Single ring (1x9/1x10) Gear range options?

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Single ring (1x9/1x10) Gear range options?

11 posts & 10 voices | Started 7 months ago by snotrag | Latest reply from fuzzhead

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snotrag - Member

Recently sold a commuter bike and have moved the single ring and SS guide over to my 'main' bike.

Currently got a 36t ring, and a 9spd 11-32 cassette. I like it, it works very well, and is also better suited to the upcoming mud-plugging weather (Part of this process is also down to me trying to 'man-up' and riding my bike more, which I'm doing, but still struggling).

However - I haven't *quite* got the range I require. I can just about manage on the trails at home. I WILL get stronger, however pushing a 36f-32r gear up the hills in the peaks or at Dalby for instance is just too much for me, especially as I'm a spinner not a beefcake thighs of steel type.

I'm trying to decide between my options;

+ Biggest 9spd cassette I can find - might lose a bit on top end with 12-36?

+ 34 or 32t front ring - still no 'wider' range, top end gonna be a problem for spinny road sections on my local loops?

+ Go 10 spd, wider range available possibly (11-36?) and bits need replacing soon anyway - Expensive, poor durability especially bearing in mind the kick off was winter-ising the bike?

What do you reccomend? Who runs what single ring setups on the main trail/XC bike?

Bike is a light-ish built Prince albert if it makes a difference.

Posted 7 months ago #
honourablegeorge - Member

Went 1x10 on both my bikes recently, 34t front, 11-16 rear. The CRC sale combined with heaps of £10 off over £75 vouchers, and selling off all the old 9spd kit, meant that I did it all for very little money.

I was used to climbing pretty much everything in 32-32, so having 34-36 makes life a shade easier if I need it.

Posted 7 months ago #
deanfbm - Member

Similar to above.

On a good crc deal it's quite easy to get a 10 speed set-up for just over £100, especially when they do x7 short cages for £23.

My 10 speed gear has lasted just fine in the peak grit. My cassette has been going since february, along with the mech and shifter, i'm now on my 2nd chain since then.

I ride 32/11-36. Easily get up any sustained, straight forward climbs, however on sustained tech climbs, i could do with easier gear, but i'm generally giving up at the same points as people with granny rings.

Some people may argue that a 32t ring will be too spinny, but on anything fast and tech, who actually pedals? It's only on road i spin out. Bare in mind your typical DH ring is 36ish tooth, a DH bike is going to be going a lot faster down than your trail bike. Yea i spin out on fire roads too, but that's when i'm resting in a ride, it feels a bit pointless hammering a fire road.

I also ran this gear in the alps, did passportes, didn't feel under geared.

This is from a BMXer whose pedalling is more force than spin.

Posted 7 months ago #
djflexure - Member

Just swapped bike from 9 speed 34 x 11-34 to 10 sp 34 x 11-36. Did not notice any difference in lowest gear tbh.
I have found I can manage most things with a 1:1 ratio front/back.

Posted 7 months ago #
cows_in_cars - Member

Personally like deanfbn, I really don't find the loss of the top end a problem. I find a 33t front with a 9 speed 11-34 just fine. The 33t ring does allow for a slightly harder top gear but is almost the same a running a 32 for the easiest gear. I have run this in two solo endurance races without problem, it can get a little spinny on fast fire road but never find it a real problem and find at trail centres if I am any where near the top gear I am over geared.
If I was you I would change the front ring to a 32 or 33 and either leave it at that or swap to a 11-34 9 speed. Seems easier and cheaper than a swap to 10 speed...unless of course you want to go 10 speed.

Posted 7 months ago #
njee20 - Member

1x10 with 36 and 11-36 here. Really like it, find the ratios fine!

Posted 7 months ago #
snotrag - Member

Think I'll try with a 32t ring up front first then, thanks all.

Posted 7 months ago #
Northwind - Member

You can make an 11-36 9-speed cassette incidentally, but it works out heavy... Just take the Shimano 12-36 and swap cogs. (mine needed a bit of lathe work but I think only because I used an XT 11T cog, if you use the 11T from the same model it may be a straight swap).

1x9 with 32 on the front and 34 on the back didn't quite work for me- to be fair all the hills that I couldn't get up, were hills that lots of people walk, but I'm out for a bike ride not a walk so that's not for me. 36 so far has made just enough of a difference but no doubt I'll run out of leg sooner or later.

OTOH, 32T big ring on my big bike felt too low... I'm happy enough with it on the XC bike as its speed is more limited anyway, I'd go down to

Posted 7 months ago #
Stevelol - Member

1x10 with a 10sp 11-36 cassette and 30t chainring.

I love single ring setups (have the same on my hardtail but 11-34 9 speed) but am not fit enough for anything bigger than a 30t yet. When I get there I'll put a 32t on. I don't spin out much at the moment, but would like to try the new Hope integrated cassette/freehub for the 9tooth cog.

Posted 7 months ago #
mboy - Member

Started off xc single ringing on 32 up front, 11-32 9 speed out back. Then quickly took the opportunity to go to 10 speed as it became cheap enough, with 11-36 out back still with the 32T ring.

Then decided I'd dabble with a 36T as I'd span 32:11 out a couple of times, but ultimately came to the conclusion that whilst I can climb most hills on 1:1, occasionally when you're tired it's nice to have a slightly easier gear still left should you need it. Found I wanted the 32:36 bottom gear slightly more often than I span out 32:11 too, so decided that 32T up front with 11-36 cassette is for me.

That said, I've got a large 2.25" Maxxis on the back currently, with a 2" or 2.1" tyre I'd probably want to go back to a 36T up front to get the overall gearing back.

Posted 7 months ago #
fuzzhead - Member

1x9 here.
Used to run 34t front with 11-32 back - good offroad, but span out a little on the road.
Recently switched to 36t front and 11-34 rear which seems better all-round.

Posted 7 months ago #

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