[Closed] 2 x 10 or 1 x 11?

Just been through the same dilemma myself.

In the end, and after pricing it up I went down the 11 route as it gave me more range for climbing and wasn't much more.

1 x 10.

i've got the scrawniest legs in the world, and it turns out i cope fine with a 30t, and 11-36.

Peak District + 29er

SRAM gx, better range, lighter and good shifting. Dont need a new crank and loving it over 11-42

Went through the same here when my 9 speed wore out. Went for 1x and don't regret it. Small loss in range but made up for by the other benefits. Biggest benefit for me is the simplicity. A front shifter isn't exactly complicated but changing to a single shifter is much less to think about. Hard to explain but out on the bike it feels right.

I guess it depends where you ride , how strong a rider you are etc

1x11 you won't regret it. Why don't you try a 1x11 set up to see.

Obviously lots of threads on this but here's my take.

You have a [i]slightly[/i] reduced range of ratios on a 1x system compared to a 2x or 3x, with a 1x10 setup with extender it's about 3 ratios, depending on the cassette an 11spd system might only be 2 ratios. You adjust where this range lies within the old range by choosing the appropriate size of chainring, wheel size makes a difference here as to what to consider.

2x10 doesn't fit a Mk1 Soul so I had no choice but to go 1x11 XT.

Very impressed so far. Chain stays on, gearing fine for what I ride.

I didnt even think of wheel size. Run archaic 26inch so i guess should really be considering 3 x 7!

OP 1x9 isn't that bad

An 11-36 on the back and a 32 or 34 on the front can be hard work at first but if you like a challenge you do get used to it, a bit like singlespeeding I imagine

In comparison 1x10 is pure luxury

I made a similar choice last week and went with 2x10 even though I have 1x11 on another bike.
I worked out the ranges I used and 1x11 would cover them if I went SRAM 10-42, Shimano 11-42 didn't quite cover it but I could've lived with the difference.
However I had three concerns that stopped me going 1x11 -
- I'm not convinced that chainline isn't a compromise on 1x11
- Although 1x11 is maybe 50-100g lighter overall than 2x10 it is 150g heavier right at the rear wheel axle. Sounds nit-picking but I like to keep as much weight centralised as I can, and the rear as light as possible (for a given strength). A lot of my local riding is messing about doing jumps and drops and I hate a heavy feeling rear wheel.
- I've never had problem setting up a front mech, and haven't noticed any 'simplicity' benefits from 1x on my other bike - it just doesn't bother me having 2 shifters...
And reason no.4 - 42 rear cassettes and tiny front chainrings just look gash 🙂
I applaud SRAM for giving people what they've asked for but it's Emperors new clothes IMO.

How nice is your multi-tool? if you go 1x11 you'll need a new one. Perfect time to let Santa know...

11-42 on the back and 30t will get you up just about everything. Bit of a compromise on top end speed, but less faffing with front dérailleurs dropping chains when shfting to easier gears.

I just got a new Whyte with a 1x11 Sram CX set up and its really much different to a double or triple ring set up, so much easier, so much less gearing overlap. I'd say i think that the 30 front ring is a little small though, i'm thinking that a 32 or 34 would suit me with that 42 tooth dinner plate on the back.

For reference i'd ride somewhere like Afan/ Glyncorriwg in the middle ring of a triple.

shimano 1x11 - never needed a 10t at the back so the 11-42t range is spot on.

1x10 or 1x11

Problem with 2x10 is I found the jump between the two rings can be huge and makes shifting clunky and unreliable. Plus you can't sit in one ring most of the time and just shift to the granny for steep climbs. I had a 26/39 and neither ring covered general riding, so constantly shifting up and down. Unlike a triple where I'd be mainly in the middle.

I had so many problems with chain drop and jamming, then tried a 2x guide and chain sucked and ripped the guide off!

Got fed up and went 1x10. Love it. Though really does depend on fitness and what gears you are likely to use the most.

Try a gear ratio calculator and compare different set ups. I worked out 2x10 going to 1x10 I would lose a couple of gears top and bottom and I could cope with that.

