Currently running 2×10 (34/22 on the front and 11-36 cassette)

Due a drive train upgrade, can see all the advantages of 1x, even think bike will look a lot better!

However i have a nagging doubt that I’ll run out of gears that’s stopping me pressing the button.

Can someone have a word, i mean reassure me.

How do i know what size cassette/chain ring to go for the new setup

thanks in advance.

1x is rubbish.
Happy to help.

+1000

Feeling better already, eh?

Do a search, it’s been done to death, and ignore sweeping generalisations like that up there ^^^

see this is exactly what i’m concerned about 🙂

There’s such a wide spread of gears on 1X systems now that you shouldn’t loose out on gears. I’m not the fittest guy in the world, but even in Calderdale when I live 1X is more than sufficient.

Get yourself a sunrace 11-46t cassette and 32t chainring. I am yet to run out of range. Perhaps run out of puff on Fire road descents but then who cares about that. I avoid wasting altitude on fireroads wherever possible!

Ok, for balance.

It’s fine.

Do the maths, 10-42 should give you the same range as what you have already (or maybe 1 out)

You have all the ratios you need to test it- just figure out which gears you’d lose, and go for a ride without using them.

You hear sometimes from people who jumped into 1x without really understanding what gears they’d have and then discover they needed the low gears, and frankly, they’re mostly divs. Sure, you can get caught out by a ride that’s outwith your norms (there was a kinlochleven enduro that became the Bonfire of the 1x10s, the long grinding climb broke so many people that thought 1×10 was perfect for them but actually just hadn’t yet found a ride they couldn’t do) but if it happens in your normal rides- you’re a div.

and frankly, they’re mostly divs.

Thanks Northy, my monitor now has soup running down it, as does my nostril…. 😆

Do the maths, 10-42 should give you the same range as what you have already (or maybe 1 out)

You have all the ratios you need to test it- just figure out which gears you’d lose

i think its the maths that i need to understand

whats the equivalent of 22:36, its not 32:46

Go smaller up front. 30 or 28 if you need that low one

Your current chainset doesn’t give a massive range so you’re less likely to lose much range.
I set this up with your current gearset on the top and what I personally would swap it for on the bottom.
It is set for the new sunrace 11-50 11spd cassette which isn’t in the sprocket drop down menu yet but most of the other casstte options are listed so you can look at 10-42 or 11-46 etc.
Play around with it, slide the sprockets around to see changes and go back to the link if you changed a lot of stuff and want to reset it.

Find a gear calculator, Sheldon Brown has one, then plug in the figures.

28 is the answer to your calc

My 10 year old daughter is running a 30t chainring and 11-36.

Have a word with yourself and DaughterTFU

😉

I’m underwhelmed by 1×11

On my trail bike (T-130) I’m running a 32T up front and 11×11-42 on the back…
prior to this I had a 10x 12-40 on the back… (removed the 11 and stuck and expander)

Quite honestly never needed an easier gear but ….. same (for me) non-issue as here….

Get yourself a sunrace 11-46t cassette and 32t chainring. I am yet to run out of range. Perhaps run out of puff on Fire road descents but then who cares about that. I avoid wasting altitude on fireroads wherever possible!

I quite honestly can’t see what any extra gears ever did for me…. anything too steep/slippery for the 32T/40 or 42 I can’t easily keep the front wheel down..or I move weight forward and the back wheel loses traction.

You can try 1×10 for cost of a few stamps….
Get a used expander ring…. and used narrow wide
Give it a go ….

If you don’t like it stick it back on ebay
If you do then rip off the front mech….
If you feel the need for 1 extra gear… then new rear mech, chain, cassette, shifter …. (and depending what you run way to attach to brakes/bar)

I have same lowest gear as you on 2×10 setup (22-36) on my 26 inch Soul

I have 1×11, with 32-46 on my 650b Anthem. The Anthem is not quite as low geared as the Soul, but gets up the same steep stuff on my fitness limit, largely as it keeps better traction when sitting down on bumpy rocky climbs.

Get yourself a sunrace 11-46[b]50[/b]t cassette and 32[b]34[/b]t chainring. I am yet to run out of range.

