I’m wondering if i’ll just replace my entire 2 x 9 setup, after all i can climb some quite steep hills and also go fast downhill. I run a 36t large ring at the front with an 11-36 cassette and do find sometimes i run out of gears when i’m pushing down hills.

I’m not very up on all the new stuff going on, i gather 1 x 11 is more expensive than 1 x 10 because of the cassette and having to have a new freehub. Have read about narrow/wide chainrings and clutch rear mechs.

What’s the cheapest way for me to have a new drivetrain? Would i need a new chain or would i be able to use my spare 9 speed chain?

Also, has anyone considered going 1 x 9 or that just ridiculous?

I run 1×9 on 2 bikes.

34 front with 34 rear on my 29er and 34 front 32 rear on 26.

Can get a bit pushy on some of the hills around here (South Downs) but not to the point of stalling.

I ride singlespeed quite a lot so I’m used to spinning out going down hill 😉 (plus I tend to try and descend on stuff that’s not just a sprint).

What ratio 9 speed cassette?

What size small ring and do you use it much?

EDIT

I don’t regret it but would like wider range than the current 11-36 I currently have.

I bought a bike with 1×10, when it wore out I changed to 2×10 – much better range and now I don’t have to struggle to get up hills. I gave it a chance & it was ok, but really wasn’t convinced.
I have had a quick ride on a 1×11 and the range is much better but I ain’t paying those prices!

if you did decide to go onto 10sp then you would need a new rear shifter that is dyna-sys compatible (assuming you go for shimano. you’d also need a new rear mech (clutched or non-clutched)and a 10sp cassette and chain. you can get away with using your existing crankset and rings though.
merlin are selling deore clutched rear mechs for £23 at the moment. the 10 sp deore cassette is the same price. add a deore 10sp chain for £12 and a zee 10sp shifter for £25 and you could be upgraded to 10sp for less than £80!

1 x 11 superb, simple, light effective no more front mech faff. When you look at how often you actually get in top gear on say 3 x 9 or 2 x 10 you soon realize that its not on technical stuff its fire road or easy tracks. You also gain way more useful gear range. Ive just gone from 3 x 9 and Im glad I did. My 3 x 9 was nearly 5 years old so I needed to replace everything really as everything was pretty much worn out.

Wait until you wear out what you got though then swap was my view

I can honestly say I’ve never had a moments trouble from a front mech.

Yep. Usually on the last climb of a full day big hills ride. Not the rest of the time.

I do keep my 2*10 fs for really big days out……..

Went from 2×9 to 1×11, my main worry was not being able to drop 3/4 ratios by flicking to the Granny ring, but it’s not been an issue really.

I can’t think of a reason to go back to 2x tbh.

Also, has anyone considered going 1 x 9 or that just ridiculous?

I run 1×8.

I had 36 with 12-23 for years. Although that caused near cardiac arrest going up the hills. When I switched to 34t & 11-30 I did what I did with the old cassette; use only a couple gears either end of the cassette. Made no difference to how far I could get up one of steepish slogs in the Quantocks.

I built my second HT as a 1×10, 32 up front and 11:36 cassette.

I no longer miss the granny ring but I do miss the 42 ring. It’s reasonably hilly around here and I get fairly fed up spinning out and relying on gravity.
As things wear out I’ll be investing in a 2x setup.

I ran 1×9 last summer and actually ran it again on Sunday after I broke my10 speed mech on Saturday.

A large part of the decision is what you ride and how fit you are. 36 up front is ideal

I can honestly say I’ve never had a moments trouble from a front mech

Likewise.

I like the range on my 3×9, but would love a clutch rear mech, just to totaly eliminate the odd chain drop.

36 up front is ideal

I’m going back to 36t with 12t smallest (if I can find it). Although 34×11 is a lower ratio it feels harder to turn over yet not fast enough going down the hills, if that makes any sense.

I currently ride a 3*9 with a 12-25 cassette and am pondering 1*10, just not sure if I want the big jumps in gears.

I’ve been running 1×9 on my 36lb FS for about 8 years.
34 front, 11-36 rear.

Reason is, my front mech stopped working a while back and i was too lazy/busy to fix it. When i didn’t really miss it, i didn’t bother to sort it.

about 4 times in those years i’ve manually pushed my chain off onto the granny ring (which is still there) because i got bored of grinding away. South Downs mainly for me, with the odd trail welsh centre thrown in.

On the downhill bits i try to ride technical trails where i wouldn’t be able to spin out my gears easily anyway.

I’ll be going 1 x10 soon, not for the range for gears but for the clutch mech. Be nice to have the extra, but wouldn’t pay for the small difference.

1×10 for me for the last 3 years. Was hard to begin with but now I wouldn’t go back. I Like the lack of clutter with no front mech and shifter also less maintenance. Don’t have to push at all on trail around here south Wales.

1×11 on both bikes now, and never regretted at all. Total game changer, easy to use, and wide enough ratio.

with the 11sp just remember that the SRAM 10-42 is a much bigger range than the XTR 11-40, 11-40 is achievable on a normal 10sp setup for a lot less money too.
and mow my much overused & stolen comparison table

I ran 1×10 a regular 11-36 with a 32t ring initially last summer and had some moments when I ran out of steam on the climbs (Isle of Man,very hilly) but since I went down to a Wolftooth 30t I’ve never regretted it, wouldn’t go back

was on 36 x 11/36, was very hard work on some climbs…

Now on 34 x 11/42 and its perfect. Would never go back to 2x !

