What do I need to look out for,I have a Santa Cruz superlight,3 upfront,9 speed cassette,had a ride on a 1x11 on the weekend and it offered everything I needed and enough range for all of my riding,I was apprehensive at first of going 1x10 but think I am now ready,so inform away stwers,I value your opinions.
You need rear mech, cassette, shifter, chain, chainring, short chainring bolts.
Thank you Njee20,clutch mech?
I definitely would!
Can I go 1x11?
You need rear mech, cassette, shifter, chain, chainring, short chainring bolts. 1 x 11 kit new XTR ,+new rear hub for SRAM kit 😀
Yep, what Jeffus said! Just add freehub body to the list if you go SRAM!
I went 1x9 on a 10 year old xtr rear mech - so no clutch - just bought new cassette - 12 to 36, new chain and a thick thin Hope chain wheel. Total cost 70 quid.
Had zero problems so far. No dropped chain, and I'm doing a lot of jumping. Love the simplicity of it all. Strangely liberating not having to think about shifting front rings. Simplifies the riding experience.
Def need to be fitter for the big hills - no hiding on the granny ring.
Without doubt best thing I've done since I got a single speed road bike.
Chainreaction do this bundle...
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/shimano-xt-1x10-speed-drivetrain-bundle/rp-prod126347
Is a great price.
Personally I went from a 3 x 9 to 1 x 10 on the Alpine. Mistaken using a Zee mech but as the swing arm extends the crank/axle size it become to short or to slack.
I would advise using a Medium cage, this would still leave you scope for a larger rear cog conversion.
You can do whatever you like 🙂
Be warned that 1x10 on a standard cassette is a lot more compact a range than 1x11 (SRAM), an expanded 10sp with a 40t gives more range but the improvement you get on the 10t is reasonable over the 11t. So it depends on your riding, strengths and terrain.
Some numbers
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I'm happy with 1x10 36 x 11-40t most of the time when I'm fit. If I could get a good price on SRAM 11 speed I'd be there like a shot.
Also fitting wise some consensus over here in Oz of those that have done it the SRAM Type 2 copes better with the range than some of the Shimano mechs, hence the RAD plate for modifying the mech.
Or, if like me, you need to spread the cost a bit, keep your current 9 speed Sram set up and just get a 10sp Shimano clutch mech and narrow wide ring for now, and run the mech with a 6mm spacer to get the actuation ratio right. My 1x9 with a clutch mech works great and I'm loving how quiet it is, and when my current drivetrain wears out I'll just need to look for a chain, cassette and shifter to go full non-pikey 10 speed.