I will give that a shot and see how I get on.

I’m joking!

Don’t stress. 😉

Will try a cheap 34T though. If I dont like it. No biggy, sell it on.

FWIW I have eaten all the pies and get on fine with 33 x 40 in the Cairngorms. Anything more and the front wheel lifts too easily

One issue I noticed when I first went 1×10 wasn’t just the ability to climb hills initially but three hours/laps in you really needed lower gears. Got a extender cog and haven’t riden for longer than 2 hours since to properly validate my theory. 😯

I’ve just made the move to 1 x 11. I put it off for a long time since my local ride is about a 30 minute steep climb (very steep in places). The people on here who say SS is ok, or 1 x 10 if fine, just get off an walk….well I think that’s bollocks. I feel a sense of defeat if I have to get off and walk. And saying i encourages me to get fitter doesn’t help much.

Back to the 1 x 11. I’m running a 30 up front and a 42 at the back. That’s slightly tougher than my 2 x 9 was, but so far I’ve tried it out on all of my toughest climbs and it’s been fine. It’s not unnoticable, but it’s very manageable.

I certainly wouldn’t like to have a harder lowest gear than the 30×42. In fact, if I had any appreciable forced time off the bike, when I get back on, I know that I will be longing for a 28 at the front!!

Thanks for all the comments guys. I was at Cannock Chase yesterday and, I must say, it reminded me what those bottom couple of gears are for! I think I’m going to stick with 2×10 until I either get little fitter, a little less wide or ideally, both.

sc

Don’t forget the stealth granny ring option! Just manually lift it over if facing prolonged climbs. It is always nice to know it is there for emergencies.

Excellent, thanks for the help. XT cassette with Sram GX it is.

100kg here and running 32T Oval ring (like a 34T where the power is in the stroke and 30T where there is lass power) and a normal 10speed cassette.

Can get up anything, just have to stand up occasionally.

This is on a 31lb 29er hardtail.

1*11 is fine even for the unfit I reckon.