Never tried it but I reckon it depends where you live. In Calderdale there are plenty of very steep, very techy climbs that aren’t possible without a granny unless you’re a pro xc type, and even then possibly not. Other places it’s probably fine.

1×11 here and would never go back to a front mech, winter rides were always a problem with it freezing up and they are just plain rubbish.

robarnold – Member
I ran 1×10 a regular 11-36 with a 32t ring initially last summer and had some moments when I ran out of steam on the climbs (Isle of Man,very hilly) but since I went down to a Wolftooth 30t I’ve never regretted it, wouldn’t go back

I’m using 1×10 (11-40 and 30T chainring) in the same location and use that lowest gear at some time on most rides.

Nice riding on Sunday Rob, sorry (or glad?) I didn’t enter – plenty of people better than me got their arses handed to them on a plate, that’s for sure.

I’ve not regretted it at all. I like the simplification of my drivetrains. My 29er full suss is 1×10, with a 30t XX1 ring and a Hope T-Rex on an 11-36 cassette, and that gives me an almost perfect spread of gears for where I ride. My new hardtail is 1×9, with a 30t Race Face NW ring, Saint mech and 34t cassette, which has been ‘ok’ on the more pedally stuff, but it’s not low enough for the steeper techy climbs, so I’ve just bought some new 10 speed stuff, and another T-Rex, so that should do the job nicely.

I went from 2×9 to 1×10. With a 34T up front and 11-36 cassette it’s about spot on for my local riding, at some point soon I might consider going up to a 36 at the front.

Trip to North Wales coming up though, including Snowdon, so I have a feeling I’ll be regretting it then. I have a 30T ring on order!

I can accept 1x whatever will work for many people and accept it is a simpler system but can not accept all this it’s a ‘game changer’ bollox. In the grand scheme of things it’s still just changing gears with some small benifits and some small losses.

Not regretted it in the least, went 1×10 about 3 years ago, then 1×11 earlier this year. Like having the extra range 1×11 affords, rarely use either extreme now on an average ride, which is nice to know, and suggests the range is right for me/my terrain/riding style/bike etc.

can not accept all this it’s a ‘game changer’ bollox.

Not tried it then?

All the gears you use, none of the ones you don’t less faff, less moving parts, less to go wrong. For me the best bit is having a straight change between gears and not doing the drop at the front with either a massive change in cadence or speed. If we didn’t start with triples and roadie cast offs having a range of gears in sequence would probably be where we would start.
Wait till it’s out at X7/SLX levels

Been on a 1 x set up for ages now.

The 10 speed stuff makes live easier as does the smaller front rings. I never really had an issue with front mechs but never used the granny ring that much so didn’t see the point in keeping it. The lack of front shifter also means that I can place my Reverb lever in a place where it’s safer and easier to get to.

I can get up most stuff although sometimes it just becomes a case of willpower to ride up stuff. I don’t miss a big ring and haven’t run owt bigger than a 36 tooth ring even on DH bikes.

Not tried it then?

All the gears you use, none of the ones you don’t less faff, less moving parts, less to go wrong.

I have thanks clever lad. What part of what you said above is ‘a game changer’? I wouldn’t class saving a bit of weight that could be saved elsewhere, removing parts that ‘I’ have never had trouble with and losing some gears that I do use, even if not that often a ‘game changer’.

Horses for courses and it will work for some, not for others but don’t try to make out it’s the second coming.

I’m using 1×10 (11-40 and 30T chainring) in the same location and use that lowest gear at some time on most rides.

Nice riding on Sunday Rob, sorry (or glad?) I didn’t enter – plenty of people better than me got their arses handed to them on a plate, that’s for sure.

Cheers Andy, the general feedback has been very positive. Round two will be closer to home for you, based in Ramsey I think…you should definitely have a go, it’s not all about winning!

It seems like the general opinion is divided, with 1×11 being closer to a 2x setup but at premium. I do still ride around calderdale and also the Peaks which see me using the 22t granny ring on every single ride. Ive read that you get used to grinding out bigger gears uphill but i think 1×9 would be a struggle!

If i added a t-rex to make my cassette 10 speed would i also need a new shifter? And would it fit on a hope freehub? Reason im considering my options is my chainrings and rear mech could do with replacing.

Moved from Glasgow to Calderdale with 1×9 on my big bike, 32 up front 11 x 34 cassette partly beacuse it was easier to set up my Reverb remote.Never had a problem in Scotand with that set up but soon changed back to a double down here.Have just gone back to 1×9 with a 30 t NW up front and 12×36 cassette and the climbing’s much more manageable.

How do i use that table? Not sure what the numbers mean to be honest

robarnold – Member

Cheers Andy, the general feedback has been very positive. Round two will be closer to home for you, based in Ramsey I think…you should definitely have a go, it’s not all about winning!

If I’m not away in Greece I’ll deffo give it a go – no chance of me ever winning unfortunately, so a good job there’s more to it than that!

Can i run an XT 10sp cassette and just add a Hope T-rex? Or will that not fit on my existing freehub?

So confusing all this new fangled stuff.

You can just remove your 17t sprocket and spacer to make room for the T. rex on the back of the cassette or remove the 15t and 17t and spacer and replace a 16t where the 15t was and put the T. rex on the back for more equally spaced gear ratios.

You can get 16t xt sprockets from rose bikes cheap enough.

I forgot to say it only works with the 11-36 xt cassette, I think.