[Closed] 2 x 10..? Pah! ...anyone gone 2 x 9 and regretted it?

ran 22/36 for a while it was ok but much bigger jump between c-crings and also between gears in the 36T (as compared to 32)

now running 1 x9 and much happier.

22/36 here. 36 for everything apart from winching steep stuff so I don't really notice the gearing jump at the front (or rear for that matter).

2 x 9 was fine for me, until I discovered clutch mechs - as far as I can see, the only reason to bother with 2 x 10, but a good reason nevertheless.

Running 2x9 and never looked back. 26/36 with 11-34.

36 chainring is just right for me and the 26 just gives me those extra couple of gears without a big jump between rings.

Next time you ride make a mental not of which gear combinations you use then work out the ratios to find which chainrings will suit you.

22/36 here. 36 for everything apart from winching steep stuff

When the 22 is used or I'm walking 😳

I've got 40/28 on both my XC race bikes, with 11/34 on the back. works for me.
If you wait around long enough someone will be along to tell me that I'll never use the 40-11 combo off road but I've got 10 trips over "jump of Doom" at twentyfour12 that says other wise!
DH or trail riding well that might be a bit different.

I did dabble with 1X9 using 38 but that was just a bit big for continual climbing.

Yup 22 36 I think with a 34 cassette, replaced my big ring with a BBG bash. Seems to work fine, I have enough gears for stuff anyway.

skip 2x9 and go 1x9.

2X9 here as well 22 and 32 front and 11-34 back and a clutch mech.

24/36 with an 11-34 is all ill ever need

ive tried 1x10 11-36 with a 34t and climbing steep stuff becomes an issue
im toying with using a 32 and 11-36 but still dont think i have the legs for it

I did 22/36 w/11-36 for a year or so and it worked fine, more than enough range. Big jump between the front rings, but I only used the 22 in extreme or extended up hills.

Saying that, I then skipped 2x10 and 1x10 and went straight to 1x11 😀

2 of my bikes are 2x9... Very little benefit to 2x10 other than the clutch mech, which I've adapted to work with sram 9-speed anyway.

Yup. 22/32 up front, works fine. 34 might be a nose better but I'm not losing sleep over it.

These are the perfect numbers for a hard tail...
2x9, bash-34-22, 32-11

And for big bouncy bike....
2x10 clutched, bash-34-22, 34-11

All XT of course

There you go - all sorted

Been on 2 x 9 for years! 11-34 cassette and 22/32 up front. First gear being the winching gear. I did miss a higher gear or two when descending tho'.

About to go 24/38 (2x10 chainset) up front which will give me a more usable range for me and my riding with the aim to go 2 x 10 once the 9-speed cassette wears out.

i was running 36-26 with 11-34 2x9 and ok but added the 44 again for speed as ive gone spd on the bikes and more xc stuff so need the range now

Nope, very happy with mine: 38/26 and 11-32 on the PA.

Select big at the front for down and fast along, click cassette to suit. Select small for steeper ups and click to suit.

I find it simpler. There's less bother with crossing the chain (I'm happy using the whole block with either, although I'll probably stay away from the extremes out of habit)

There've been a couple of times when I've reached for more clicks than I've got, but when you're riding 100+ miles in the hills, I think that would be the case however many gears you've got!

All seems a bit academic afer riding the SS up and down steep hills though!

Went 36/22 with an 11-34 cassette (on a 26" hardtail) and really like it.

That bike has gone back to the manufacturer to see about a cracked chainstay (and hopefully a warranty replacement) so I'm on the missus' 3x10 hardtail now.

It's reminding me why I changed - I don't get on with 44/32/24 with 11-36, mainly because I'm changing between the 44 and 32 a bit too much.

If I had bigger legs I could use the 44 for more stuff.
If I had weedier legs I'd stay in the 32 longer.

For me 36 at the front is what I'm happy pushing about 80% of the time.

If I was racing, or actually did some training and got stronger then going to 40/28 might be on the cards, but I'm happy at the moment.

I run 40-28 with a 9spd 11-32 cassette. Which works just fine though I think I might go for a 11-34 cassette when it's time for a new one. I doubt I'll spend the extra to go 10spd, far more interested in going 1x11. That really interests me.

I was using 24/38 and 11-34 happily enough for a couple of years. My only complaint was on some of the longer [i]up-down-flat-up-flat-down-up-flat-up-down-flat[/i] etc sections at CyB I felt like I wanted a 30t ring as I always felt like I was too near the 'easy' end of the cassette on the 38t ring or too near the hard end of the cassette on the 24t ring.