Bottom end the same as a 3x granny, top end quick enough

11-50 😯 have you considered doing some exercise? 😀

whats the equivalent of 22:36, its not 32:46

22:36 = 0.611

32:46 = 0.696 so a bit harder roughly 22:32

30:46 = 0.652, bit harder then your current easiest, pretty much 22:34

28:46 = 0.609 so a bit easier than your current.

Top end wise:

34:11 = 3.091

28:11 = 2.545 so not as fast but a bit slower than 34:13 (2.615) and a bit faster than 34:14 (2.429).

Give it a go on your current set up and see what you think, then buy what you think is best.

FWIW I ride a XC 29er FS with 32 up front and 11/42 out back, can get up most things with enough grunt and generally don’t use the easiest 2 gears.

11-50 have you considered doing some exercise?

FWIW I’m still running 11-42, was just illustrating the art of the possible for the OP. But I can see 11-50 makes sense if you’re a spinner rather than a grunter and have big hills to ride up while keeping a bigger chainring for top end.

22:36 = 0.611

32:46 = 0.696 so a bit harder roughly 22:32

30:46 = 0.652, bit harder then your current easiest, pretty much 22:34

28:46 = 0.609 so a bit easier than your current.

Thanks that was what i was looking for.

You can try 1×10 for cost of a few stamps….
Get a used expander ring…. and used narrow wide
Give it a go ….

good idea!

good idea!

Honestly don’t stress about gear ratio’s….
I had gears on my 2×10 that I used because they were there…

The only compromise I feel I made was top speed… but for me it’s a non-issue.. if I can’t pedal any faster on a 32/12 or 32/11 I’ll freewheel as I’m not racing…but that’s rare and fireroads… I honestly rarely miss the granny ring and that’s only after a really really long day..and I can walk as fast as my 32/42…

I was actually surprised as I’d expected to miss the granny gears but now i wonder what I used them for. (I get it on a bike carrying a tent etc. or even a fat bike but I’m just not missing the gears at all)

I’m also disappointed in 1×11 over 1×10…. at least in terms of £££/benefit

If you are due a new cassette and chain anyway it’s one thing but neither is cheap in 11 speed … then you need the rear mech and shifter…

On my kids race bike I’m keeping 1×10 as its more flexible … he did a flat XC race a week ago and I took off the 40T and stuck the 11T back on…

10 minute job… and when he’s using the trainer (on his 24″ bike) I’ve got a 10 speed tighter ratio 11-32 cassette on an old heavy wheel

Might also be worth considering the new Shimano M6000 wide 10 speed 11 -42 cassettes and 11- 42 compatible mechs, due for release later this year, would allow you to use your existing shifters.

Shimano Rolls Out New Deore XT, SLX & Deore Components

No more messing around with expanders and goat links etc

I have 1×11, with 32-46 on my 650b Anthem. The Anthem is not quite as low geared as the Soul, but gets up the same steep stuff on my fitness limit, largely as it keeps better traction when sitting down on bumpy rocky climbs.

this is the setup i thought i would end up with.

It is set for the new sunrace 11-50 11spd cassette which isn’t in the sprocket drop down menu yet but most of the other casstte options are listed so you can look at 10-42 or 11-46 etc.
Play around with it, slide the sprockets around to see changes and go back to the link if you changed a lot of stuff and want to reset it.

very useful thanks. For my normal set of riding locations i don’t actually ever drop down to 22:36 and only into 22:32 for one climb in particular – infact i currently have to kick the front mech to get it to change down so 99% of my riding is done in the 34 ring (this is part of the reason i think i may not need 2×10)

Going by that calculator looks like 33-46 would give me the equivalent of the lowest gear i actually use whilst more or less matching the current top end.

