I’m considering a single ring up front, but not sure what size ring to go for. I am a good climber (better going up than down) so I don’t need granny ring size, but at the same time, some of the climbs around here are quite steep, also would like to have a bit of pedal power for use on singletrack and fireroad. I currently have a 9 speed cassette on rear.

A broader range cassette will help.

There’s a 9 speed Deore 12-36, if you have an 11 tooth cassette now, swap the smallest cogs over and you’ve an 11-36, just the same as those flash-harry 10 speeders 🙂

Why not leave your existing middle ring, and see how you get on with that?

Remember you can shorten the chain, as long as the derailleur’s happy over the largest cog you’re fine.

Once you decide on the ratio you like, get a SS specific chain ring, larger teeth, and without the cut outs, pins et c. designed to encourage the chain to shift you’ll probably not need a chain guide.

APF

Widge – I use 32 around our neck o’ the woods, but I’m rubbish at climbing. I’m on 10 speed now, but when I had 9 speed I used a 11-34 cassette and that was fine. If you’re OK grinding a bigger gear then a 34 would be fine I think and you’d still have plenty big enough gear for the pedally downs and singletrack. Jones uses 36 I think.

Have you left it in the middle ring for a whole ride yet just to see?

Don’t forget a chain device is needed, I use the E13 XCX, but believe super star do a cheepy rip off for a fraction of the cost which MBUK recently said was very good.
The new XTR rear mech with the clutch system would be another option, albeit a costly solution for not dropping the chain.
I think you always want the lowest 1st gear, regardless of climbing talent. I use a 1×10 set up on both my bikes. Each have a front 32t chainring and a rear cassette with a 36t 1st gear. This tends to be fine 99% of the time. A light bike helps, anything under 26lbs seems to favour single chain ring, anything heavier and you start to miss the granny gear.
Go for it, I have used 1×9 set up for years, well before it was trendy and means you spend more time riding, rather than changing gears.

32T 12:36 on a 29er and a 69er here

A light bike helps, anything under 26lbs seems to favour single chain ring

Blimey……add 10 pounds to that and you may be approaching my giant reign with a 1×9… 🙁

I run 34t front ring, 12-36t 10spd cassette on a 30lbs full dud. I’m young and strong ( 8) ) but I think it’d be fine for most people.

38t front , 11:34 rear , ride cannock ,wales etc ,no problem

I’ve recently done similar – did a few rides trying to stay in the existing 32 ring at the front, and after a few never using the granny ring at the front I just ditched the other two rings, and have kept the existing 32. Will get used to it like this, and if/when the 32 wears out i’ll maybe stick a harder wearing single ring on after and think about going to 34 then.
Worked pretty well as an experiment at the Puffer – all rideable in that setup.

The superstar chainguide does rub on my 1×10 setup (Yeti ASR5). Not bad in the middle of the cassette but at the top or bottom it makes a racket especially if there is some dirt on the chain. I have tried with various positions but there isn’t a massive amount of room in it, which I guess for not dropping the chain you want but it does annoy me a little.

I’ve had a 34t Renthal ring up front with a 9spd 12-36 out back and a Superstar chain device for the last 2 years. With it I’ve dragged my Dialled Alpine though the UK from Kinlochleven to Thetford to the Quantocks with out any issue. If its quicker to walk I push. I’m not a climber by any stretch but I’ve never felt any need for any more gears

Kayak +1

36lbs is fine with a single ring here, up down and along. Granny ring just prolongs the suffering

You don’t need any chain device. Well you shouldn’t. Can’t say I have evr lost a chain off the front apart from through chain suck.

running E13 36T front with E13 LG1+ chain device and SRAM 9 speed in the rear with 11-34T cassette

now the trails are wet and muddy, I’d benefit from dropping down to 34T or even 32T but my chain device will not support anything less than 36T

have an XTR front mech, Sram X-0 left shifter pod, 28T SLX chainring and Middleburn 36T shifting ring, sitting there going spare!

but too lazy to install, and have got used to the simple 1 x 9, especially with the remote for my Rockshox Reverb seatpost taking the space of the left shifter pod on my bars?

maybe time to look at the SLX 12-36T 9 spd cassette, its cheap but 500gm so somewhat heavy compared to my current SRAM PG-990 cassette

Widge – I use 32 around our neck o’ the woods, but I’m rubbish at climbing. I’m on 10 speed now, but when I had 9 speed I used a 11-34 cassette and that was fine. If you’re OK grinding a bigger gear then a 34 would be fine I think and you’d still have plenty big enough gear for the pedally downs and singletrack. Jones uses 36 I think.

Have you left it in the middle ring for a whole ride yet just to see?

Rick. I run a double up front with the larger ring being a 36t. It’s ok most of the time. Thinking a 34 maybe better for some of the steeper climbs though.

Would the chain need shortening, going from a 36 to a 34?

I did 32 front, 11-34 rear. There was very little I couldn’t get up, but it really took its toll on long climbs, have to say I do not miss it in the slightest. I’m not massively fit but neither am I a weakling.

Would the chain need shortening, going from a 36 to a 34?

Depends if you went with a full chain device or not. It’d probably only be a link anyway, so prolly not worth the faff.

I went 44/32/22 11-32, to 36/22 11-32, to 36/22 11-34, to 32/22 11-34, at which point I noticed that I no longer needed the granny ring. Managed about a dozen rides without using it, then removed the front mech, shifter and granny ring, shortened the chain (yet again!) and added an N-Gear Jump Stop to prevent the chain jumping inwards (I have a bash ring to prevent outward derailments). Working well so far (medium cage X0 mech btw) but doubt I’m hitting things as hard as I do in the summer, so time will tell…

I find I climb much better, especially techy stuff, in a higher gear, which I really didn’t expect! Not super fit by any means but relatively strong, and the bike and me aren’t massively heavy.