[Closed] which cassette for changing to 1x?

36 at the front and Shimano 11-46 11 speed on my 26"hardtail. It lives in the flat.

You should be able to use anything right up to 12s as suits your budget I think. The main limiter there is going to be which cassette fits on your hub. If you have something like a pro 2 you should still be able to convert it to a new freehub, or just buy one of the many, many cassettes that fit a standard freehub.

As you’re buying it all from scratch you’re not constrained by making use of old kit (except cranks?) so you might find it easiest to buy a whole groupset?

If it was me and I could do it I’d probably look at an slx 12s groupset or maybe the new deore 11s. Everyone makes their own call based on how much range they want, how much new stuff they want to buy etc etc.

Deroe 11-51 11 speed. Mech, chain, shifter. Work out what ring size you can get away with depending whether high or low gears are key.

Failing that, reuse the 9 speed hub with a Sunrace 11-40 cassette.

Deore 11-speed - will fit existing freehub, and work well with Sunrace cassettes and non-Shimano chainrings and chain.

32t and 11-46 should prioritise climbing sufficiently.

Sunrace if 9/10/11 speed in whatever range suits your needs, or Shimano if 12 speed.

thanks.
my shifter at present is a sram X0 9sp, altho as you say, if im buying a different number of cogs then thats bye the bye....

wheels are american classic hubs on stans 355 rims, does that tell you anything about which cassettes may or may not be compatible?

Deore 11-51 11 speed. Mech, chain, shifter. Work out what ring size you can get away with depending whether high or low gears are key.

Failing that, reuse the 9 speed hub with a Sunrace 11-40 cassette.

Deore 11-speed – will fit existing freehub, and work well with Sunrace cassettes and non-Shimano chainrings and chain.

32t and 11-46 should prioritise climbing sufficiently.

i did consider going cheap as poss, and getting the widest range 9sp cassette to save buying a new shifter. i do like the idea of a 51 cog tho, id probably need it! hills are the priority rather than top speed.

thanks

EDIT: id keep the same mech whatever wouldnt i? just need a new shifter?

I went through this and tried 34x11-46 (also Soul 26). I found that the 34 oval was OK but really I was not strong enough for proper steep stuff. I went down to a 32 oval and it made a world of difference to the experience of going 1x. Only ever lacking on very long tarmac downhills - perfect range for me everywhere’s else.  I really don’t think you would need the 51t if you go 32 at the front - 46t is only ever needed very occasionally as it is (Surrey Hills).

You should be able to find a Sunrace 11-46 to fit your existing hub.

You'll need a mech as well I'm afraid.

Bike24 do "wear and tear" groupsets of chain, cassette, shifter, mech.  Personally I'd go 11;speed as interweb is full of Dodgy 12speed shifting woes.

And I may we'll take the old 9 speed shifter off you when you're done!

Alternatively, an 11-42 microshift 9speed cassette, new narrow wide ring from Amazon and mech hanger will do the job.  A 32t ring would see you with almost the same bottom end as 3x9.

You should be able to find a Sunrace 11-46 to fit your existing hub.

You’ll need a mech as well I’m afraid.

first quote implies that the width of an 11 speed cassette would be the same if it fits on same hub, second quote implies that the extra cog or two actually makes the cassette wider then, rather than the cogs 'squidging' up closer together? which is right, or are they both and im missing something?

also, no issues with the chainline on the extreme cogs?

EDIT: almost certainly me being a doofus, whichever cassette i choose would fit on the same hub, so cogs must be closer together, but why then would my mech need changing? wouldnt it just stop in 11 different locations according to where the shifter tells it to? its a smooth transition from one extreme to the other, so why doesnt it just have more stops? (sorry, but told you i was new to gears) 😀

Just put a sun race 11spd on my sram commuter, works a treat.

Chain width and cassette spacing are narrow on 11 and 12 speed to fit into the same gap/freehub spacing and previous, but lower multi speed systems.

To do 1x with a decent useable range needs a big cassette. Your 9 spd mech isn't likely to handle anything above 36t very well and the top jockey may not even clear clear the biggest sprocket.

Depending where you live and what your riding is, a 34t chainring might be a bit tall, even with something like a 46t cassette at the rear. You might also find that a 34t chainring in the middle position might foul the chain stay - depends on the bike. Chain line, again, depends on the bike.

If I was building up a cheap winter bike I'd l'd be trying out the new advent X 10 speed stuff. Or the sunrace package transmission packages. You'll get a whole transmission for not much more that some of the big brands cassette and mech.

