MegaSack DRAW - This year's winner is user - rgwb
We will be in touch
Replacing the chain on my 1x11 MTB. I recall the old adage for 2x and 3x systems was "big to big, plus two links" - is that still applicable for 1x? Or what's best method for determining chain length? This is a hard tail by the way.
I just do it by eye really - make sure the cage is at about a 45 degree angle on the biggest sprocket
Basically yes, but for the record if on a FS then make sure there's enough slack for the suspension to fully compress without tearing the mech off.
I don't think it's as critical nowadays to be as short as possible, with clutch mechs stopping clatter, but obvs don't overdo it.
And I also swap chainrings sometimes, I have 34, 32 and 30 so keep the chain long enough for all (although haven't used 34T for some time now)
Some people are saying "big-big plus four" to handle chain growth from suspension and the fact that you'll actually be using the largest range, whereas with 3x you'd never actually use big-big.
My susser has plus 2 and the mech is pretty stretched out when on the biggest sprocket, something like 4 o'clock. Seems to work and keeps it out of the way of rocks when crawling up rocky terrain but I did check chaingrowth before committing to that length.
For a [b]hardtail[/b], its a quicklink + 4 links...for 1x11, watch the video
http://www.parktool.com/blog/repair-help/chain-length-sizing