After a ride out yesterday, and the susequent pain in my legs today, I’m thinking of ditching the 1×9 setup and going for a 2×9.

Question is whether to take the opportunity to get some new cranks, or just go for new chainrings.

I’m running a semi-lightweight (28lbs ish) FSR 120. It currently has Hone cranks which have been handed down from the previous ride. I imagine I could shave a bit of weight by moving to a new crank, but I am on a tightish budget (Would love to do the move under £100 with getting 2nd hand shifter and mech, but would consider £150 a max).

What’s peoples views on buying, for the sake of argument, an XT/SLX chainset and dropping the outer ring, or just buying 2 chainrings (and probably bash) and keeping the Hone arms?

like singlespeed, I imagine the pain lessens with practice?

Only real advantage of a dedicated crank for 2 rings is that they’ll give a slightly better chainline.

You could probably pick up a second hand XT/SLX crank with good rings from the classifieds for not much more than new rings for the Hone, tbh.

What size front ring at the moment? 32/34/36?

I’m currently on 32, but will up to 34 come payday…

Why don’t you change to 1×10 and make use of the 36 rear.

I changed way back last year and it’s been great for me.

I’m on a 32, which is fine for Lincoln and Sherwood Pines (unfortunately, i’m stuck with living away from the hills).

But if I go further afield (which is rare, due to work), the hills are actually hills and I can’t spin on the 32-34 setup so my legs become too tired after a couple of hours.

I ended up cramping in both legs by the 3rd hour yesterday, I’d rather give up the 1×9 crusade and enjoy riding more by having some lower gears!

new cs won’t save much weight, new rings will allow you to buy better quality.

Sore legs? Just means you’ve been working.

I’ve done this to my 456 recently, I was finding it fine with 1×9 but I lent the bike to my dad and he’s not ridden in years so finds the granny ring very helpful, I had a conventional SLX mech, bought a LH shifter off here for £10 and its been great for him, he even bought a new saddle for himself as he’s actually been out riding!!!

I have also Just put my 3×10 down to 2×10, just bought a bash guard off here for £10 and fitted it and wound in teh H limit screw, works great, I will be upping the 32 ring to a 34 or maybe even a 36 come payday.

Is there really any difference between a 9 speed chain ring and a 10 speed one? shimano 9 speed 34/36T chainrings are about £13.

I could save around 200-300g if I went for an SLX/XT chainset over a similar Hone setup. Nothing to shout about, but nice to know.

Think i’ll keep my eye out over the next month for a new setup, would like some raceface cranks or something, just to be different.

The hard bit will be finding a SRAM X9-ish left hand shifter and front mech… Although I imagine i’ll end up getting both shifters just to make sure they match.

You won’t save much weight at all off the crank arms between Hone/SLX/XT. They are all within 50g of each other.

The weight saving comes from the chainrings, so buy a decent inner & middle ring & you will be fine.

I am not someone one to ask as I once ran 1×9 until the drivetrain was knackered and went single speed and have never gone back. I ride in the falts of East Anglia so a bit like Sherwood.

You could get the SLX M665 cranks in 9 speed double. They are £120 (in my shop) probbaly similar elsewhere.

New chainrings would be cheaper. If it where my bike I would buy new chain rings as the weight saving will be small compared to the total mass of rider + clothes + bike. Sorry I would buy new chain rings I would single speed it but thats me.

I could save around 200-300g if I went for an SLX/XT chainset over a similar Hone setup

You’ll be lucky to save 100g – LX & Hone are about 950g complete & XT about 850g – I’ve just bought new inner & middle ring for my LX cranks from rose bikes for less than £25 posted. If you go for an older secondhand XTR front mech you’ll save about 40g over an XT & not much difference in price.

I have the lightest solution…just fit a 22T alloy granny at approx 30g with bolts.

I also have the cheapest solution….I will sell you a 22T Truvativ 4-bolt steel chainring for £5 PPG, use your own bolts and its a good ‘un.

Do not bother with a front mech and shifter, just use your heel to kick-down when needed and put the chain back to 32T manually whilst you rest at the top.

Too simples?

paul.r.davisAThotmail.co.uk

After a ride out yesterday, and the susequent pain in my legs today, I’m thinking of ditching the 1×9 setup and going for a 2×9.

What sort of pain?

I have the lightest solution…just fit a 22T alloy granny at approx 30g with bolts.

Plus front mech, shifter and cable.

You won’t save weight unless you go for mentally light cranks! Not worth replacing cranks unless you particularly want to. Just stick a 22t ring on plus a front mech and shifter, easily doable for £100.

Weights wise I was just quoting from the weight wheenies database… I’m not THAT bothered about weight since it’s not a very light frame/fork/wheel combo anyway. But it’s always worth saving a few ounces here and there!

Think i’ll grab some chainrings new locally, and then get hold of the other couple of bits as 2nds.

Suffering with sore points at the top of my calves, just below the knee… Still had plenty of steam left, but the legs we’re knackered!

That’s because you had to ride hills, which you don’t normally. That makes you fitter.

