1x systems – what are the benefits?

I’ve got a triple chainring system on my full susser and I regularly use the middle and big rings on my rides so I’m struggling to see the benefit for me. Admittedly I’d have the lower gears that would replace the little chainring but the biggest gear I’d have is 32×11 or thereabouts but I’d lose the top gears.

Am I missing the point?

Yes

No, you are making the point that it is not for you

Simpler, lighter, less to break.

Bigger advantages come in frame design with not having to make space for the front mech, so different chain line/tyre clearance options and pivot positioning available to the designer if you go single ring only.

Comes at the cost of gear range (as you’ve noticed) but wide cassettes get round some of that.

As mentioned, not for everyone, and if you’re happy with a triple then don’t switch just because it’s on trend IMO

Edit: I’m still on 2×9 with 26/38 and 11-32 btw, find that more than enough range

Where do you actually use 42-11?

It’s different. Assuming you have 32 up front at the moment try not up shifting out of it. I’ve not had a triple for a very long time and worried about dropping back from 38t up front. What I realised was that a lot of pedalling I was doing was pointless. There was a lot of spinning when I could have been coasting. It’s a mindset change but for me it’s a near perfect solution.

Where do you actually use 42-11?

That’s a fair point. I have been wondering if a double might be better suited for me.

My 1x 10-42 is 2 gears smaller in range than the double it replaced find one of the gear calculations tables (simply front/back) and see what it means. The 10t vs 11t made a big difference

I have tried a single ring setup and found it to restrictive, I like that my bike is versatile from long sweeping downhills to climbing the wall it can do it all why lose that versatility.

For me it does not work.

I’ll bet in a couple of years 2x is being marketed as the next best thing based around closeness of gearing and gear range

You give your left hand a well earned rest, save a bit of weight through losing the surplus chainring(s) and front derailleur, while getting to buy new shiny chains more often if making full use of the range of your cassette due to more wear. 😉

Another advantage of the N/W rings offer better chain retention over 2/3x.

I used to lose my chain quite often until I went 1x, I can’t remember the last time it dropped now.

Also running 1x let’s you mount your dropper button where your shifter used to live.

I find the range just about perfect, 32-42/11. I don’t ride much on the way of fire roads on my MTB so no need for big gears.

NW chainring => near to zero dropped chains. A clutch mech has little extra effect IME, I’ve often forgotten to move the lever to ‘on’ and it’s made no difference.

A 1x system with an 11-40T cassette loses about 3 ratios in range when compared to a 3x system, where you lose them is up to you. I went for 1 at the low end and 2 at the top.

On my full susser, which is intended for days out where I’ll drive to ride, predominantly more down than up, more technical trails, bpw etc, I’ve gone 1×10 on the cheap, converted triple up front, superstar ring, new chain and cassette, second hand mech & shifter. For that it works, the rides aren’t terribly long, it’s low enough that I can winch up climbs and get around without too much bother.

On an xc bike, or anything I’d intend to ride from the door over mixed terrain I don’t think it’s suitable, for me, I prefer a double, got 11-36 & 26/38 on my scandal, it’s perfect for what I do with the bike, xc rides.

I liked having a 2×10 because I really need the proper granny option but broke my mech and decided to throw a few quid at 1×10 11-42 Sunrace & a 28t Sram steel NW direct mount ring that cost peanuts. Much prefer 1×10. Much like a dropper post once you’ve used it you’ll not go back.

I often had trouble with the left shifter, right thumb would go numb during longer events meaning I had to use palm to change gears, no problems now I’ve lost the shifter. I do miss the harder gears if I’m doing a longer fire road downhill though.

I didn’t really see the point but due to my new frame being 1x specific I decided to give it a whirl. Went for 30t up front and 11-46t out back.

Although the gears are slightly less broad it’s not so much that it really affects anything and it’s made me ride up quicker as my bail out 46t is more like 2nd sprocket used to be on my 3×10 set up.

Main benefit I’ve noticed is no chain drops which do occur with even the best set up front mechs given the right conditions of mud, sudden change in direction from down to up and a tight corner with a rapid down shift followed by an instant need for drive.

And also it’s nice to be able to select bail out gear instantly unlike with a 2 or 3x where you have to shift the front.

I was very sceptical but having ridden 1x it’s definitely got its place in my opinion on bikes that see a lot of technical riding and mud.

2x still being king for fire road and light xc duties though imho.

Having no shifter on my bars means I can comfortably reach my reverb remote.

[/quote]I often had trouble with the left shifter, right thumb would go numb during longer events meaning I had to use palm to change gears, no problems now I’ve lost the shifter. I do miss the harder gears if I’m doing a longer fire road downhill though.

. How did the left shifter make your right thumb go numb ?

I’ve had 1x for past year and now i’m going back to 2x.

Sure I like the simplicity but 1x does not fit with my riding. If you’re into long days in the saddle with lots of climbing involved 1x is not the system.

You need a system whereby you can spin easily, thereby using less power, which subsequently uses less of your energy stores.

If i’m not mistaken 2x is still the choice for Enduro winners like Rachel Atherton for precisly this reason. Easy spinning (in a 2x system) to save energy.

So horses for courses and all that. Depends what you want from your riding.

