[Closed] Single-ring 'Bullying'

The truth is nobody really cares that you insist of carrying extra redundant chainrings, it's your choice

The truth actually is I'm too tight to lay out the premium for the latest gizmoduim laden tech on bikes. I wait for cheap supplies of parts to wear out, then move on as technology trickles into Deore territory.

The oab_household now has a 650b bike AND a 1x(10) bike... If you have seen the rate my 15 year old and his pal can destroy rear mechs, you too would loiter for the cheapness...

A 1x11 or even a 1x10 can still give a low enough gear for Lakes rides and a high enough gear to do 50kph downhill on tarmac without spinning out.

Trying to scrape together something to post here. Ok exam question:

Q1a) Match the speeds to the gearing

(1)
Cadence: 60 80 100 120
Highest gear 24.6 32.8 41.0 49.2 (km/h)
Lowest gear 6.1 8.1 10.2 12.2 (km/h)

(2)
Cadence: 60 80 100 120
Highest gear 22.7 30.3 37.9 45.5 (km/h)
Lowest gear 5.9 7.9 9.9 11.9 (km/h)

(a) 26-36 x 11-32 on 26"
(b) 32 x 11-42 on 27.5"

Q1b) Why is it fair to ommit the 48t from the comparison on the triple?

(The 3x9 is on my commute ht bike at present, the 1x11 is for my still unbuilt trail ht)

If you think pressure to confotm is bad in mountain biking try triathlon. I did an ironman a few weeks ago on my GT Grade. I didn't give a toss what anyone else thought and it's the same with my mountain bikes. All 26" one 1x10 one 2x9 and 2 3x9. Ride what you have, buy what you want you don't have to listen journalist or to anyone else. If I were buying a new bike it would be 27.5 and 1×11 or 12 but current bikes don't hold me back.
I'm the weak link.

If i'd have done that I'd have spent thousands trying out triathlon as it is so far I've spent £200 on a tri-suit and a wet suit off sportspursuit.

Just enjoy riding.

In the latest Singletrack mag, Wil says something like "unless you're one of the three people still left running a from mech".

He might just have been taking the piss, you never know...

pick a system, be a dick about it...*

* or not, whatever.

In answer to the question above I run 3x10 on my 29er as that's what it came with. TBH I'm not convinced it is optimal for proper mtbing, but I can't decide whether 2x or 1x would be the better option and as a result haven'tchanged it.

I do think 1x shows how mtbing has changed from a sport where you got on your bike and went for a ride from your house, to one where is all about maximum 'gnar' and need an Audi to get there. Or to put it another way once it was a sport for kids of all backgrounds and now it is for the weekend warrior executive prawn sandwich brigade.

See, ye started off alright there, before descending into last decades insults.

@dragon what if I told you I ride full gnar from my door 1x and don't own a car...

I see kids from all backgrounds riding bike of all kinds, there is nothing stopping them and there are some seriously good deals on bikes these days.

The whole weekend warrior, audi, bikes are the new golf crap just seems to be bitterness that more people ride bikes and the exclusivity of it all has gone for those that cared.

I do think 1x shows how mtbing has changed from a sport where you got on your bike and went for a ride from your house, to one where is all about maximum 'gnar' and need an Audi to get there

Does it hell. What you on about? You can get a better bike now than you ever could at entry level, not sure anyone gives a crap how many chain rings it has?

Maybe cassettes are more expensive, but I seem to remember them being £25 in the 90s when I started.

[i]Wil says something like "unless you're one of the three people still left running a from mech".[/i]

I read that. Thought he was either trying to be funny or is a pillock. Settled for the former. Didn't feel bullied 😆

I do think 1x shows how mtbing has changed from a sport where you got on your bike and went for a ride from your house, to one where is all about maximum 'gnar' and need an Audi to get there. Or to put it another way once it was a sport for kids of all backgrounds and now it is for the weekend warrior executive prawn sandwich brigade.

1x11 Shimano groupsets are cheaper than equivalent 3x9 groupsets of yesteryear when inflation is (even partially) taken account of, so your point is rather odd. Actually your point sounds motivated by reverse snobbery.

I do think 1x shows how mtbing has changed from a sport where you got on your bike and went for a ride from your house, to one where is all about maximum 'gnar' and need an Audi to get there

I don't think so, my 1X has a low enough gear for Lakes rides yet can do 50kph until it spins out, I don't see how this would stop anyone from riding from their house.

this is a lark isn't it? It's just like the disc brake debate on a road forum. Fortunately not quite as mental as a helmet debate. Thank god.

