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slackalice - MemberLike 1x, 2x shares the same inconvenience for most of us that our bike becomes totally useless on road sections or even, dare I say, going remotely downhill because the highest gear available is 38:11, as opposed to 44 or 48:11.
Not sure if trolling or... 38T is a pretty big ring for a downhill bike, but you're probably right and they're all totally useless at going downhill.
nickc - MemberHave folk with a 36-38t "big ring" on a double not found them a bit spinney?
Nah... i thought I might but I did the numbers and realised that I was only actually losing the highest couple of gears. I was using the big ring offroad but very rarely using the highest gears.
I had a 36 on my 26" bike. The only time it was a bit small was on the road but then my mtb is for riding offroad so I can live with that 🙂
my biggest gear is now 38-11 and I came from 44-11. Don't find that I am spinning out, although I don't ride it on road for more than a couple of huundered metres.
Thanks guys, I suppose there's a bit of getting used to it, average pace hasn't really moved since I swapped, guess its all in my head.
2x9 here for about 3 years. 36 and a granny on the front (can't remember what the back is but prob 34), SLX medium cage mech and no bash or chain device.
Certainly don't miss the big ring for the riding we do (and I'm old) and the only time the chain comes off the front is when I change from small to middle while being on a small cog at the back - even then it's not very often.
Both my main bikes are 1X with 36t rings. I might spin out a little bit on road, but not much, and its not the end of the world as I prefer my bike to be geared towards mtbing. Also I HATE front mechs - the 1x9 has a chain device, the 1x10 with Sram clutch mech hasn't and its bloody awesome, not dropped a chain once yet.
Even when I was 2X i think I still had a 36 ring, 32 is way too low, but you can still spin up stuff with 36 if you get a high range cassette.
I started using 2* set ups around 2003 and have not missed the big ring. Since then I've moved into a 1*10 setuup and am fine; I can ride up everything that I want to or need to with a 34 tooth chainring in the front. I like having less clutter and running a chain device means no more dropped chains.
It was hard work at first but I was pretty unfit when I started riding again last year.
Dan; glad to hear that you've finally got a proper set up on the Heckler.
slackalice - Member
Stick with 3x!
As much as having less gears on your bike is a marketing ploy.. so was having more in the first place..
When I was a wee chavvy, we didn't ask what make your bike was, or how much it weighed, or even what size the wheels were.. The only thing any of us were interested in was 'how many gears 'as it got mate'?
I think the modern 1x approach is the sensible middle ground, although I still haven't got my head around the concept of a 11-36 cassette yet.. seems a bit obscene
yunki - MemberWhen I was a wee chavvy, we didn't ask what make your bike was, or how much it weighed, or even what size the wheels were.. The only thing any of us were interested in was 'how many gears 'as it got mate'?
Maybe that's why I was first drawn to 2x9... 18 gears just seems like the correct number for a bike.
If you are going 2x then the front DR acts as an upper chain guide so you probably wont need one (unless you have a Remedy which seems to like dropping the chain). With a 1x and no front DR you will need a guide, possibly only and upper. Generally speaking and depending how you ride.
