Gravel bike ratio?

Avoid roads.

Was happy with GRX 1x11 with Rotor 38T ring and Sram 10-42 cassette.

Now happier on 1x12 GRX with 42T ring and 10-51 cassette. As good a range as 2x 11 speed GRX, simpler and more stable. Don’t mind the ratio gaps (which are similar to 11 spd 10-42).

Previously had 2x GRX 810, and a Classified set up with a 46 T ring and 11-34 cassette.

GRX 1x12 suits me best out of all the above.

My gravel bike and my hardtail are 1x. If I had the choice, I’d definitely go 2x on my gravel bike. There’s plenty of times when you can use a big front ring and it allows you to have a slightly small inner ring as well. You’re inevitably going to ride on roads a significant percentage of most rides here in the UK.

2 x 11 for me, based on my riding, my routes and a desire to sometimes attach luggage.

42x10 is almost identical to 46x11 (slightly taller), so unless it’s the gaps that bother you, there isn’t a downside to a wide spread 1x .

I’ve got the West Highland Way, John Muir Way, Rob Roy Way amongst other stuff on my doorstep, so don’t need to use roads much if at all.

Double post amongst multiple Bad Gateway STW™️ messages.

I lost the first effort of this post to a 502 😟

I like the flexibility of 2x. My gravel bike also does duty as a winter road bike, and with GRX 2x11 it's fine for club rides. I suspect that with 12s now an option it would be a harder choice.

2x11 more suits my doitall bike needs.

I also have a second set of wheels with a more 'roadie' cassette and slick tyres.

Based on my old 3x9 bike, I found that 95% of my riding was in that middle ring (39) with an 11-34 cassette. The bottom gear was 30x34.

Looking at the G$X 2x11, it looked like I'd spend most of my time in the area where the two chainrings overlap. That means lots of front ring changes and either being on the big ring and the larger half of the cassette or the small ring and the smaller half of the cassette. That kind of defeats the chain line argument. I think the 1x option makes more sense for me when I upgrade and leaves the left shifter free for a dropper.

Based on my old 3x9 bike, I found that 95% of my riding was in that middle ring (39) with an 11-34 cassette. The bottom gear was 30x34.

Looking at the GRX 2x11, it looked like I'd spend most of my time in the area where the two chainrings overlap. That means lots of front ring changes and either being on the big ring and the larger half of the cassette or the small ring and the smaller half of the cassette. That kind of defeats the chain line argument. I think the 1x option makes more sense for me when I upgrade and leaves the left shifter free for a dropper.

2x11 for me. Plenty of range laden or unladen, relatively cheap rear cassettes, goes well in roadie mode. Works great for my usage.

It's all a bit personal, but I went for 2x10, to avoid the gaps.
This meant that I had to wait for several months, as there were precisely zero 2x10 groupsets in the UK
It was worth the wait, though

Fellow Sheff local. 1x11, 38t oval, 10-42 cassette.

Not fussed about road top speeds - I have road bikes for going silly fast on which are more aero and faster rolling aside from the bigger gears, plus I’d aim to descend off road wherever possible on the groveller. It’s high enough not to bug me which my old converted mtb on 36/11 with 650b wheels did. I’d take more bottom end for loaded touring rather than more top end.

2 x 11 for me, based on my riding, my routes and a desire to sometimes attach luggage.

Begrudgingly agree this is what I should have..or the 1X12 with the 10-51 cassette mentioned before. I've currently got 4oTx11-42 on 650b wheels and run out of gears both ends locally. I've actually got a 36T oval front ring to try - theory being most of my local stuff I'm lucky enough to put together with minimal road and when I put a 700c wheelset on it in the summer with slightly more road orientated tyres. and do some bickpacking I'll not by too fussed about tapping along too fast.

22-32-42 here with a 12/36 9 speed cassette.

be a leader, not a follower................  ;o)

or the 1X12 with the 10-51 cassette mentioned before

Yeah, if I was buying now then that might have been an option too. Still, most of my other bikes are Shimano 11 speed so at least there's some degree of commonality.

2x - 46/30 and 11-32 (11sp) here.

Only had the one (relatively flat) ride, but definitely used the full range - a lot of the time spent in the 46 up front. Pretty sure even bits of the Monsal and HPT I was in 46/11 Low end I'll probably find I'm lacking and if so will look into a lower range cassette

1x11 for me. I'm happy over a wide cadence so don't get bothered by gaps in the cassettes and running a 42 chainring gives me a speed of 45km/h at 90 rpm which is sufficient on the road, any quicker and I'll likely be tucked because I'll be going down hill!

I am tempted to go from 1x10 to 2x10 it quite a spinney 38t with 11-40, I did score an 11+46 cassette that should work and then I could bump up to a 40 or 42t ring comfortably and have a smidgen more top and bottom end.

But 2x would beat it further still especially for loaded up rides.

2X I always hated the 1X jumps on the road, if off road only I be happy with 1X.

scotroutesFull Member
2 x 11 for me, based on my riding, my routes and a desire to sometimes attach luggage.

That’s the same here. I like the range especially when doing some touring. I would consider 1x12 though

I live somewhere with no big hills and was happy using 1x on a road bike and even more so on a cross bike off road.

I guess I am just not as fast as those who say the gears are not high enough for the road as I used a 44t with an 11 - 32 for off road and a 44 with an 11-26 for on road.  44/11 gives 27mph at 85RPM and 44/32 always felt ridiculously low and never really used it.

2x10

38 26 at the front 36 11 at her back. Which works just fine for me. But 50-10 is actually a bigger range with similarly jumps, so I’m living in the past.

1x12, Round 40T, 52-10 cassette.

I’m never in a rush, so if I’m between gears, I just go a bit slower.

