calling all 2x9 or 2x10ers -- any regrets?

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calling all 2x9 or 2x10ers -- any regrets?

86 posts & 38 voices | Started 10 months ago by nathaneddy | Latest reply from ratherbeintobago

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TandemJeremy - Member

njee - I'm only teasing.

there are a few folk I ride with and most of them use use a 22 granny ring - You can proabably outclimb me in your middle ring being younger and fitter - however for me gears from 2 - 25 mph are what I need - and thats 22/ 36 chainrings, 11/34 casette.

Of course you can grind uphill at a really low cadence in a higher gear if you are fit enough - me I ride for fun.

Your local riding makes a huge differnce as well - some of the highland climbs you can be climbing for an hour plus easily

Posted 9 months ago #
clubber - Member

A fine example of the Edinburgh defence

Posted 9 months ago #
ooOOoo - Member

If I'm out on a ride, and not worrying about what people on a forum think, I often take it very leisurely in my 22t gear. Unlike TJ I also enjoy going fast downhill And Monsieur Shimano has us all catered for. Vive la difference!

Posted 9 months ago #
chiefgrooveguru - Member

I'm relatively young but not that light* and not that fit** and prefer to save my legs for the downs - thus 36/22 11-34 works very well for me. I stay in the 36 most of the time but I've yet to have a ride where I don't appreciate the easiness of the 22 at some point.

*ie probably lighter than the average man but not a skinny cyclist type...
**ie not an amateur XC racer but quite fit compared to most of the populace!

Posted 9 months ago #
downshep - Member

Why so many anti triple views? I'm over 40. I ride infrequently but it does usually involve riding up some awfy big hills. I like having a 22/34 in the cupboard even if it is only used on the steepest bits or if the legs are failing. I like riding downhill quite quickly without the chain rattling off the swingarm or stays 'cos the cage spring can't keep tension on bumpy ground. Having a 44T ring to wrap the chain round keeps things quiet.

Do like the idea of a 1 x 9 for winter use or moderate terrain though.

Posted 9 months ago #
PJM1974 - Member

I prefer two rings up front anyway. My XC bike is 2x9 and my AM bike is only 3x9 by virtue of the fact that the SLX triple chainset came with the bike.

As soon as I can warrant the expense, it'll be a double and bash with a chain device.

Posted 9 months ago #
TurnerGuy - Member

A 22/34 combination is bloody spinny and slow though, so (as njee implies) you need severely good balance skills to be able to use it on the type of slope that might require it.

I went to a 27 in my double because I thought that if I came to a hill that steep I would likely be out of the saddle trying to manage my weight distribution over the bike and keep a little more speed up than if I was spinning 22/34.

The 22/34 combination is the type where, if you have to dab, you are unlikely to get started again as the forward momentum is so low.

Posted 9 months ago #
clubber - Member

you need severely good balance skills to be able to use it on the type of slope that might require it

Nah, not really. You're right that it's hard to get started again if you stop in a steep bit though.

Posted 9 months ago #
TandemJeremy - Member

turner - I don't find it so - even riding at 2 mph its no issue and restarting is fine

downsp - if yo shorten the chain it don't flap around on a 36 and that can be peddaled to high 20s mph which is quick enough for me offroad - just ocasionally I spin out on the road or long forestry descents. Its nice to have the extra ground clearance

Posted 9 months ago #
charliemort - Member

well - I did the Bearded Man 3 day on my triple thinking about all of this

fitness wise - well I'm nowhere near Njee from what I gather. I am 46 and 15 1/2 stone. I finished sort of mid pack in probably a fairly decent field

So - no I didn't use my 22/34 much, but a few times it allowed me to grab an easy gear, spin wildly and get up a steep bit which otherwise would have been a dismount 50 m push and remount

and I used my 42 / 11 and 42 / 13 (I think) quite a lot on the long descents, rather than spinning madly

I like the idea od 1 x 10 as you lose a shifter and mech, but personally I'd struggle climbing. 2 x 10 I could get away with I think (say 24 / 36 with 11 - 36?) but you don't lose much in the way of bits and pieces so it looks a pretty pricey upgrade

Posted 9 months ago #
_tom_ - Member

I've not used a triple on a mountain bike for at least 2 years, don't miss the big outer ring at all even on road sections. I don't spin out even with a 32t middle - probably just don't push hard enough but I don't really pedal on downhills!

Posted 9 months ago #
tomaso - Member

22/36 upfront with a bashguard and 11/34 at the back suits me just fine. Its only trying to haul ass on a big open decent that I run out of gears and speed, but that isn't why I go mountain biking. For great trail riding it works just fine.

Posted 9 months ago #
don simon - Member

Running 2X9 27/42 11-32 on my Orbea and haven't missed the 22T once, the fact I never used it when running the triple didn't influence me. Most of the climbing I did was in the region og 500m over 5-10km, so quite long and steady. Even the shorter, steeper climbs haven't caused problems. I reckon that if I could do stuff on the 32:16 single speed a double would work just fine.

Posted 9 months ago #
gee - Member

I think a double, or even a triple, would be useful on some occasions having read Matt Page's accounts of the Ironbike race in the Alps...

As has been said - what works best for one person won't for others... It all depends on fitness (the biggie), terrain, bike weight, riding style... Personally, where I ride at trail centres, N Downs, Swinley and XC race courses I find 1x10 or 1x9 perfect for my blend of all those things. I ride past a lot of people on the uphill bits at such places for whom a 36t single ring would not be perfect. As I said, it all depends... This isn't one of those questions that has one answer.

GB

Posted 9 months ago #
njee20 - Member

TJ has said no such thing as you admit.

I'll concede that when I paraphrased TJ I thought he'd been a bit stronger in his wording, but what fun is it to back down mid-argument

I wouldn't use a single ring on a 'trail' bike myself, I'd rather have something a bit more spinny then for sure, just in case, it just wouldn't be a 22t!

TJ you can still get 5-arm 20t rings, I'll wager you could get some seriously cheap cranks too, combine with an 11-36 block and you really would never run out of gears.

Posted 9 months ago #
ratherbeintobago - Member

Stupid technical question part umpteen:

If I were to go 2x9 using a triple crank, does it matter whether the rings used are 'position-specific', ie. would a 40t 'outer' work OK on the middle ring bolts?

Andy

Posted 9 months ago #

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