1x11 would be the same but with just one more (it goes to 11 you see! 😉 )

Oooo, bandwagon thread to jump on!

Looking at something myself. Currently running 32T + 11\36 cassette on a Banshee Spitfire, without going into long winded health stuff I've not ridden much this year and I'm finding I'm struggling with the lowest gear.

My old Hardtail is 2x9 with 26T granny and 36T on the cassette and that's been easier to ride.

I'd considered going 2x10 on the Banshee but it's just so much faf and starts to get expensive as it's practically a complete drive train replacement as its nearly all 1x10 Zee.

Figured I could drop to a 30T NW, get a 42T sprocket for the back. did some of the dull calculations on gear ratios and that should get me to something closer to matching the lowest gears on both bikes.

I'd guess I'd probably have to swap out the Zee Mech for a medium cage, it's the FR Zee but not sure if it would cope with a 42T sprocket. Cheaper than a complete new drive train and I do prefer the simplicity of 1x something.

I could just use the HT but I miss riding the Banshee and it's likely to be a long recovery.

I had a 26/39 and neither ring covered general riding, so constantly shifting up and down

Stevet1 - Member
Run 24/36 then? or 22/34? seems an odd reason to change.

SRAM X0 cranks and their crazy proprietary BCDs meant a lot of things weren't an option unless I got a replacement spider and there were none in stock for months. I ended up getting an X0 DH crank with a standard single 104 BCD (and then eventually got the same spider for the old cranks and put that on the hard tail to get the same set up).

And I wanted to try 1x anyway. As I said, 2x was pissing me off in many ways. I don't think it was all down to the size of the jump between the rings. I've always hated front shifters anyway.

deadkenny - Member

Problem with 2x10 is I found the jump between the two rings can be huge

that's not a problem with 2x10, that's a problem with your choice of chainrings.

(you can of course do what you like, but it seems you didn't like it)

If you have to change everything I would say 1x is a no brainer. Less bits to buy, less to maintain, more modern. etc

Just got 1 x 11 (32/10-42) on a new bike - loving it so far and there's some very steep hills around here.

Im a bit behind the times and have just gone from XT 3x9 to 2x10 using 29/40 11-36. I really like it, good spread of gears and I haven't had to use the lowest ones yet.

whereabouts in Wales are you going to riding?

I used to ride North Wales whilst in MCR however now if I ever go there its usually AFAN/Cwmcwrm. Locally its around Dartmoor.

ahwiles - Member
that's not a problem with 2x10, that's a problem with your choice of chainrings.

Came with the bike, and was a bit clueless at the time about 2x10. Besides the options for the crankset buying independently were limited at the time from most retailer even though SRAM do a wider range of ratios. Though still all of SRAM's options were the same jump between the rings whatever the ratio.

Try out 1 x 10 to start with as its cheap to do and see if you need more gears, I run 30 front and 36 on the back, 27.5 wheel and its fine for Peaks, Lakes etc. I found 32 on the front a little too much though

XTR Di2 2x11. Full range, one shifter.

Other than that, it depends. For many, 1x11 is fine, but if you like riding up particularly long particularly steep hills, 2x10 is going to allow a lower bottom end.

riding those places you'll probably be fine with 1x11 I'd have thought. you can always work out the ratios on charts to see if what you're going to get matches with what you currently use. just google gear ratio charts, pretty useful I found when working mine out.

I'm running 1x10, there's only a few hills that 32-26 is a problem on.

1x11 would be nicer but the cost jump isn't worth it for me when an SLX mech is £25 and a GX mech £105, and the same again for a cassette, and £60 shifters vs £15.

Useful and timely thread!

A question from me - is there any reason I can't change to an XT 1 x 11 (32), 11-42 on my Anthem 29er from its OEM SLX 2 x 10 all straight out of the box?

2 x 11

Keep your 9 speed gear. Buy a cheap 12-36 shimano cassette from CRC, currently about a tenner. 30t narrow wide and your sorted.

Eh voila cheap 1x9. Your not losing out really on a 1x10 apart from a little top end speed.