Can’t decide which way to go, 32t race face narrow wide upfront. Xt rear mech, can’t decide whether to go with sunrace mx8 or xt or drop a road cassette on it.

Any opinions or real world experience appreciated.

Mainly road use intended, few decent hills about

Cheers

I’m on a 39t front with a 11-32 rear cassette. I mostly commute, mixed surface – although it has done a few bigger rides too.

A few big hills to get up but it’s plenty low enough, and fast enough on the flats for what I need…

32 will be a spinfest on road. 32/11 will be too small for any flat sections in my opinion.
If you have the cassettes just fit them and see what you think. It will take 5 mins to change them over but I think you’ll need at least a 36 on the front.

There’s a hand little calculator here

Not quite the same but I’ve got 9 speed double on my flat bar CX bike hybrid. 36/46 up front. I used to run a 12-28 when it was used for purely the commute. When I started riding more off road I swapped the cassette for an XT 11-32. There isn’t anything I’ve yet to get up, but I rarely get in to the 46 on the front. When it’s all worn out, probably around 2025 at the current usage rate, I’ll go 1x with either a 38 or 40 on the front.

Cheers all not bought cassette yet.