Ok, im about to try out my first 1×9 set up on a Cotic Soul frame.

My stoopid Q’s are as follows:

1) whats the best size front ring to start with?

Im guessing 32t, but 34t or 36t must also be in the running right?

2) should I consider any ‘unusual’ cassette ratio’s, or or is standard fine?

3) should you always run the chain ring where the middle ring was fitted, or can it be run perfectly fine on the outer spacing?
On a bike tart level it looks better on outer, but I guess this isn’t great for chain line on lower gears?

1) Depends where you live. I run a 32t and I’ve never had problems in Calderdale, the Lakes, various trail centres etc.
2) 12-36
3) Middle (correct)

No expert, but my setup below seems to work fine.

All depends on your usual terrain, weight of your bike, fitness and style of riding.

FWIW mine is fairly flat (but have ridden Laggan, Dalby, Brechfa, Moray with no problems), 30lb, not very and ‘larking around XC/AM’

34T up front (have run both 32T and 36T previously, but 34T is the ‘goldilocks’ chainring for me).

Standard 11-34 cassette (SRAM PG970 here).

Run my chainring as a middle with a bashguard in the big ring slot.

slainte 😀 rob

32T and 11-34 on my Soul.

You’ve probably got a 32 on already so i’d say stick with for now (winter and all that…). Might want to change up to 34 or 36 come spring time. That’s my plan anyways.

32t chainring
11-34t cassette
middle position for chainring

Works for me in most conditions/places

32T front, with 11-32 out back. Perfect for everywhere I feel.

sweet, cheers guys. Glad I plumped for a 32t Renthal now, will give it a good run and decide come spring if I need to switch up to a 34t/36t.

Hoping the superstar chain device does its job now.

I used 32 and 11-34, any higher and I found on steeper stuff I couldn’t maintain traction, which was really frustrating.

32x12x36 works great for 29gnars

Set on the middle ring, the teeth on the Renthal 32t ring seem a bit close to the chain stay for comfort. Approx 5 or 6mm clearance.

its quite a chunky thick ring, would I perhaps be best served going with something that looks slightly thinner, say the on-one s/s ring and saving another 1 or 2mm?
Or should I suck it and see?…hmm

its a hardtail, so that clearance gap is not going to move (unlike if you had a full suss where it could potentially get closer), so there is no need to worry unless you are paranoid about chainsuck and jamming – which should be avoided if you keep an eye on the wear of your chainring.

more of an issue would be the weight of the ring – are you piling on the grams just for the look/name of the ring?

Dave

Sorry for the hi-jack, but I am in the process of building my commuter/town/pub bike with a 1×9 set up. Currently running a std 32 ring on the front but often find myself spinning out, so want to increase to a 34 or 36T. presumably there are chainring makers dedicated for 1×9 set ups that don’t have the ‘pick-ups’ needed for triples? Don’t need anything heavy duty, just a chainring…..suggestions?

you can run it with any old chainring, and if its a commuter i’d suggest you use whatever you have lying around.

however, you’ll get better chain holding with a ‘proper’ unramped ring; i.e. it won’t jump off as easily because the teeth are taller.

Daev

Cheers Dave, I’ll keep an eye out for a 36T ring

Can I jump in with a stoopid question of my own?

Chain device – essential?

I guess given that pretty much every 1×9/1×10 bike I see has once fitted that they are, but keen to hear experiences. I’m interested to try it on the cheap without spending anything if possible and already have a Blackspire Stinger I could use, but I guess a top guide is needed too?

a11y – I run mine with a Superstar XCR st chain device as I found with a std chainring I was dropping the chain quite regularly. I intended to use the front mech, but the adjuster screws had seized!

more of an issue would be the weight of the ring – are you piling on the grams just for the look/name of the ring?

why would the weight of the ring be an issue?
from what I read, the machining on the renthal brings the weight right down. but yes, final decision was based on me thinking it looks rather nice.

1:1 ratio (for example, 32 front, 32 back) does ok for most things if you are reasonably fit and can put the power down steadily. I was running this all year as 9 speed, but I have just gone 10 speed 32 front and 11-36 back. The extra ‘underdrive’ gear is good when you aren’t as fit, have a sore knee, the going is draggy, you are carrying more stuff, it’s the end of a long day, and / or just plain steep.

slimjim78 – any clearance is OK as long as it clears the chanstay on a hardtail. However, you may want to look at your chainline and see which cog lines up dead on, and move your crank spacers if it can be improved.

I was running a BBG bashguard and a inner jumpstop on the 9 speed. Bash was good, jumpstop was rubbish. If you have room inside, a BBG bashwich is a good idea.

Since I went 10 speed, I opted for a Renthal chainring and the new XTR rear mech that has a clutch that keep the chain tight. I’mrunning this with no bash, jumpguard, or any other chain device ATM. Dropped the chain once so far at Glentress only, and I think I can make the chain shorter and tighten the clutch so may be good. Also it depends on your riding style, obviously big drops etc may need a more robust chain device than the mincing I do.

this looked close to the chainstay, then i realise i’d left a spacer off the BB 😳

Renthal + N-Stop by rOcKeTdOgUk, on Flickr

now with BBG

BBG bash by rOcKeTdOgUk, on Flickr

Nikk – good advice, thanks. Im running a Soul with 73mm b/b shell so along with GXP b/b I dont actually have any spacers to play with, annoyingly. My only option appears to be thinner chainring, or switching to outer spacing.
Question, which rear cog should I be aiming to line up with? Im guessing something central?

RocketdogUk – ive spotted your n-stop before and may try one myself, possibly with a BBG too. I take it this set up is working well for you?
Where do you source those parts in the UK ? (are you in UK?)

oh, and im a fairly hefty and (hugely :-)) powerfull rider, in the past ive had steel frames flexing at the chainstay under power. Hence my concern at the chainring being within 5mm of chain stay.
Maybe my Soul if stiffer than those older frames..

BBG is from here http://www.bbgbashguard.com/ n stop was from billys bike stor but lots of places in the UK have them too

Been running my Soul 1×9 for just over a year now…

36T Renthal (in middle ring position on an SLX crank)with 11-34 cassette out back and a Superstar XCR guide. 73mm BB with a BB mount XCR guide, the mounting plate’s a direct swap for the drive side BB spacer that was there (SLX HT2 BB). There’s not much gap between the chainring and the stay, but it’s never been a problem… Cotic do state the Soul frame is good for upto a 36T single front ring and it’s true 🙂

why would the weight of the ring be an issue?
from what I read, the machining on the renthal brings the weight right down

only an issue in terms of adding overall weight – lots of people go 1×9 for the weight decrease.

I don’t know anything about the renthal ring, was just judging it by the fact you said it was very thick…. thick => heavy, usually 🙂 If not, then no problem!

Dave

OIC.
Yeah, I guess the weight drop is a nice factor. The biggest reason for me is the simplicity, barely use more than 3 gears when I head out! (unless hitting big climbs).

i have a bash ring and n-gear jump stop

works well –

Simple.

Cheaper.

Quieter.

Easier to use.

Cleaner looking.

All that for a small compromise in the extreme ends of the gear range. If you consider that some appear to make do quite well with a single gear, suddenly 9 or 10 seems a luxury.

Also, out of everything on a modern bike, the front deralleur has to be the most sucky, Heath Robinson concoction of bent metal and wire, that only works right if you speak nicely too it and take it out for dinner.

i run 34/11 rear and 38 front