Hello Singletrack,

I’ve got a 2014 Transition Trans AM with a mix of SRAM X5 and X7 groupset running as 2 x 10. There’s not at massive amount of room between the front mech and back tyre and I’m only using a couple of granny gears every now and then.

Is it easy enough for a cack handed fool (me) to convert this set up to 1 X 10 with a ”get out of jail’ gear for when my legs die? What bits would I need, how much expense etc?

I’d love to get a dedicated 1 x 11 set up, but the wife says I’m not allowed to sell a kidney or the baby!

As usual any help and advice is appreciated.

I’ve just done this on my hardtail but with Shimano Components. You’ve got shifter, cranks, cassette, chain and mech already. Just need an expander and N/W chainring and you’re good to go pretty much I reckon.

I’d love to get a dedicated 1 x 11 set up, but the wife says I’m not allowed to sell a kidney or the baby!

Simples, sell the wife!!

Thanks for the response. I’m going to seem really dim now, but what’s N/W chainring? Does the expander, (something like a 40 or 42t I’m guessing) simply replace the largest cog on the current cassette? If so, is it easy to do?

Apologies for all the questions.

Feel free to laugh, heckle etc by the way

N/w is a narrow wide chain ring. Each teeth are narrow then wide then narrow…. Help with chain retention. Chain rings are readily available from race face, hope etc.

The expander goes behind the larger cog you’ve got now but only certain cassettes allow you to take a lower gear out to make room for the expander.

Or you could simply buy a sunrace mx-3 cassette. That’s what I’ve got and I’m more than happy with it.

I’ve got a hope narrow wide on ebay at the moment mate.

Thanks all.

You’ll need to check the rear mech will handle a 40 or 42t expander. People seem have varied experiences and there’s another thread that concludes the One Up Rad cage is the way to go.

I have two bikes with 1×10 and 42t expanders, Shimano mechs, one with a Rad cage on a medium cage mech and one with a standard long cage. Both work fine without needing an extra lomg B adjustment screw. In fact the standard long cage mech shifts slightly better.

No need for the expander in my opinion, just more cash for little benefit. with a 30t/32t front and a 36 rear you’d have plenty to get up anything. Much slacker than that and you won’t get any traction anyway and just wheel spin

^^ you obviously have very strong legs, or ride relatively flat trails. 30/36 is OK but you lose top end to the extent that it becomes too easy to spin out on downhills. 32/40 or 42 gives a reasonable top end and a good low gear for getting up the really steep stuff.

I’ve not had any trouble with traction using 32/42 – and on Dartmoor it’s a very useful low gear.

You’d have to be going nearly 40mph to spin it out I reckon! Obviously it’s different strokes for different folks but I ride hilly terrain / N wales / Lakes and find it enough.

That’s not willy waving and I admit that you may well have an adjustment period where a change of technique/ mind-set is required to get you up the steep steep stuff. However you will be a far better climber for it with £100 more in your pocket from not buying a massive cassette.

1 x to me is about simplicity and the cheapness in replacing one chain ring. All these 42 expanders and cassettes is just the manufacturers making off the back of it. All this in my opinion obviously!

If you want/need that 42 gear then you may as well just keep a double/triple

Thanks again for all the advice. I mainly ride around the peak district, so a fair number of hills.