Ran all the configuration’s, for an allrounder XC sorta do everything bike triple is where its at for me.

its horses for courses I rekon, when I built a bike specifically for bigger days (alps trip) a double was the preffered choice, just for the clearance.

1×9 and 1×10 on my bikes here, 32t up front but 29ers, so feels more like a 34.

Gets me up damn near anything, natural or otherwise – but then I’m fortunate to be a (relatively) young, strong, rider with the legs and lungs to attack the climbs. Sitting and spinning up something is rarely an option (though I can sit and spin up remarkably steep stuff – I’m tall with long levers).

I miss the top end more than the low end. I ride SS on the XC bike over winter, and to commute, so I’m pretty used to hauling up hills and I can spin fairly fast too.

I prefer 1x as on the AM/enduro bike the security of the chainguide is very welcome, and on the XC bike it’s also the security, less chain flapping about, less to get clogged up, a little less weight, less clutter on the bars and simpler riding – just one gear shifter to think about! I’d propose the counter argument – why have twice the complexity and those extra rings, when they bring me little benefit?

However I will say that if I wasn’t able to ride regularly enough to keep my fitness up I’d probably drop back to a triple/double. If I’ve been off the bike ill or injured the lack of low spinny gears can kick my ass a bit!

However I will say that if I wasn’t able to ride regularly enough to keep my fitness up I’d probably drop back to a triple/double.

Are you stalking me?

As I’ve said, fitness was my concern too but having now used 1×10 for a full weekend’s riding around Wales, my concerns proved unfounded and I was fine. I don’t think I wished for a lower gear at any point.

Maybe if I was going to do a proper epic event (TransAlp and the like) I’d go to a double for the wider range (until 10-42 cassettes become cheaper!) but otherwise, I can’t see that I would.

Have folk with a 36-38t “big ring” on a double not found them a bit spinney? I was a bit worried at first going to a double for general XC would be a bit much, but if anything, it’s the opposite.

FWIW I never jagged my leg on, or bent my 44t and used it ( in the chilterns) quite a bit

slackalice – Member

Like 1x, 2x shares the same inconvenience for most of us that our bike becomes totally useless on road sections or even, dare I say, going remotely downhill because the highest gear available is 38:11, as opposed to 44 or 48:11.

Not sure if trolling or… 38T is a pretty big ring for a downhill bike, but you’re probably right and they’re all totally useless at going downhill.

nickc – Member

Have folk with a 36-38t “big ring” on a double not found them a bit spinney?

Nah… i thought I might but I did the numbers and realised that I was only actually losing the highest couple of gears. I was using the big ring offroad but very rarely using the highest gears.

I had a 36 on my 26″ bike. The only time it was a bit small was on the road but then my mtb is for riding offroad so I can live with that 🙂

my biggest gear is now 38-11 and I came from 44-11. Don’t find that I am spinning out, although I don’t ride it on road for more than a couple of huundered metres.

Thanks guys, I suppose there’s a bit of getting used to it, average pace hasn’t really moved since I swapped, guess its all in my head.

2×9 here for about 3 years. 36 and a granny on the front (can’t remember what the back is but prob 34), SLX medium cage mech and no bash or chain device.
Certainly don’t miss the big ring for the riding we do (and I’m old) and the only time the chain comes off the front is when I change from small to middle while being on a small cog at the back – even then it’s not very often.

Both my main bikes are 1X with 36t rings. I might spin out a little bit on road, but not much, and its not the end of the world as I prefer my bike to be geared towards mtbing. Also I HATE front mechs – the 1×9 has a chain device, the 1×10 with Sram clutch mech hasn’t and its bloody awesome, not dropped a chain once yet.

Even when I was 2X i think I still had a 36 ring, 32 is way too low, but you can still spin up stuff with 36 if you get a high range cassette.

I started using 2* set ups around 2003 and have not missed the big ring. Since then I’ve moved into a 1*10 setuup and am fine; I can ride up everything that I want to or need to with a 34 tooth chainring in the front. I like having less clutter and running a chain device means no more dropped chains.

It was hard work at first but I was pretty unfit when I started riding again last year.

Dan; glad to hear that you’ve finally got a proper set up on the Heckler.

slackalice – Member
Stick with 3x!

As much as having less gears on your bike is a marketing ploy.. so was having more in the first place..

When I was a wee chavvy, we didn’t ask what make your bike was, or how much it weighed, or even what size the wheels were.. The only thing any of us were interested in was ‘how many gears ‘as it got mate’?

I think the modern 1x approach is the sensible middle ground, although I still haven’t got my head around the concept of a 11-36 cassette yet.. seems a bit obscene

Not as obscene as a 10-42 😉

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=91007

yunki – Member

When I was a wee chavvy, we didn’t ask what make your bike was, or how much it weighed, or even what size the wheels were.. The only thing any of us were interested in was ‘how many gears ‘as it got mate’?

Maybe that’s why I was first drawn to 2×9… 18 gears just seems like the correct number for a bike.

If you are going 2x then the front DR acts as an upper chain guide so you probably wont need one (unless you have a Remedy which seems to like dropping the chain). With a 1x and no front DR you will need a guide, possibly only and upper. Generally speaking and depending how you ride.