32t front with 42t rear is about as granny a ring as anyone will ever need

32t front with 42t rear is about as granny a ring as [strike]anyone[/strike] I will ever need

FTFY

Time for the table again… 32-42 comes in about the same as 24-32 it’s a nice low spinny gear

I was just looking for RA’s enduro results
https://www.rootsandrain.com/rider747/rachel-atherton/results/

@swoosh..in fact, since i’ll be taking my 1x system off you’re welcome to buy it. Plenty of life left in in if you want to experiment with 1x.

My email is in my profile.

32-42 comes in about the same as 24-32 it’s a nice low spinny gear

For some

@mikewsmith…not sure what the Atherton link is saying. Does she use 2x for her riding?

my point being it’s the low gear that I used to have on my old 2x set ups, but the numbers are the way to work it out

what it’s saying is I can’t find any Enduro results, fairly sure she will be 1x on the DH bike.

You can buy different coloured rings to match your attire and fit in with the incrowd

I went from triples to a 1×10 with 11-40t cassette and I could work with it when I had built up stamina, but any time off the bike for a few weeks and it was hard work building back up to what was needed. 11 speed 11-42t was a little better in this respect and now I’m rocking a dinner plate One Up 10-50t conversion which is a pretty darn flexible setup that I’m very happy with. 32T oval on the front, I do like spining up a decent cadence to maintain a climb. It does mean if I’m off the bike pushing up its more by choice and not because I tired myself out.

Went from a 3×8 to a 1×11…can’t say I miss the 3x though do find it hard picking the right gear now…..

http://www.gear-calculator.com/?GR=DERS&KB=24,32,42&RZ=12,13,14,16,18,21,24,28&UF=2281&TF=90&SL=2.6&UN=MPH&GR2=DERS&KB2=30&RZ2=11,13,15,17,19,21,24,28,32,37,42&UF2=2240

Cheers, Steve

Where do you actually use 42-11?

stretches of road between bridleways, big long downhills, forest roads, places with hills, scenery and landscape?

Of course, if your idea of MTB is limited to driving the car to a trail centre and going round In small circles, then this may be less relevant.

But I can do all that on 32-11 too. Just imagine how much cooler than you I am. ..

I span out my 30 front 40 rear 1x last Wed on a flat road chasing a mate on his ebike. Garmin says 24.8mph. I’m happy with that TBH, with 2.4 650b tyres at 20psi. Same bike with tyres up at 40psi was fine for a 25 mile New Direst loop too, happily kept up with the guys on cx bikes.

32/10 gives you a ratio of 3.2, your 42/11 gives you a massive 3.8 ratio giving it a go and seeing if it works is one way. My mountain biking varies a lot and certainly doesn’t shy away from some commutes,

. How did the left shifter make your right thumb go numb

I wondered that. Interpreted it as ‘right thumb on left hand’.

Must have two thumbs on his left hand, I guess.

core

On an xc bike, or anything I’d intend to ride from the door over mixed terrain I don’t think it’s suitable

edenvalleyboy

If you’re into long days in the saddle with lots of climbing involved 1x is not the system.

You need a system whereby you can spin easily, thereby using less power, which subsequently uses less of your energy stores.

ninfan

Where do you actually use 42-11?

stretches of road between bridleways, big long downhills, forest roads, places with hills, scenery and landscape?

Of course, if your idea of MTB is limited to driving the car to a trail centre and going round In small circles, then this may be less relevant.[/quote]

Sorry folks, I don’t agree at all. I’m an, at best, average rider, and I manage to do very long, very big rides on a 1×10. Highland Trail Race 560 miles 18 hour days back to back, very mixed terrain. The gears were the last things that were holding me back. 150 miles in 22:45 Capital Trail, again the gearing was fine.

People manage to do these things faster and better on single speed. They manage to cycle round the world on a single speed. If they can do that, why does having a choice of ten (or eleven) gears suddenly become ‘not suitable’?

I run a low 28:11-36 on a 29er. Even then, the top speed is about 18mph sustained. That is plenty for long rides. and 28:11 is the lowest I’d want to go.

Of course, ride what you like. But don’t come up with false reasons to justify not going 1x.

I did South Downs Way (one way, a bit over 12 hours) on 1×10 with 11×40 at the back. So clearly it’s possible. I’m certainly not super fit.

Just in case someone here isn’t signed up to Superstar, today’s Xmas special is 40% off Raptor chainrings with “EFEST4” which makes them £17.99 each.

Shame there are only the 32T variety 104BCD ovals in stock to dispatch, but I guess there is nothing stopping you ordering a 34/36T.
In the circular models, they have 32/34/36/38T 104BCD in stock, the 38T would give me two extra bailout gears over what I’m using these days on my commute with an 11-30 cassette (I don’t use 26/30T sprockets with my 38T chainring, 24T isn’t getting a look in, even on the ascent to Bitterne).

I wonder what makes the On One Ringmaster n/w compatible with 8-speeds, while all the other n/w chainrings I’ve come across specify 9-speed as minimum? I might buy one for £8 when the “cake number” sale kicks in tomorrow, instead of paying £16 today.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cake_number 😆

it depends on your riding style, the terrain, how fit you are…loads of variables. Try it, you might like it you might not, nothing ventured, and all that…

I don’t think there’s a “right” answer THB