I've been bullied into going 1x. Where do I sign up for compensation?

@dragon - I have a 2x10 on my full suss and 1x11 on my hardtail. I usually ride from my door but like the odd bigger day out. Should I sell my Seat and buy an Audi?

Seriously though, that's a stupid argument. 1x is just a change to gear ratios, not a sign of the demographic of mountain biking changing.

dragon - Member

I do think 1x shows how mtbing has changed from a sport where you got on your bike and went for a ride from your house, to one where is all about maximum 'gnar' and need an Audi to get there.

What a load of nonsense though. I've had 1x on my xc bike for donkeys (originally 1x9 with a chain device), it's the bike that gets ridden from my door the most. The only difference now is that 1x has got better- the narrow/wide chainring being the key to it all.

Here's Lee Craigie's Shand, built for the Highland 550.

[url= https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7784/27168567922_2f42637886_c.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7784/27168567922_2f42637886_c.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/HoN1GS ]Lee Craigie collecting her 650b+ hardtail[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/shandcycles/ ]Shand[/url], on Flickr

Mike Hall used 1x10 for the Tour Divide, zero audis... 1x is still way more gears than that other new concept, singlespeed.

I'd have to be pedalling well over 125rpm cadence in a useful manner to be not spinning out at 50km/h.
I get to freewheel a lot more on that bike. Nice relaxed bimble to the hills from the door rather than hacking along the bike path at 50 with cadence to spare like on the rest of the stable.

edit: which i why i mentioned on a previous thread... I want a 36 up front with a 9-56 at the back. Then I have the range I want, need, and use. Eagle is getting there. One more sprocket bigger than the 50. I think Shimano have the patent for the 14 sprocket cassette?

It has always been hard to ride from my door to some decent riding (Too much Road in between - about 7 miles of it each way) and going from 2x10 to 1x10 has made it no harder or different. Getting in the car is nearly always the preferred option. A short drive is no massive deal

I do think 1x shows how mtbing has changed from a sport where you got on your bike and went for a ride from your house, to one where is all about maximum 'gnar' and need an Audi to get there. Or to put it another way once it was a sport for kids of all backgrounds and now it is for the weekend warrior executive prawn sandwich brigade.

100% of my rides are from my house and I would go for a crayfish sandwich rather than executive prawn.

I ride 1x1 and don't read mtb reviews so not subject to this outrageous bullying. When are the government going to do something about it?

1 x 11 user.

No Audi.

Do ride out to trails from home, sometimes not even just at weekends.

Shit at golf.

I did however see a guy with a triple chainset last week at a cafe on my ride back, so flushed his head down the toilet, 1980's school bully style. He'd spent his dinner money already or else I'd have had that too.

andytherocketeer - Member

I'd have to be pedalling well over 125rpm cadence in a useful manner to be not spinning out at 50km/h.
I get to freewheel a lot more on that bike. Nice relaxed bimble to the hills from the door rather than hacking along the bike path at 50 with cadence to spare like on the rest of the stable.

edit: which i why i mentioned on a previous thread... I want a 36 up front with a 9-56 at the back. Then I have the range I want, need, and use. Eagle is getting there. One more sprocket bigger than the 50. I think Shimano have the patent for the 14 sprocket cassette

I'm not sure i've had enough coffee yet....

But you want to be able to ride a MTB at 50km/h ? Really ?

You want a 9-56 cassette ? Honestly ? Really ?

If you're hacking along a path at 50kph on a mountain bike then I'd be getting in touch with Dave Brailsford, the TdF would be a breeze. You'd have done your cool down, presentation, doping control and press interviews before anyone else finished a stage.

50kph is easy enough on my xc bike just find a decent hill and tuck...
I did a very rolling race stage on the same bike year 1 2x year 2 1x, my top speed was down about 1kph overall lose enough

But you want to be able to ride a MTB at 50km/h ? Really ?

I was out in the alps last week, coming home on a fire road meant I hit well over 50kph. I was more worried about my brakes than my gears TBH 😆

50kph is easy enough on my xc bike just find a decent hill and tuck...
I did a very rolling race stage on the same bike year 1 2x year 2 1x, my top speed was down about 1kph overall lose enough

Sure, i get that. The other day i came into my village down Apple Pie hill and hit 50kph, however i didn't feel i needed more gears and needed to up the pace by getting into an aero tuck.

