[Closed] 1x10? on specialized epic

I was thinking about this for a while, but I cant see it would work on a cross country bike, either you use a ~ 34 and you cant get up the hills or stick with a 26 and you cant pedal going down. I just dont get it unless its a gravity bike

Depends how strong you are. I use a 36t on my XC race bike, still got a 1:1 bottom gear, if I can't ride that I'm quicker running.

your biggest issue on the Epic is probably the chain guide, do the Evos use DMD, or have they got normal clamps? If the former thats likely to be a sticking point. IIRC E13 are going to do one, but don't yet.

Just stick a triple on it; even with a broken hand I had to freewheel behind you on the road spin home last night as you were spinning-out!!

Good point mate. But!! I wouldn’t have been on the road if not for you falling off your bike in spectacular fashion. What was it? 3mph down a 4ft slope?
Sorry to hear about your broken hand! What can’t you do? Apart from ****ing… how long off the bike do you reckon?

1:1 might be ok for doing laps round a muddy field but it wont get you up a rocky climb in the dark peak

njee20 - Its DMD. also, I could change cassette to 11 - 36 from the current 11 - 34. that would obviosuly make the hills alittle easier. But your right about the DMD. Any other options?

1:1 might be ok for doing laps round a muddy field but it wont get you up a rocky climb in the dark peak

You mean it wont get [i]you[/i] up! It'll get me up it, and if it won't then a smaller chain ring is very unlikely to help. YMMV and that. It's a weird concept I know, but some people may be stronger than you.

I tried it because I was spending 95% of the time in the big ring, but the bottom of the block, the 36 means I use more of the cassette. Can still pedal up to about 22mph, not fussed any quicker than that, and I tend to do 7 miles on the road to the trails when I go out.

Edit: hmmm... Do they have external BBs? You may manage to get a normal bb mounted guide on, but you'd have to try it.

Ymmv = your mileage may vary

Although I say that the inner ring is nearly worn. recently (last 2/3 months) Ive mostly been riding the outer front aswell. whats YMMV?

Must be getting stronger etc etc.

edit - cheers. found this:

http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=658565

go on then, you have to explain YMMV if I have to admit you have stronger legs

What's hard about YMMV? Because something is the case for me doesn't mean it applies to you.

I can ride everything I want to with a 36, you seem not to think you can. Ergo, we do not share the same results. For you to say I couldn't ride up things you can in a higher gear is wrong! If nothing else you don't know how fit I may, or may not be!

true true. accepted you may well be much fitter. I just like the feeling of having the low ring to spin over the technical stuff going up, I cant see how I could do without it even if I got much stronger

I've not used a 22 in 6 years, tried 44/32, 42/30, 40/28, 42/28 and now single ring. On a trail bike I'd still have a double, 42/28 I suspect, but a 20lb FS bike doesnt take much effort to climb.

I just swapped yesterday to a 36 from a 32 but I kept the 22. granted there are only about 2 or 3 climbs I use the lowest gear on. But they are the ones that bug me and I keep going back to! my bike is about 30lb so it takes a bit of pushing.

As njee says, your biggest issue will be getting hold of the chainguide. I've nearly built up my new 2011 Stumpjumper HT frame that has a DMD mount for the front mech like your Epic and I'm running it 1x10.

The e.thirteen XCX Frame Mount (also called SRAM S3 mount, E-type in various places) is the one you need, although there don't seem to be many in the country yet.

I've so far failed to get my hands on one (despite having the rest of the bike ready!), and been let down by 2 bike shops and given up on countless others ("what's a chainguide?"!). I actually have one on order from 2 shops still so if I do end up getting both delivered I may have one to sell sometime soon.

If I were you I'd get a 11-36 cassette and go with a 34t chainring. I'll be running a 36 or 38t but it'll be on an 8kg bike so a bit easier to get up the hills on!

Thanks Dav1d! I'll check it out.

But after thinking about it, for £50, cant you just change the limit screws on the front mech and use that as a chain guide?

Yep you can, I did it for a couple of rides, but I did drop the chain?

8kg Stumpy HT? I'll believe that when I weigh it 🙂

If its an external bottom bracket, have a look at the Pauls chain keeper. Had the tube mounted version on a rockhopper frame, and more recently the BB version on a stumpjumper ht carbon marathon.

Simply sandwiches between bearing and frame, I had to add a shim to clear slightly.

Very tidy, light and reliable. They are listed on ebay regularly.

I do still have the seat tube mounted version if interested, but needs straight tube.

But the Evo has ISCG O5 tabs on it and iirc it came with a chain guide?