Not tried 1x on gravel, mine is 2x. It works, not sure where the 1x advantage comes in for someone like me who uses it as a winter roady and only does gravel on dry dusty summer days!

2x10 for me, 46/30 up front with a 11/36 cassette, like some of the others on here mine doubles up as a winter roadie and the nature of my riding mean that i usually end up riding a significant amount of road between gravel sections, if however I was riding 100% gravel from my door i'd be happy with a 1x set up.

mine are both 1x12 AXS, both with 40T rings, and cassettes are 11-50 and 10-52. Good range for what I use them for.

1x here,, 40t chainriing and 11 speed 11/42 cassette. My Camino spends most of it's time on the road, and on my road wheels it's neatly 45kph before I spin out so there's enough top end for me. In practice it just means I start coasting on the downhills sooner.

At the other end, I did end up pushing with luggage on some hills on the Second City Divide, but I suspect I would have on 2x too.

I'm happy with 1x for where I live and 90% of the riding I do, but that said if 2x GRX had been available at the time I would have got that instead.

2x here. Scotland roads and hill tracks.

I had 2x10 34/50 11/32 Tiagra on the Merlin and when loaded and off-road or up steeper big hills it was not low enough.

I'm now on Apex 2x11 42/28 11/36. Arguably a tad too low - I might see if I can get a 44 or 46 on the front, but it's a tank of a bike so cruising suits it.

2x11 using grx shifters but road cranks and front mech. Bike gets used for a mix of everything. I just switch the wheels for pure road rides with a smaller cassette.

1 x 12 here with 42t ring and 10 - 44 cassete.

1 x 11 40t /  11-46T suit my needs, although with luggage i need more

I had 42 chainring and 11-42 cassette until last week, moved to 44 chainring and 11-46 cassette (as per my Freeranger thread) - more range and both ends and not expensive plus could still use original Force 1 shifters & mech.

I've also a road bike with 2x on and quite frankly hate it, dropping down at the front and then wanting smaller cogs on the rear is a PITA - whereas with 1x it's just up or down on one shifter.

Scottish Borders so plenty of climbing whether on or off road.

2x10 on mine.

It has a 34/48 chainset and an 12-36 XT cassette although I've run it with road cassettes occasionally when I know I'm not going to be doing steep off-road.

It gets all sorts of use including as a winter road bike.

However I've ridden borrowed 1x bikes and I think if / when I get a new gravel bike I'd probably go for a 1x.

I was on 1x11 grx, and I found that the gaps did bother me, (i am aware however that they don’t bother some people)

so I went over to 2x12 (ultegra di2)  i much prefer it, I haven’t lost any range, but the smaller gaps suit my meagre power output better.

probably worth pointing out that my bike is setup more towards the roadie end of the spectrum.

2x10. Much prefer it because of the tighter jumps between gears. Much better on the road too. Gearing is now 46/34 with an 11/34 cassette. Great for monster climbs on the road, and descending. Gears jump is nice and tight.

1 x 11 GRX here, don't mind the gaps and like the simplicity of both use and subsequent cleaning. I have 2 x 11 Ultegra Di2 on the proper roadie and while the gaps are obviously more noticeable on the gravel bike I'm not generally trying to keep up with people so it's all good.

Did end up pushing up a few hills on the KAW when laden, but that kind of thing is sadly such a vanishingly small proportion of my riding that it doesn't make sense to me to go with 2x.

I'm 11 speed, 40T chainring and 11-42 cassette in Devon. The 10t would be good for the road and I could do with a little more at the other end if I ever loaded up with luggage.

1x12 40T and 10-51 would be what I'd go for.

1x11 on the gravel bike, which I've used all winter in road mode. Has been totally fine.

One thing I notice vs the 2x on the road bike. 1x is a lot quieter.

I think this is like asking "what mountain bike ratio"? Gravel isn't really a single thing anymore and you can't apply one person's particular tastes to how you ride, where you ride.

For me, 1x wouldn't work at all. The gears are too widely spaced and I use the top end. So I run 11-28 11 speed with a 34/50 chainset. I doubt that's very common, but it's suited me on big days touring with panniers on the bag through the Pennines or the Highlands, training in winter and riding it like an old mountain bike in Scotland. It's almost certainly not the right gravel set-up for you though.

1x11 with a 38 on the front (smallest ring for my SRAM Red carbon cranks). An 11T on the back will only see you spin out on a decent hill, and even then, so what? Largest sprocket is a 30T for me, but I like a challenge.

As someone who rides quite a bit of road, as well as gravel: I like 2x (48/32, 11-34). Big ring is mainly for on-road and fast off-road; little ring is mainly for off-road and for climbs (I'm heavy, I need the help). I usually just automatically shift chainring whenever I see the entrance to the next bridleway/path/etc. And it all depends on you and what you're doing; if I was riding purely offroad on something with Even Bigger Tyres (think: drop bar 29er) then yeah, 1x would probably make sense. As it is: if I feel limited offroad, I probably should have brought the MTB.

Main downside: I cannot deny that a front mech is another thing to gum up with mud, and you inevitably get more chain drops than you would with a 1x system. For what I do with the bike, it's the right thing for me.

you inevitably get more chain drops than you would with a 1x system.

FWIW I can't recall the last time I had a chain drop when using a front mech. Certainly not this century.

I run 36- 11-50.

I'd rather have 2x for a bit more on the top and bottom.

I’m on a 42t ring with 10-44t cassette and the majority of gravel rides I do involve a fair bit of road as well. No real issues with spinning out tbh but I do notice the jumps compared to my old 2x road bike. Have flung light road wheels with a 10-40t cassette and found it to be similar overall in terms of speed as my old road bike as well.