Hi All,
Noticing a lot more people going 1 x9 or 1 x 10 and for my riding style and the places I ride I could easily cope with 1 x 9. How much of a weight advantage is there in losing the front mech/shifter/cable/rings?
Also, what chain devices are people running on their XC machines to stop the chain jumping off?
Cheers,
Mart
Probably very little once you add a chain device...
More of a simplicity/easy-maintenance thing than really cutting down on weight.
As long as you select a light chain device, like an e13 XCX or similar, and you don't add a bash guard, you will drop about 1lb in weight. I think that's substantial enough to be a motivating factor personally.
However, as Stevomcd points out, the other really big advantage is simplicity. You are always in the correct chain ring by virtue of having no choice! That sounds a bit silly, but what I find it does is focus me more on pedaling at the right cadence, smoothly and consistently, only changing gears when I absolutely need to.
Having many more gears does tend to induce a 'I've got them so I must use them' mentality.
Sensible answer in the first post?
No flaming?
Standards are slipping gentlemen 
a lb in weight? The weight of a front shifter, cable, 2 chainrings and mech minus the weight of a chain device is nowhere near a lb surely I just weighed that lot and its well under a lb for the parts you remove
1lb in weight
Do be serious
.
You won't loose a great deal of weight really - left hand shifter, front mech and 2 chainrings as opposed to gaining a chain device. I did it because I can ride my local trails easily using a 1x10 set-up and there's less maintenance and less cables on the bikes so it actually looks neater. Here's my Lopes on my DW Link 5 Spot
as a long time lurker and having had lots of useful advice, i'm going to risk replying to this:
i'm intrigued as to why recently, everyone seems to be saying a chain device is essential with a single front ring. based on previous recommendations, i went 1x9 with an on-one steel singlespeed chainring and no chain device. in 6 months of riding, i've never come anywhere near dropping the chain, whereas i sometimes did with a double and front mech!
weight of single ring and longer chainring bolts: 112g
weight of 2 rings, plastic bash, front mech, shifter, cable: 619g
so an actual weight saving of well over a lb and, as previous posters have said, no more worrying about which ring to be in for a particular section!
Doesn't sound like you're doing much on your bike other than riding on the pavement. I tried mine with no device, rode out the drive and dropped off a 3 inch pavement and the chain fell off. Even removed about 4 links.
o96192083 , the OP probably isn't a daredevil like you, jumping off kerbs and the like.
I don't use a chain device with my 1x9, but then again, I stay on the pavement too
No need for a chain device if the bike's set up properly, If you're worried, a SS ring has taller teeth.
Never had a chain drop on my set up.
APF
Hmmm, the amount of clattering from the chain I'd not trust it to stay on, particularly of the moment it came off was as you were out of the saddle to sprint up a rise, or across a road or sommat. Ill take the 70g weight penalty for peace of mind!
"i've never come anywhere near dropping the chain,"
Not my experience at all. I shortened the chain as much as, but the chain flew off on most small landings and in rock gardens. The ~80g E13 top-only guide has mostly solved this, though to TBH I still throw the chain (and jam it) very occasionally on the particularly violent bits of trail that make up my regular weekend pony trek 
But it's no worse than riding with a front mech really. If I was more DH-trail oriented, I'd get one with a bottom roller/jockey.
I'm quite happy with a 34/32-34/11 range on all my riding in Somerset, and there is a reasonable weight saving given that my ramped-rings, front mech and shifter I took off were budget units and quite heavy. I've still got a long cage rear mech which I will replace with road-mech when it dies. Or I might get a short cage version of one of those new clutched mechs and see if I can ditch the chain guide.
Even with the guide there's a bit more space around the chainring so it gums up a fair bit less, though clearance at the chainstays and the bridge are still a serious mud and leaf magnet. Only new frame is going to solve that.
It's a tidy setup on an XC bike if your hills aren't too daunting IMO. I'm not keen on trying it with my slightly chunkier/spongier FS. But if you've got the legs, why not!?
Having just built an uber weight weenie build I can tell you that, although with assumed parts.
Assume no bashing
Assume chain device. (ifnyou ride proper trails you WILL lose your chain without one)
Assume keep same cassette (bigger cassettes are heavier unless you mad on the likes of xx or recon Ti)
Assume keep same rear mech (you could use short/med cage)
Remove:
Typical 3x shifter 120g -145g xtr/xx to sly/x7
Typical full length cable to FR mech 50g-60g with cable and outer.
Typical lightweight 44t ring 50g-70g
Typical 22t ring 30g-40g
So 250g to 315g
Gain:
Chain device- FR mech type 65g to 90g
Top and bottom type e.g. MRP Lopes 70g to 175g (carbon Weeze/Carbocage to E13/blackspire srs type)
So Net change best case 245g or a pound (315-70)
Net change worst case 75g (250-175)
You won't need a beefy chain device for normal use so worst case isn't really relevant.