Recently had a new bike with Shimano Deore 10 speed 11-46. Worked perfectly, crisp shifting, indexed well, felt good quality, not sure why you'd look any further.

I don't think you'd get a 34T front ring to clear the chainstay, and 32T would be better for you anyway in my opinion.

I run 34/11-46 and, while it's a good range for me on my 26" bike, I'd go 32t on the front next time - purely so I spend less time grinding away on the large aluminium cog at the back, which will ultimately determine the lifespan of the entire cassette.

Different speed mechs have different pull ratios, I think there is some oddball combinations that kinda work but it's best to stick to the right combination in my experience.

Your 9 spd mech isn’t likely to handle anything above 36t very well and the top jockey may not even clear clear the biggest sprocket.

ahhh, gotcha. so its not a shifting across issue, more of a clearance problem. what type of mech should i be looking at for 1x then, a 'long cage' or something?

You might also find that a 34t chainring in the middle position might foul the chain stay

I don’t think you’d get a 34T front ring to clear the chainstay,

confused by this, plenty of people are using 34's, why do you think it might not clear? itd just be in the same central position as the middle of a triple crankset wouldnt it?

thanks

I converted to 1x11 last year and it’s transformed my riding with mates. I always struggled to keep up as my gear ratio wasn’t good enough.

Changed to a 34t oval front and 11-46 rear. As montgomery has said I might consider going to a 32t chainring in the future to prolong the cassette life.

And check to make sure you can run 34t. A mate has a P7 (2 years old) and the 34t chainring was fouling on the chainstay so he can only run a 32t.

I just got the deore 11speed 11-51 cassette (£47), nice bit of kit not too heavy has ali spider but all steel rings so it should last better than the alloy ring XT.

I run a new deore m6100 12 rear mech (£38) but I think the m5100 11 is the same with different logo, and an xtr 11 shifter. I only got the 12 rear mech as previously I ran is on a 12 GX setup.

Aliexpress prices.

Theres loads of cheapo cassettes on ebay / ali, not been brave enough to try one, might be OK for an occasional rider but not sure I'd trust it not to break teeth or bend in the mountains.

+1 for getting an oval chainring, I didn't even bother getting a large range cassette when I went to 1x9 on the cheap. Left the 22t inner ring on but never had to use it.

For what it's worth I got a cheap 11-52 9 speed cassette for Mrs brain, a derailleur hanger extender and Bob's your aunty. All works perfectly acceptably though it does make removing the rear wheel a bit of a pita.

If you want more clicks I just put a sensah crx 11 speed on my hardtail. It's not seen the outside world yet but setup was fine, it seems solid enough if not exactly fancy. Mech and shifter were £30 delivered in 5 days* from aliexpress.
They also offer 12 speed variations etc.

*i had an issue with the shifter I was sent which has taken a while to sort out but that's a seller issue.

so it looks like i need a 'narrow/wide' oval 32 chainring yep? whats the benefit of this oval ring that i keep seeing recommended?

whats the benefit of this oval ring that i keep seeing recommended?

Its one or all of the following three reasons:-

1. It's a kind of magic
2. Being oval I think I'm right in saying the leverage alters over a crank rotation.
3. It's bollocks

got a 32t oval chainring now, but maybe looking like ive got a worn chain. if i buy a new 9sp chain, would that also do if i changed to a 10 speed cassette at some point, or is the 10 speed chain thinner? if it cant be used with 10 speed then i may just keep it a bit longer until ive sussed out which way im going to go.....

thanks

For my money I would look at going 12 speed - sunrace 11-50 cassette and new rear mech/shifter. Then you will fit with that all in the future. It will fit your freehub but you will need a new chain as well........

As for the oval - there are lovers and haters. I got one as my pedalling action is shite and it evens it out. For me it gives better traction when climbing as a result. Unsure about the efficiency stuff some speak about but I feel a benefit!

On my 26 orange 5 I went nx 1x12

RaceFace wide/narrow 36 chain ring and nx 11/50 cassette

It’s been a fantastic upgrade and totally fault free

Depending on where you live and how fit you are, but I’d also prefer a 32 front chainring.
Oval makes no difference to me, honestly can’t tell the difference. But I’ve got absolute black oval on my FS, for winter I’ve put on a 30t front (oval again), I ride at Woburn, it’s not got big hills, but it can feel like it’s constant climbing up fairly short steep climbs.
I’ve just put a new 12 speed GX cassette on mine. Considering it’ll only last me the winter it’s blooming expensive, I’d avoid SRAM on that basis.