Viewing 25 posts - 1 through 25 (of 25 total)
  • Front mech and quote from Yeti thread…..really?
  • vondally
    Free Member

    Am I so outdated that actually I really still want a front mech ….. Certainly for 2 x 10 or even…..horror of horrors….3x 10…….

    Really is it just me a old person time with front mechs?????

    sirromj
    Full Member

    Resistance is futile.

    Onzadog
    Free Member

    Wife has a new, high end, enduro, carbon frame. She’s running 3×9.

    It’s actually really useful to be able to dump a lot of gears with one push of the front mech shifter.

    wobbliscott
    Free Member

    You can dump gears just as easily with one push of your thumb with 1x too, but I can’t really think why you’d want to dump so many gears in one go. You’re supposed to look up the trail and anticipate gears ahead of time so you should never/rarely find yourself in the wrong gear – nothing worse than hitting a hill in too high a gear then having to grind up the cassette, or swap chainrings under power, it’s not very mechanically sympathetic no matter what drivetrain configuration you’re running.

    The question is that now with 1×11 and 1×12 you can get the range why on earth would you WANT a front mech and front chainrings?

    I went 1×10 because the simplification appealed to me and it got rid of problems the front rings and mech were giving – mainly clogging with mud and ceasing to work anyway. It took a bit of getting used to and I did have to make compromises on the ratios as I am still running an 11-36 cassette so was blowing out of my backside for a few initial rides until my fitness improved, but i’ve not looked back since. Also since going 1×10 I haven’t snapped a chain and my chain usage has dropped from about 3 a year to 1 a year, so all in all its less stress and wear and tear on the drivetrain.

    Going 1×10 with an 11-36 cassette took a bit of work and some compromises and therefore a leap of faith that you would get used to it and ultimately prefer it, as I did. But with the latest 1×11 and 1×12 offerings and the gear range they offer its no longer such a big transition.

    Different things appeal to different people and dealing with a problem, like I was, usually prompts you to look to something different. If you’re happy running 2x or 3x then great and two fingers up to those who criticise. Until you get a new bike with no front mech attachment of course.

    steve_b77
    Free Member

    I’ve got one on my new bike, a mount that is. Also got the shifter and mech, can’t make my mind up if I’m going to fit them or not.

    garage-dweller
    Full Member

    I like 1x for simplicity but for range and gear spacing 2x seems still to offer some advantage as it allows a closer ratio cassette, which for a sit and spin climber (what my fs benefits from) seems better. I’m not that flexible in my ability to spin different cadences so getting close to my comfort zone makes a big difference.

    The 1x hardtail goes up by brute force and stubbornness!

    P-Jay
    Free Member

    My new one has got one, I think most of my mates with very recent bikes have them too.

    2x or even 3x isn’t obsolete, I think even the new, new 50t XT set coming soon has a 2×11 option (not with 50t though).

    1×11 is fine for me, I’ll avoid acting all Gnar and saying it’s because I can climb cliff faces without a granny, it’s more like I don’t need a massive top for pushing the pedals past 30mph because if I’m going that fast I’m holding on for dear life’

    P-Jay
    Free Member

    Oh the real downside of having a 2x drivetrain – you can’t mount a bottle opener to your frame (if ever there was a solution looking for a problem, it’s that).

    simondbarnes
    Full Member

    Oh the real downside of having a 2x drivetrain – you can’t mount a bottle opener to your frame

    No need, an spd pedal is probably the best bottle opener I’ve ever used.

    vondally
    Free Member

    With that 1 x 12 is not the weight distribution messed up?

    Real world for me with mix of natural trails being linked by roads 2/3x 10 still works and when I actual ride in the mountains I am clearly not fit enough to push 1xn11.

    Also is the suspension really that affected or are we talking marketing hype?

    garage-dweller
    Full Member

    Also is the suspension really that affected or are we talking marketing hype?

    Based on nothing but riding it my four bar fs bike doesn’t like being “mashed” up hill. It just seems to squat and wallow. Sit and spin and it’ll climb much better.

    I’m not sure that’s what your asking though.

    molgrips
    Free Member

    I stuck with 3x on my rigid 29er cos it’s intended to do a mix of road and off-road. On long adventure rides I’d appreciate the low end, and on roads I use the big ring.

    vondally
    Free Member

    Re suspension I thought that with 1 x n that some suspension benefitted for the chain line being ‘ straighter’ not dealing with the shifting …?????

    sillyoldman
    Full Member

    2x Di2 with Synchro shift is too good to ditch front mechs. You use it like it’s 1x but with better range and better cadence management. Better function in filth too.

    Not cheap granted, but then neither is Sram 1×11/12.

    thecaptain
    Free Member

    You mean there are cassettes with more than 9 cogs these days? Why did nobody tell me?

    kayak23
    Full Member

    simondbarnes – Member
    Oh the real downside of having a 2x drivetrain – you can’t mount a bottle opener to your frame
    No need, an spd pedal is probably the best bottle opener I’ve ever used.

    Better than a bottle opener?

    simondbarnes
    Full Member

    Better than a bottle opener?

    At least as good 🙂

    nickc
    Full Member

    The question is that now with 1×11 and 1×12 you can get the range why on earth would you WANT a front mech and front chainrings?

    because with a 2×10/11 you can use the front mech and just one trigger pull, to effectively dump a whole range. say a small rise.

    I think the suspension design advantages were first developed for 29ers (same with the whole 1x concept really). to fit in the wheel, the links and levers, and and the frame and have decent travel, something had to give, and that ended up being the front mech.

    molgrips
    Free Member

    I can’t imagine what the chain line would be like on 1×12

    vondally
    Free Member

    What molgrips says has crossed my mind….

    Goldigger
    Free Member

    We went to swinley on Sunday..and grinding it out up some of the steep trails, I actually thought there’s no way I could do this on 1×11.
    3×10 and the granny ring used when popped!

    sirromj
    Full Member

    3×9 and using Strava. Boom.

    philjunior
    Free Member

    The question is that now with 1×11 and 1×12 you can get the range why on earth would you WANT a front mech and front chainrings?

    Someone’s already offered one answer but I’ll go ahead and point out that I prefer to spend £30 on a cassette than £300.
    Also I’ve had long rides in the past where chainsuck has happened in one or two rings. Not ideal but I was able to avoid using those rings and still complete the ride without too much swearing.

    zero-cool
    Free Member

    3×12. It’ll be the next niche for STWers now that fat bikes and gravel/adventure bikes are so common.
    You make my words, they’ll be modifying their new Eagle drivetrains to make gears so low you go backwards.

    Tom KP

    mikewsmith
    Free Member

    I’ve not used a fro the mech in over a year, it’s been 3 on my trail/am/enduro weapon/bike/quiver killer machine. I just don’t miss it. I’m a better rider for it, I’m stronger and smoother. As said above looking ahead helps and being able to shift 5 or 6 in one go too. The range is so close to my 2×10 it makes the 2x pointless. As for weight distribution it feels like people grasping for reasons.

Viewing 25 posts - 1 through 25 (of 25 total)

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