Superstar device is about 65g.
Do if it's an average bike and you buy a failry cheap but effective and light chain guide you should save a pound easily.
It is a nice simple feeling, a bit like single speeding only faster and less painful.
I am waiting for hope 9 speed 36/9 speed cassette to couple it with a 30 tooth front ring. Should be good for the HT...
So Net change best case 245g or a poundHalf a pound - a pound being 450 g
Half a pound - a pound being 450 g
TJ wrote it, I thought it
Remove:
Typical 3x shifter 120g -145g xtr/xx to sly/x7
Typical full length cable to FR mech 50g-60g with cable and outer.
Typical lightweight 44t ring 50g-70g
Typical 22t ring 30g-40gSo 250g to 315g
You forgot the front mech off that!
Add an extra ~150g on top.
A pound is perfectly realistic, spec dependent.
I understand the urge to shed weight, but in doing so you do limit the bikes field of use.
Thanks for the input guys, I'd be losing the weight of an XT shifter, SLX front mech, associated cables and two rings off the SLX Cranks...
All this is coming off a classic santa cruz frame with a coil shock. All in all I could probably lose more weight by changing from a coil shock to an air shock and getting lighter forks.
Or maybe having a poo before a ride...
I do like the idea of simplicity though, all my local trails are getting very muddy now and cannock being my local trail centre it's thick gloopy mech killing paste won't help the front mech if I leave it there!
I understand the urge to shed weight, but in doing so you do limit the bikes field of use.
And yet a 100kg lard arse like myself, touching 40, still managed to spend a week riding around verbier with just a 1x10 set up.
32t front ring as well and hey guess what, I was never undergeared (and before anyone crows about speed, yes I was only going as fast as he guides).
geetee, it's like your riding the 'proper mountainbike' version of a singlespeed, if that makes sense?
I just thought one day 'ah bugger it' just slap the gears back on. I've proved to myself I can ride anywhere ss, but extra gears are only going to add to my biking.
I went from an all SLX 22/36 double & bash, front mech, front shifter and DRS chain device to a single 32t and an E13 LG1+ and saved 400g/0.9 lbs. Pretty significant!
Oh, and so far I haven't missed having a granny ring at all.
managed to spend a week riding around verbier with just a 1x10 set up.
Yeah, the Verbier lift system is ace 
I think i knocked off almost a lb, going to an e-thirteen G ring and 80g superstar chain device. Also replaced the heavy octalink BB with XT, mind.
I switched from XT shifter, front mech, a Race Face Deus triple and Shimano Ultegra chain to a single RF 32T ring and e13 XCX guide.
Weights from weight weenies (which I don't think anyone can dispute)-
XT Shifter- 125g (left)
XT front mech- 165g
Race Face 44T ring- 88g
Race Face 22T ring- 23g
Remaining chunk of chain- 20g
Shimano SIS cable (75cm)- 34g
Clarks stainless inner- 9g
Total- 455g.
Plus an e13 guide at 56g gives 399g saving, which is a 0.9lb saving. On a bike that weighs 24lbs in the first place that was significant.
I find that 1x10 is great, but not for everyone. If you've got the legs you can use it just about anywhere, but if you're a spinner or unfit it'll not work in places like the Lakes and Highlands.
Mine dropped half a pound when going from XTR triple to 1x9 on the same cranks.
I do like it very much though.
Mine gained about a lb (back in the day of the origainl MRP guides!).
Tried it on the SS (going 1x9) but found it was slower than the SS, and there still wasn't a gear low enough to deal with the steeper climbs.
So for now the Pitch is staying 2x10 and the other bikes SS.
I saved over a lb... went from Race Face Diabolus double and bash to a Jones'd 960 XTR... in fact I saved over 12lb going from a heavy weight beast to lightweight rocket ship
I was a bit of sceptic as to if 1x9 would work for where I ride, but with a far lighter bike and a bit more grunting I've yet to see a downside. I hate front mechs offroad... HammerSchmizzle, SS, or 1x9 
@tandamjeremy, you're right not only did I get that wrong my typing was shite!!
@Hobnob you're right too, don't know how I forgot that front mech, twas in my mind whilst typing..xtr was 137g so yes thick end of a pound at nearer 450g with 'normal' kit. I saved about half a pound but that was xtr stuff, I put a Carbocage on for ultimate chain security and on a 20-21lb bike so diminishing returns but relatively significant for the cost.
Not really "über weight weenie" is it?!
I understand the urge to shed weight, but in doing so you do limit the bikes field of use.
I personally did it primarily because I found I was I the 42t 95% of the time, and right up the top of the block. A 36t gives me a really nice gear ratio. The weight saving was welcome, but a secondary benefit. I'd not stick with it if I felt it compromised my riding, but I'm not about to switch back after a year!
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