Hi all,
I’m new to mountain biking (I’m a roadie in the UK) however I have the opportunity to do extensive mountain biking in the Swiss Alps – is a 1×10 going to give me enough gears for the climbs? I’ve been reading 1×10 vs 2×10 threads and there are quite a few advantages of a 1×10 setup so leaning towards this way for the simplicity, however, worried about keeping up with my mates with the larger gear range!

Thoughts please… thanks

I rode 3×9 in the Austrian Alps with no problems.
Maybe try that.

I went 1 x 10 in French Alps last summer with TA in Beaufortain. Trek Remedy. Ration 34 x (11 – 36). On very steep sections I ran out of gears. I’ve since fitted a T-rex extender cog. I hope 34 x 40 will help me on the steepest climbs. On the steepest climbs the people pushing kept up with riders grinding out their granny’s.

You may find that coming from a roadie background, you’re used to higher cadences and therefore struggle on 1x. Certainly I’ve noticed that going the other way (having ridden 1x on MTB for a couple of years now) I’m happier spinning slower on my road bike – around 60-70/min rather than 80-90.

The other thing is that if you’re doing long all-day rides in steep terrain you might welcome a bail-out granny ring, though I suppose this depends on your fitness.

there are some pretty serious climbs in the alps, I deferred going 1×10 before my last trip there, but like the idea of leaving the granny ring on and shifting it over by hand for really big climbs.

Recommend 32, oneup 42

I was happy with the range of gears 1×10 offered for riding in the Alps. But I suppose it depends on personal preference.

I run 36t front with 11-40t on the back with 26″ wheels.

Depends how you ride. I’m mostly singlespeed at home, so 1x whatever is fine for me. Have done:-

Swiss Alps, 26″ wheels with an Alfine. 29″ with 1×6 32:32 lowest gear.
Austrian Alps 29″ wheels 1×8 32:34 lowest.
Pyrenees lots of climbing with no uplifts, 29″, 1×10 30:36 lowest gear with clutch mech and narrow-wide (this was the best setup).

1 x 10???

I wouldn’t!

I rode a 2 x 9 Middleburn 1000ks across the Pyrenees years ago & nearly said goodbye to my knees…

Think of the future & be nice to your knees – you only get one good set….go at least 2 x 10!

Thank you all for the responses. I’ve bought a bike off the forum which is a 1×10 and is being rebuilt to convert to a 2×10 before it gets to me – thanks again for the quick posts!