How to Avoid 1×11 on a new bike with decent forks and wheels?

I just don’t want 1×11, the price of the flipping cassettes is just ludicrous. However, every decent new bike out there seems to have the stuff on it.

Am I stuck with buying a frame/fork/wheel combo and sticking my nice XT 2×10 on it (IF the frame can take a front mech)????

What new bike comes with decent wheels? Most are keek. Most forks are of questionable quality, even on expensive bikes.

Take the super expensive xx1 or x01 stuff off. Stick it in the classifieds and put 1×10 32t x 11-36 on it. Problem solved. Spend the difference on beer.

What sort of bike are you after? What’s your budget? Wheel size?
Zee Germans still do a lot of nx10

What are you looking at and what forks are the must haves? I’ve seen plenty of new bikes with 2×10, which is frustrating for me as I want 1x! Different strokes and all that.

Europeans LOVE doubles, even triples! It’s quite funny at component company presentations 🙂

Europeans LOVE doubles, even triples! It’s quite funny at component company presentations

Aren’t we the exception in being so obsessed with single ring transmissions?

Take the super expensive xx1 or x01 stuff off. Stick it in the classifieds and put 1×10 32t x 11-36 on it. Problem solved. Spend the difference on beer.

This. Given the cost of replacing 11x cassettes, I strongly suspect that there will be a lot of 11 speed drivetrains (minus the cassette) on eBay soon – if you have a pristine setup for sale then it’s bound to be snapped up.

Aren’t we the exception in being so obsessed with single ring transmissions?

USA similar.

Any “good” bike i’ve been looking at comes 1×11, it’s annoying, i just dont want it and the faff of getting rid.

Cannot stomach £200+ a year on a cassette.

Cannot stomach £200+ a year on a cassette.

Don’t then?

£150, and they last well, particularly if you change chains when needed.

I’d imagine most shops would be happy to swap for 2×10 for you – there’s lots of folks who’d be keen to make the swap in the other direction.

Well I had a wander round a local (and large) shop at lunchtime and out of maybe 150 mountain bikes on show only a handful had a 1x setup. I was actually looking for 1x bikes so was paying attention to that aspect. Not sure if they were 1×10 or 1×11.

I do agree that the 1×11 cassettes are a ridiculous price though for what is essentially a consumable.

I do agree that the 1×11 cassettes are a ridiculous price though for what is essentially a consumable.

I’ve said it time and time again, but they’re no more expensive (relatively) than 9 or 10 speed cassettes manufactured in the same way.

Do a custom build.

But it’s not the manufacturing process that we use, it’s the end product. Now if SRAM can keep selling those XX1 cassettes fair play to them (I’ll admit to finding them stunning from a production point of view) but as soon as someone comes along with a “traditional” plate style cassette then they’ll lose sales as that will be considerably cheaper.

njee20 – Member
I do agree that the 1×11 cassettes are a ridiculous price though for what is essentially a consumable.
I’ve said it time and time again, but they’re no more expensive (relatively) than 9 or 10 speed cassettes manufactured in the same way.

You might but it still makes them nearly 5 times the price of an Xt cassette which is what causes the problem. I can basically do 2 full cassette and expander replacements for a 1×10 set up for the price of one 11sp cassette, follow that up with the difference in the price of mechand it does become a material consideration.

You might but it still makes them nearly 5 times the price of an Xt cassette which is what causes the problem

True, but that’s not because it’s 11 speed, which was my point. Doesn’t necessarily make it easier to swallow I concede!

Worth noting that XX1 cassettes are 25% lighter than XT, whilst having an extra sprocket and a far wider range. They’re still a chunk lighter than XTR, and not vastly more expensive. It’s still relegated to top end groupsets and the pricing is as such.

Go 1×11 and youre forced into using these rediculous cassettes. £150 is still too much.

I do around 2500 miles a year, that costs me £85 a year. 1 xt cassette and three pc1051 chains, im not precious a pedantic about the cleaning either.

1×11 this would cost me £230, thats even before ive written off a mech or two. Atleast if I write off my zee its cheap enough I could not care.

Given I’mgetting bikes nicked every 6 months it doesn’t seem to be a problem, barely have time to get the suspension broken in.

Go 1×11 and youre forced into using these rediculous cassettes. £150

Not really ridiculous is it? You just don’t want to use top end parts (which is fine). If you used 1×10 with XTR cassettes and X10SLs it would be a similar price, if you used XX cassettes and YBN titanium chains it would be about three times the cost of X1.