Planning to refresh the drivetrain on my Turner by moving over to a SLX 2×10 set-up, but I have a few questions:
-38/24 and 11-36 seems to give the right spread of gears (26″ wheels)- what do you use?
-Will my old 3-speed front mech work (SRAM X7)?
-Best chain to use? All my 9-speed stuff is SRAM, but not keen on the single-use 10-speed links (SRAM).
-Best place to save a bit of weight? Maybe up-spec the cassette?

Thanks!

Have you considered 1×10? If you add a 42t rear cog and use a 32t front chainring you can get very close to the range of a 2×10. There is a calculator on Sheldon Brown’s site to compare ratios.

I’ve just done this and I love the fact that it’s one smooth progression between gears and there’s never that clunky moment of shifting into the granny ring / back to the larger ring. It also means a little weight loss, as no mech, shiter and one less ring.

Using a narrow wide chainring at the front also seems to keep the chain on very well when combined with a clutch mech.

My setup consisted of:
Raceface 32t chainring narrow wide
Xt 11-36 cassette plus oneup 42t
Xt shadow mech

Good luck!

I’d echo the above.

My bike went from 3 x 9 to exactly the gear spread you are looking at with 2 x 10.

Was better but stil had the occasional chain drop at the front.

When the chain rings wore out I made the decision to go to 1 x 10 with a 32T chainring and Hope 40T on the back of an XT cassette.

Cost a reasonable amount as I needed a new clutch mech as well, but all in all if I knew about 1 x 10 at the time I changed from 3×9 I’d have missed 2×10 out completely.

Also gone from 3×9 to 1 x 10 on n+1 and that too is much better with no faff.

Not been wanting for gears on either bike unless a long tarmac ride is required. (which isn’t in my riding)

+1 for the above: 1 x 10 is the way to go. Loose that front grannie and you may the bike lighter and less to go wrong.

I am currently running bikes with 1 x 10 and a 2 x 10, and so often I forget to even use the fron shifter on the 2 x 10 at all.

1 x 10 if hilly
2 x 10 if mountains

Having never tried 1×10 are there any issues with chain stretch across the cassette?

I’m still using 2×9 and always try to keep the chain straight-ish

Yes
Yes
I went for a 105 10-spd chain as crc were doing them for a tenner.
Cassette will save some weight but cost more…go with the standard stuff just now and get acquainted with the new stuff then look at spending some cash on lightening it up. Mechs will also save weight but may not offer any real performance improvement.

Thanks folks- lots of options to explore. Anyone on KMC 10-spd chains?

1×10 is the current trend, to really get the whole range it seems you need to add a 40\42t sprocket. I debated 1×10 or 2×10 recently and am opting for 24/36 with 11/34 on a 650b, on a previous 26″ I ran 24/36 with 11/32. Personally i’d find a 24×36 gear uber twiddly on 26″.

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/real-world-experiences-of-using-1×10-in-hilly-areas

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/double-chainsets-real-world-experience-in-hilly-areas