Hi all,
Hit a drop a bit hard yesterday and I think my mech hit my chainstay. Upshot is the cage has broken off just below the lower jockey, my chain is twisted beyond repair. The chain was on its way out anyway, as is the cassette. Got a 2×9 setup with bash and the derailleur is long cages as it wasn’t changed when it previously went from 3×9. Same goes for the front mech.

Basically, I see 2 options: replace with 2×9 or go 1×10. What are your thoughts and any other suggestions? Bike is a medium travel full sus and Living in South Wales, so some good hills to climb.

Don’t know much about your local area, but I like 1×10. There’s nothing I can’t climb on it that I could on the previous 3×9, it just takes a fair bit more grunt.

The way I see it, 1×10 with a thick-thin chainring and a clutch mech means less leverage on the mech from chain flap and less chance of ‘pedalling on’ with a derailed chain and doing damage that way.

1×10 is not easy to get uphill, but it is possible. Stick a 40t cog on and lose one of the others and you have a low enough granny gear for most things. Yes, you spin out a bit on the road, but who gives a shit about that?

Having had my first ride with 1×10 today, I would say go 10 speed, either 1x or 2x so you can use a clutch mech, my drivetrain is totally silent now and I love it. I used slx mech and cassette, kmc chain, zee shifter and superstar chainring.

Sounds like 1×10 is the way to go! So this thick-thin business means go chainguide needed, right?

It’s more the clutch mech that means no chain device. I still have a top guide for ‘belt &braces’ security at little weight penalty, but set the clutch up correctly with the optimum chain length and you should be grand.

Thanks, Dannyh. Booked in for 10th with narrow/wide and zee mech and shifter. Figure I can add the chainguide and oversized sprocket later if the need arises.

With a FS you will more than likely need a medium cage mech to fit an oversized sprocket later, which also gives you the option to run a limited 2×10 setup too.

i use something similar to olderigetfasteriwas.
zee shifter
slx mech
slx chain
deore cassette
lx chainring and cranks
i also use a blackspire stinger to help things stay on

was blasting down the Bike Park Wales routes at the weekend and the rear end was completely silent