I have been running a single ring on the front for most of my riding for nearly 15 years as I find it simpler and I don’t get dropped chains. This has been fine for virtually all of my local riding even when I have been pretty unfit and recently while I have a knackered ankle. It is also handy for the days that I mess around on DH tracks.

However when I go further away to larger terrain my fitness/ankle hasn’t been able to cope with the much larger climbs and as such I find myself walking a lot of the time. A granny ring would definitely help in this situation but would it get in the way the rest of the time?

My 9spd drivetrain is on its last legs so I am going to upgrade to 10spd when the time comes, I have a front shifter and mech in the spares draw so I don’t need to worry about the extra cost. I also have a dropper post with remote so will that get in the way of a front mech?

Finally I would still like some sort of chain retention, this is the bit that will add to my costs. I currently have a Gamut and it has been great I never get dropped chains. Is there a double chain device that will do the job nearly as well? Will these fancy thick/thin chainrings work as a 2×10 or just as a 1×10?

Thanks

A double chaining device is called a front mech Innit?

Unless your riding outnowt DH, then 2×10.

No it’s a front mech.
Plenty of Double Chain Guides (e-13 DRS/blackspire stinger etc)

2×10 with a clutch (shadow+) mech is a “do everthing” setup. If your DH riding is quite full-on then get a double chain device too.

If you’re upgrading to 10 speed I’d recommend going for a clutch type rear mech rather than a chain device.

I’ve recently fitted a Type2 SRAM mech to my Dune after suffering from regular chain loss and it’s made a whole heap of difference. Not dropped the chain once since.

I’m running it on a 2×10 setup and can highly recommend it. Far neater than any chain device and one less thing to worry about as you’re going need a rear mech anyway.

2×10 with a clutch (shadow+) mech is a “do everthing” setup. If your DH riding is quite full-on then get a double chain device too.

I’d agree with this, I’ve been running 2x gearing for years with a chain device on the front (E13 DRS) and got a clutch mech (SRAM type 2) for the current 2×10 set-up when they came out. Initially I removed the chain device and ran with just the clutch mech and that was fine over winter time but as the weather dried out and I was hitting the descents harder and faster I started getting chain drops again so the chain device had gone back on and I’m running clutch mech and chain device which does the trick of providing near perfect chain retention while leaving you with an available bail out granny gear.
Possibly worth noting that I’m beginning to suspect, from looking at my bike in comparison to some of my friends who are running shadow+ mechs, that the Shimano clutch option has a stronger clutch effect than the SRAM.

XT 2 x 10 with clutch mech here – not dropped a chain yet – though not doing any full-on DH. The bike’s almost silent now (well, apart from the ‘drug-crazed monkey waving a football rattle’ that is the Hope freehub, obviously) 😉

I like my 1×10 on the hardtail, but there’s no chance I’m doing that on my big do-anything bike, it needs to toil up horrible hills for a long time. If in doubt then dual it, single ring’s an aquired taste.

Chain devices… I used to always use a Stinger, considered it essential tbh but I’ve taken it off now that I’ve got a clutch mech fitted and there seems to be no real drawback- little more noise but I’ve not had any chain issues.

but there’s no chance I’m doing that on my big do-anything bike, it needs to toil up horrible hills for a long time.

This I_Ache, heed this as it applies to you…

Despite 1by being the new and cool thing, 2by just seems to work really, and work pretty much everywhere. Run a suitable mech, add a small lower chain device on the front and bingo, goes along, up and down without issue!

Unless you are a monovelociter then i think it’s the best option 😉

I run a wide ratio 1×10 (with chain device) on my do-it-all hardtail. Works for me, though I don’t tend to do long arduous climbs… it did get me through the South Downs Way though. As stated above, it really depends on what your riding tends to be geared towards, up or down?

Thanks for the advice, I think I will try the double with a clutch mech and see how it goes without a chain device.

I don’t so much do full on DH but I do tend to hit things pretty hard which rattled my chain off often last time I did it on a double.

I like my 1×10 on the hardtail, but there’s no chance I’m doing that on my big do-anything bike, it needs to toil up horrible hills for a long time. If in doubt then dual it, single ring’s an aquired taste.

This will be on my big bike, funnily enough I have a double on my BFe but I don’t tend to go down rocky stuff on the edge of control on that. I obviously have the taste for a single ring but riding bigger hills more often has made me re-evaluate if this is sensible or not.

The next question is what ring to use?

Do I just get a normal shimano ramped ring or is a specific ring available for a double setup? I have a spare E:13 Guide Ring in the shed that I could put on if it will shift onto a granny.

I’m running XT 2X10 and have spent the past month convincing myself that i am going 1X10 for no other reason than as stated above “its the next cool thing”

Then………. i rode Lllandegla on Monday and after re aqainting myself with Welsh trail centres i seem to have stopped thinking its cool and decided 2X10 is definately the way to go.

Obviously its not a hijack to open up a debate on Degla or trail centre riding, or a debate on chains BUT Shimano chains are unreliable and i’ve been running KMC for a month and its smooth and reliable.

I have a spare E:13 Guide Ring in the shed that I could put on if it will shift onto a granny.

It will shift fine if you give it a moment and back off on the pedalling while it changes. If you try and shift under load it’ll be a bit rough / slow. If you ever had an old school 10 speed road bike with down-tube friction only gear levers, it’s like that, fine if you treat it right, a bit rough if you don’t.
I’ve run this exact set-up and for a bike where the granny ring is only going to be a bail-out then it’s fine and may even help the chain stay on the big ring in the rough stuff.

What chainring and cassette are you currently using?
Might be able to widen your ratios with a 10sp cassette.

If you ever had an old school 10 speed road bike with down-tube friction only gear levers

Had? Thats what I have for my road bike now. I picked up a 1985 Raleigh Flyer last year for £20!

havinalaff

I’m not sure what my current cassette goes upto, probably 34? I have a 32t chainring.

I was going to go for a 11-36 cassette and try my 34t g-ring so it should be about the same and with a granny I will have a much lower gear and a slightly faster top gear. If I went for a 32t ring again it would make things a little easier but I don’t think it would be easy enough.