I'd not noticed it anywhere else though. Now on 11-36 ten speed with 24 and 38t chain rings.

1x10.

not going back.
no front shifter, front mech.

no brainer

11-34 cassette & 39-26 X0 on the front here.

Works great for me.

far more interested in going 1x11. That really interests me.

Hell yes, me too. That is the future in my crystal ball.

My next bike will be 1x11.

more xc stuff so need the range now

Understandable - If I was in to putting the miles in, the 44 would have never have come off.

I was 36/26 for years...got on perfectly well with it - swapped to 26 from 22 as it was too big a drop to go 36->22.

Now running 34t 1x10, just 'cos...

DrP

darkcyan - Member

1x10.

not going back.
no front shifter, front mech.

no brainer

I really like the 1x10 on my hardtail but there's [i]no[/i] chance I'm doing it on my big bike- it gets used for a wider range of stuff and sometimes that means granny ringing. Not often, but for those long, slightly too steep climbs, it's miserable enough in the granny never mind in a 32 (and I don't want to lose the higher gears when I'm racing it either)

I have 39/26 x 11-34 on my general FS bike
and
I have 42/28 x 11-32 on my rigid 29er

On mountain mayhem I managed to get right down to 26-34 on a normal ride I would be very unlikely to use the 34 tooth cassette.

I did find with the 42/28 on the general purpose bike I kinda wanted some lower gears for when things got really hard.

I would like to have 40/26 as it would just give a slightly higher top speed and would be the same 14 tooth step as 42/28.

PS all 9 speed

I agree with the comment above depending on your power and the trail ie certain hills it might feel like your always in the wrong ring and that actually what you want a 32/34T middle ring, this leads to u swapping the front shifter much more than you might have previously.

Yep, I ran 32/44, 30/42 and 28/40 2x9 with an 11-34 cassette over the years. No different to 2x10 frankly.

I had 2x9 on my Pace in 2001, when Middleburn XC Duos came out. 42/29 maybe? Not sure. It was great though, no worries at all. Lost about 2 gears from the bottom end. Bike was a 19lb hardtail though, would not have been so good on a 32lb FS 🙂

I had it on a bike I built for the Alps, for general riding about I cant see what you gain except a bit more clearance for log hopping.

I think I have have most configurations ss 1x9 2x9 but for general riding my bike about I am back to 3x9..

will dabble with 10 speed stuff one day I guess & perhaps go 2 rings at the front again then.

I've been 2 x 9 for a while, switched two frames ago.

36 / 22 with a race face alloy bash ring and 11-34 cassette. Works great, covers everything bar downhill road sections.

I've considered going to 10 speed but it's a lot of cash for an extra gear and a clutch mech

2x9 for several years, but I'm now on 1x10

2x9 is OK, it allowed me to run a bashring which is what I wanted, but there's no huge benefit over 3x9. Just gets rid of a few gears that you likely never use. 1x10 (or 1x9), on the other hand, saves weight, it's simpler / cleaner / looks neater and gets rid of horrible front mechs.

What's to regret?

1. Take big ring off and adjust limit screws on mech.
- Optional: Install new middle ring to adjust ratio's.
2. Decide if you like or dislike
- Optional: If dislike, refit 3rd ring and adjust mech.

26-38 chainrings and 11-34 9 speed setup on my XC hardtail. Find the gearing fine for XC racing and big days out too - only feel under geared on the road.

I use TA Specialites rings which are sensible money and available in lots of sizes.

Thanks guys... some interesting and useful responses! Being a bit of an XC-mincer at heart, I had forgot about the whole double-and-bash thing that many people have been using for years 😳

I do tend to find that I use the big ring a lot on my triple chainset. So, I guess my concern is, would I miss this lovely 44t big ring, once it's gone...?

(to be and replaced by something blingy and new and XTR and twin-ringed)

no_eyed_deer - Member

I do tend to find that I use the big ring a lot on my triple chainset. So, I guess my concern is, would I miss this lovely 44t big ring, once it's gone...?

The thing is, even if you're using the big ring, most of the time you're still within the gear range that a double will give- even with a wee 36T "middle" you only lose the very top 2-and-a-half gears compared to a 44T.

Good comments up the page about preferred ranges- I spend probably 4/5ths of my time in the 36T ring, it's low enough to do most climbs in comfort but high enough to pedal like **** on a downhill course, which wasn't true of the 32T middle it used to have... So, less shifts.

Oh and other benefits I forgot- less chainrings means less chain slack required, dual rings have better chain retention, and are quieter.

22/36 & 11-32 here, all good but I will admit that I am eyeing up a couple of 1xN options just for simplicity's sake...