You mean to say people are still using a front mech?! WTF

99% of my riding is done in the 34 ring (this is part of the reason i think i may not need 2×10)

If this is the case, you’ll be fine

I have 1×11 on two of my bikes and it’s fine. I run 36 at the front and 11-46 on the back and have yet to have an issue including Afan climbs which seem to go on for most of the ride!
That having been said, I rented a T130 RS this week which had a 32t chainring and (I think) 11-46 at the rear. Yes, I ran out of gears, but not at the low end. I pretty much only used the smallest 3 sprockets for most of the ride and was frustrated by lack of speed at the top end.
1x can be great, but you absolutely need to match the chainring to your riding. Too big and you’ll suffer on hills and too small and you’ll go crazy spinning out.
At the rear, you need to decide your strategy. There are two camps here, both pretty much want the biggest sprocket on offer. One side loves even spacing right through the cassette. The other camp prefers to have a massive jump (Shimano style) to replicate having two chainrings. Shimano provide two “climbing gears” and 9 cadence gears for the trail. I believe Sunrace (from reading here, no experience) more evenly space so you lose the cadence changing through the block but get more even changes throughout. Horses for courses 🙂

looks like 33-46 would give me the equivalent of the lowest gear i actually use whilst more or less matching the current top end

Is top end an issue for you ??

If you are racing XC then I can see why but at least for me it’s something only really used on fireroads anyway..

Incidentally don’t forget to take wheel size into account … for reference my numbers are for 27.5 .. (the 7yr kid has 32/40 on 24″)

I honestly reckon you should try it… no amount of doing the maths will compensate … I know I sometimes used my 22/36 … I just can’t work out WHY any more… I had a spreadsheet at the time and calculated the ratio’s and on paper (well virtual paper) I’d have not changed … but I had a spare NW (from the kids bike) and borrowed his 40T expander and gave it a try… next day I was getting a 40T expander…

steve_b77 – Member

Top end wise:

34:11 = 3.091

28:11 = 2.545 so not as fast but a bit slower than 34:13 (2.615) and a bit faster than 34:14 (2.429).

Worth lookign at SRAM cassettes too – yes, it probably means a new freehib, but the 10t is a significant difference.

30:10 gives 3.0 so pretty much same top end as 34:11

Just swapped over to 1×11 with a 30 tooth upfront. Bottom gear is fine for a fat unfit biffer like myself

Top gear is fine up to around 20 mph which is fine on an mtb

Big question is do you like close ratios. If so then stick with a double and a tight ratio cassette.

i think its the maths that i need to understand

whats the equivalent of 22:36, its not 32:46
http://www.sheldonbrown.com/gear-calc.html

Punch in what you use now, punch in various options with different chainring and cassette sizes on 1×11, work out if you can live with what you’d lose.

Yes, I ran out of gears, but not at the low end. I pretty much only used the smallest 3 sprockets for most of the ride and was frustrated by lack of speed at the top end.

Really? 32/11 on a 29er and I can hold 32/33kph on the road and have reached the heady heights of 53kph in an XC race on a downward sloping fire-road.

32t chainring and (I think) 11-46 at the rear. Yes, I ran out of gears, but not at the low end. I pretty much only used the smallest 3 sprockets for most of the ride

I must be extremely unfit, as with the same range I use all of the cassette, including the lowest gear, going round GT red…. 😳

I do like a high cadence mind you …

having moved from a 2x to a 1x (24,23×36 and 30×42) for mud clearance with an etype bb i can honestly say that the 2x is a better system for me.

One thing i noticed going to a 1x is that setting off i seemed to flip back more on really steep hills. Although the ratios are near the same i think tis easier to get over the front on the 2x (which makes no sense but thats how i feel)

Yes I really did run out of gears. Spinning out on a fire track is irrelevant, you can’t hold that cadence off-road. The 32t chainring is nowhere near what I need and I’m not massively fit, in fairness I was only riding Swinley so an easy ride. My point wasn’t that I’m some kind of superman but rather that everyone has a comfortable range and you need to find that to be happy with 1×11.
2x setups generally covered everyone and then some at one end of the range. 1x works because we can drop the end we don’t use or a bit from either side.

Sturmey archer 3*9 (no reason why an 11 speed cog won’t fit?)

…For those wishing to ditch the front mech.

I’m ditching 1×11 (32 x 10-42) for my new bike.

Helloooo 1×12 8)

The only time I’ve run out of gears at either end has been when im beyond knackered, or the hill I’m riding up is best described as ‘sheer’. It’s fast enough at the top end.