Going 1x options

Messing about with a gravel bike; I have a 105 2×11 drivetrain and would like to go 1×11 for simplicity. Would sticking on a 1×11 mtb crankset work? Pretty sure I have one in the loft… I don’t think I’m man enough to get away with a bigger chainring and that seems a solution.

Anyone tried this?

Chainline.

I’d give it a go, as long as the spindle length is the same. You can always buy a new chainring with a different spacing for not a huge amount of money.

Can You Put an MTB Crankset On a Road Bike?

I’ve never really understood the chainline issue – logically on a double crankset the effective chainline shifts anyway, and moving across the cassette has an effect too – I don’t dispute its a thing, I just don’t understand it tbh. Is it unique to 1x because of the narrow/wide teeth or something?

Had a look in the loft – it’s an XT 1x crankset with a 32t ring, which seems ideal. I have the bottom bracket (BSA) and spacers etc…

I can make it fit on the bike it appears, but will I be struck down by lightning or some other terrible consequence?

It’s not unique to 1x, but is even more important, as you need to use all rear cogs with the one ring. With a double you mostly avoid big ring big cog, and small ring small cog use. Presumably this is an old non-boost chainline chain set? Suck it and see…

I can make it fit on the bike it appears, but will I be struck down by lightning or some other terrible consequence?

I’d try it, plenty of more heath Robinson setups about, you may find you end up wanting a bigger chainring and/or wider range cassette down the line but why not try for free with the bits you have on hand before biting the bullet…

Yep – non boost.

I’ll give it a go – worse that can happen is I get laughed at by some passing roadies, eh?

Nah, you’ll be flying in the 11t when they see you. Just be careful when using the biggest cog at first. You’ll probably just be looking at chain and chainring wearing faster if you use that a lot, but there’s a chance it might struggle and sound like it’s trying to drop a cog or escape the chainring. Shouldn’t, but test it out before you hit something steep.

Always best to try and reuse what you have… my drop bar bike has a Saint rear mech!

Can mitigate chainline issues with the BB spacers (if it’s an external BB), put the two spacers on non drive side, or run the chainring on the inner position if it clears.

Cheers – I was thinking along the same lines re the BB spacers; set them so the single chainring is between where the old two were and should be good.

Just to cause even greater roadie rage I’m fitting some On One Midge bars. If I only I’d kept those thumbshifters from the old days 🙂

BTW, I’m not that much of a wuss – I live in the northern Dales and the hills around here don’t take prisoners. I’m no youth racing snake so need an advantage!

So, not really sure what you’re doing / trying to achieve? Are you just planning to swap the double chainset for a single but leave everything else the same?

It’ll be simpler, but assuming your current double is a 50/34 compact, by putting on a 32 chainring, you’ll not drop your lower gear very much, and you’ll lose a lot of top end, which may be an issue on fast gravel or road downhills.

I think there maybe compatibility issues between using a MTB crankset with a gravel/road frame, or if you’ve a road BB (I know I had this with one bike I built up, but can’t recall what bike/crank it was)

I’d definitely go 1×11 (it’s what I did on my gravel bike), but I put an 11-46 cassette on, bought a long cage rear mech, and just put a single 42t chainring on my existing double chainset.

Vulture here, with an XT MTB chainset, built with the 2 spacers for the MTB BB on non drive side, 1 spacer drive side (this was the test bike they sent to mags for review)

think I had a Raceface turbine crank on mine initially, same spacer arrangement, 42t DM ring, no issues

I’ve done this twice – 105 5700 triple to an SLX 7100 crankset and on another bike a Zee set – had to add 5mm of axles spacers to the SLX cranks. (68mm vs 73mm BB shell). This allows you to fiddle with the chainline a bit of course. No idea what my chainline ended up as – it’s definitely towards the smaller end of the cluster, but as that’s the end I use most (10-42 cluster) I’m fine with that.

hardtailonly
Thanks for the thoughts – I want to go 1x, and also have easier gears (not that bothered about losing some top end tbh). I have a couple of chainrings kicking about so could drop to 30 or even 28t I guess. The idea of a bigger cassette certainly has value – again I think I’ve got an SLX cassette somewhere but would need a long cage mech. Will probably swop the crankset and see how it goes before investing cash.

Cheers, Dave

again I think I’ve got an SLX cassette somewhere but would need a long cage mech. Will probably swop the crankset and see how it goes before investing cash.

You could simply try a goat link/road link or similar mech hanger extendy thing and keep your existing mech.

So in the end what I did…

Wolftooth single chainring onto the existing 105 crankset.

Wolftooth Roadlink and existing 105 rear mech.

Deore 11 speed 11-40 cassette (cheap at CRC).

New chain for good measure.

Works great.

😀

Just fit a 1x ring to your chainset? Saves messing up your chainline and Q-factor with MTB cranks.
Rotor amongst others do them.

That’s what I did- the Wolftooth one is designed for 1x conversion from a 2x crankset. It’s narrow/wide so no chain drop. Not especially cheap, but seems to work so long term happy to invest.

👍