So I’m thinking of a getting a new road bike, possibly with the intention of overnight trips (bikepacking gear) and rides into Europe and maybe even something like the TCR one day 8O. I own a CX bike with discs but don’t race it and have no intention to race on the road.

I was pretty set on the Genesis Datum: http://www.genesisbikes.co.uk/blog/28/06/15/un-gravelling-the-new-datum

The builds aren’t great but the frames are £999, add just over £1k for Hydraulic Ultegra Di2 (bikediscount.de) and some wheels with Grail/Sl25 rims and a dynamo hub and I could build a nice one for a lot less than their top spec model with the spec I want.

Then I looked around, Norco Search, BMC GF, Synapse, Salsa Warbird, Ridley X Trail etc… and then spotted this:

http://www.raleigh.co.uk/ProductType/ProductRange/Product/Default.aspx?pc=1&pt=14&pg=15778

*Hydraulic discs
*Low BB
*Slack HA
*clearance for 40mm tyres
*3 water bottle mounts/mudguard eyelets

I think it’s an absolute steal, okay still I’ll need a Dynamo front hub, the question I have is will 1×11 (10-42) be silly on a road bike? Will the jump in ratios be horrible? The range isn’t far off a compact double with 11/32 cassette but I’m worried that I’ll battle to get the cadence I want.

I could sell the groupset and wheels and get Hydraulic Ultegra but it’s going to cost a bit more, then I may as well go for the Genesis.

First world problems hey?

Having had 1×10/11 on several mountain and CX bikes I’m very, very tempted to go 1×11 on an upcoming road build.

I’ve never had a close ratio cassette on any bike and the bigger gaps don’t bother me. On the type of bike you describe I think 1×11 would be great. I’ve got 38 front and 10 speed 11-40 (praxis) on my CX bike which gets use the most currently. Works well 🙂

1×11 (10-42) be silly on a road bike?

If you plan on using it as a road bike, probably yes.
If you plan on using it as a gnarmac bridleslayer, probably no.

That was pretty much what I was thinking, it really depends where it will be ridden the most. I’ve got 1×10 on my mountain bikes, never tried a 10/42 cassette, never mind on the road.

Tripster love in posts (search for tripster all built up lush) will offer plenty of feedback on both options. Love 1×11 sram on my full suss for off road but my choice for mix of gravel and road is 2×11 ultegra. Others will disagree…

Blimey, that Raleigh looks nice.
Shame they don’t sell them down here.

will 1×11 (10-42) be silly on a road bike?

For me, yes. I hate having big gaps on road. My Salsa has a triple because it’s intended to do up to 50/50 road.

1 x 11 works for me –

36 front ring with 11-36 rear gives enough spinage for getting up Chilterns hills without compromising the road gearing too much – certainly with nobbly tires on. With slicks on it’s still ok but I have a proper road bike for purely road rides so whilst not perfect it’s perfectly acceptable road gearing (for me).

I have 1×10 and SS mtbs, but I’ll be keeping compact 11-28 on the London Road. Roughly 50% road (mostly big ring) 50% gnar (often little ring)

I’m sure I could replicate much of the higher and lower gears with a single ring and big cassette etc but the gaps would drive me mental on the road.

Compromise too far imo.

Depends what else the bike is used for. My gravel mileage is an alternative to the roads and as such pootling doesn’t suit. Even an 11/32 gives big gaps between gears. I use a 44/28 with 11/25. That’s enough to get up most hills.

funny where a couple of clicks gets you! from the raleigh, to the G1 tyres, to this:

Handbuilt Bike Profile: Anderson Custom Bicycles 29 CX – A Do-It-All Bike Built for Adventure

clearance with 2.2 race kings – 29+cross?

matt – I’m currently 1×10 on the cross type thing thinking of moving to a double.

What chainset are you using?

@op, tcr entry opens in a week or 2! Get yourself registered and put an entry in. That’s what I did despite having little experience of that type of thing. Great adventure. If you never enter you’ll never do it

That Anderson is nice! The best option I think will be to get the Raleigh and sell the groupset and buy full Ultegra. I would love to try it on gravel but I think it wouldn’t be great on the road.

Anybody want a new 1×11 Rival disc groupset? 😆

If you’re thinking of doing the TCR you should read this. A friend of mine has done it twice (although this year he had to drop out) and he’s created a blog page detailing his preparations and experience etc…
Chris White’s Transcontinental Page

Seeing as last year one checkpoint was on top of the Stelvio pass I reckon you’ll need more gears… 🙂

Here is another viewpoint from another guy here who did it for the first time this year:
Cycling Tips – TCR report by Alain Rumpf

1×11 (10-42) be silly on a road bike?
If you plan on using it as a road bike, probably yes.
If you plan on using it as a gnarmac bridleslayer, probably no.

I’m with CFH.

A double will give you more versatility for the times you’re using it as a road bike.

On the TCR, Josh chose std double 52:39 and 11-25T (iirc) because he “didn’t want it too easy, I’ll be too slow” Oh and just a bare bivvy bag no sleeping bag and just the one pair of shorts for the same reason.

That sort of crazy mindset is what you need!

I’ve read a few blogs on the TCR, not seen that one so will have a read. The reason Di2 was so appealing was for ease of shifting over such long distances, guys were saying they had hand fatigue from mechanical shifting.