Sure, i get you can do it on a fire road.... but why ?

You lot do realise that people ride bikes in different ways, don't you?

I took the big ring off my Patriot, because on a trail centre descent it was useless. I like 3x on my Salsa because on a road hill it's useful.

Different bikes, different riding.

I struggle with golf too. It's all good until I have to hit the ball between the blades of the mini windmill.

I had an Audi, but it was an old, knackered one that I ended up flogging to a mate for a ton.

But you want to be able to ride a MTB at 50km/h ? Really ?

Err, yes, pretty normal even for me, and i'm hardly blessed with epic wattage.
I ride 2x10 22/36 11-36, and tbh i regularly wish for 1 gear lower, and sometimes 1 gear higher.

to one where is all about maximum 'gnar' and need an Audi to get there

Shit, I'm doing it wrong. Will have to sell the Transporter.

Blimey some people are very sensitive aren't they?

This not being able to understand why other people can do the things they do is what leads to wars you know.

For most people 1x will be a better option most of the time but for various reasons people will still like to stick with 2x or 3x whether it be familiarity, the fear of the unknown, Luddite tendencies or some actual special (or perceived?) reason of their own.

I know 1x is right for me as I've tried both over 25 years and there's nothing that will force me to add a front shifter. I'm happy with a 32/11-36 as I'm off and pushing if it's steeper than I can manage with that so a 40 or 42 out back is a bonus to these 40something legs. But each to their own, don't let them get to you.

for various reasons people will still like to stick with 2x or 3x whether it be familiarity, the fear of the unknown, Luddite tendencies or some actual special (or perceived?) reason of their own.

Or increased gear range for certain applications.. or is that only a 'perceived' reason?

3x has more range so is the superior gearing system.

[img] [/img]

[i]... some actual special (or perceived?) reason of their own[/i]

How about - not replacing stuff that works.

... some actual special (or perceived?) reason of their own.

Whoo, I'm special.

Nice one mum, I always knew you were right.

🙂

Pedalling is 'special'
Everyone knows you're supposed to push up and the pedals are just foot rests going down.

I only push up if the trail is too technical for my skills to ride up. When this is the case, pushing up is hard and awkward.

My next bike was always going to be a 1x but I was offered a cracking deal on a 2x11 and have become very fond of it. I ride XC and spend 99% of my time in the big ring, which means I get a reasonably close gear range at the back which means I can more easily match my cadence and when I need it, I always have a crawler gear available to me to bolster my flimsy legs up the steeper hills.

Weirdly, though, my son's bike (8yo) is a 1x10 and his next bike in build is a 1x11 XT setup, although he doesn't push big gears (not good for young joints) so is geared for spinning rather than speed. Would be no good for me!

1X systems allow pedalling at 50kph I really don't see the need to go faster than that, you'd be doing way too many road descents if lack of upper end range is causing a problem. Plus 50kph is plenty I couldn't care that much about going even faster, not worth having extra gears for that opportunity to go faster than 50kph which is only about 2% of the time.

At the same time 1X can still provide a gear very nearly as low as the lowest gear on a 2X or 3X system so there is no problem with the range.

For example the lowest gear on my 1X (with a 28T chain ring and 11-42 cassette) gives a gear ratio of 0.67 and the lowest gear I had on the previous 2X with a 22T Granny gave a lowest gear ratio of 0.62, it's even hardly noticeable

Worth getting rid of all that weight, saving on maintenance, less to go wrong on shifting and free-ing up handlebar space for that

DezB - Member

... some actual special (or perceived?) reason of their own

How about - not replacing stuff that works.

+1. Both my bikes are 3x9. If I need to replace my entire drivetrain then perhaps I'll consider 2x or 1x; particularly on my full sus.
But, as they are - they work fine.
Changing to a different system would be change for the sake of it.

But you want to be able to ride a MTB at 50km/h ? Really ?

'along the road' 🙄

This thread is the horse dying in no man's land crying out for a merciful shot.

Interesting to hear the opinions of the STW massive, innit?
🙂

steel4real - Member
'along the road'

Yeah, you know, roads.
Those smooth things with cars on that link the trails up?
I believe it's still legal to make them as much fun as possible.

I've been putting in some cadence training for the road link-ups when I get my new 1x system.