Suffering with sore points at the top of my calves, just below the knee… Still had plenty of steam left, but the legs we’re knackered!

sounds like you just need to build up your miles.

So much easier said than done… Work all day 5/7, have 2 kids under 3, half my spare time is spent leading a Scout section…

When I do get to ride, I don’t want to spend 4-6hrs in the car to get 2-3 hours riding… Which leaves me getting around 10 miles a week on relatively flat ground…

Yep tough to get miles in when lots of other stuff going on just some ideas:

turbo train?

make the 10miles you already do harder – sprints, interval training? lead some scout bike rides (I went on some when I was a scout)

use bike to go to the shops etc? part of commute?

do a bit of yoga and pilates (do they do a scout badge for yoga?) – more supple you are less you will hurt

where do you live?

get one of these for you and the nippers – good workout with them as ballast

Were you properly hydrated?

I had a set of Hone cranks, they were only about 60g heavier than my SLXs- mostly accounted for by the pedal inserts I think. Seems to be a recurring theme, the complete packages are lighter but the real weight difference is in the rings.

I had some fun with 1×9 but much happer with 2×9… I can run a high gear that’s as high as I want and a low gear that’s as low. With 1×9 there was a compromise there, if I wanted to get up all the hills without exploding myself it meant losing the top end. Depends on fitness and location o’course.

2 Kids under 3 leaves shit loads of time to ride
10 miles a week is pitiful

GW – Member
2 Kids under 3 leaves shit loads of time to ride
10 miles a week is pitiful

obviously the OP feels differently…

Apologies with not fitting in to your opinion with regards to how much time I should spend at home.

I’m out the door before 8, get back in after 5. I’m busy at least 2 nights a week, and spend a weekend a month camping.

It takes an hour to get anywhere close to a hill, and obviously an hour back. So a 10 mile ride, including setting up and cleaning afterwards, takes around 3-4 hours.

I also have other hobbies, like to watch sport on TV and have a wife who doesn’t like to watch sports.

Not to mention that I am deployed overseas occaisionally through the year.

All while trying to remember what my wife and kids names are.

BACK ON SUBJECT.

I’ll not worry about weight, but I will be going for a new set of chainrings as soon as payday pops around. Thanks to those helpful people!

Lovely excuses there. 😆

My 2yr old rides more than 10 miles a week (20 minutes a day)
bikes take less than 5 minutes to wash.
WTF needs setting up for riding? 😕

your camping trips must be a laugh a minute with that level of incompetence

🙄

Nice trolling… To the point where i’ll end this thread and it’s impending pointless argument.

Is it trolling if it’s true?

I’m genuinely intrigued as to what needs “setting up “?

What the hell GW? Let’s all be nice to each other please.

It takes an hour to get anywhere close to a hill, and obviously an hour back. So a 10 mile ride, including setting up and cleaning afterwards, takes around 3-4 hours.

Try different non off-road types of cycling – general cycling + road riding means less cleaning – or the need to go somewhere specific to ride.

If I ride my brompton to town an back to go shopping that is 3 miles takes no setup time nor washing and saves on petrol and parking. I could walk but cycling is quickest. YOu often can get extra riding in to normal routines but takes a shift to do it sometimes.

Only got room for one bike?

Make road riding more pleasurable on a MTB – get a second set of wheels, and fit some road-specific 26″ tyres.

Massive difference in drag (and quality of ride as a result).

I commute on a 35lb Patriot, with panniers…

I feel your pain i have a 6 year old and a 3 year old and getting time after work especilly in the winter is not easy.

Right now i am getting just 1 ride a week done (20-30miles) and a very occasional off road.

The summer will see my mileages increase to 3/4 rides a week.

Dont let the male chickens bother you.

Only got room for one bike?

Make road riding more pleasurable on a MTB – get a second set of wheels, and fit some road-specific 26″ tyres.

Massive difference in drag (and quality of ride as a result).

I commute on a 35lb Patriot, with panniers…

I’m likely to look at getting a road bike for commuting in the future, money is tight and I think that a 2nd hand road bike is better than slick tyres on my mtb.

I’m likely to look at getting a road bike for commuting in the future, money is tight and I think that a 2nd hand road bike is better than slick tyres on my mtb.

Yep. If you can a separate bike is better.

How far is your commute and whereabouts do you reside?

I got a CX bike for riding from my door for similar reasons it aces the boring trails I have from my doorstep more exciting and I can cover more miles in a shorter time.

I thought it was you Si :). Just MTFU And suck it up 😉 2×9 should see you right anywhere. and for those saying there’s no excuse about time, I do hope you’re trolling.

Ah, Richie, nice to see I can’t stay away from work 😛

T’was just a little too much for me yesterday, mainly due to lack of fitness… The extra gears will come in handy in the future…

I prefer Scotland, in 6 hours you get 2 or 3 big hills, not this up and down every 5 minutes! 😛

so GW gets a months ban for this?

im with GW on this one, stop thinking up excuses and get out on yer bike !

so GW gets a months ban for this?

Dare to dream eh?