I here alot of people saying that a single ring upfront is fine for where I ride, but where in the uk is that ? I live in the chilterns and it’s fine but what about trail centres etc …..

The Chilterns/south oxon/Cholsey 🙂

afan/brecon beacons/mid wales – fine most of the time.

South Pennines/Peak District etc on my 1×9 140mm full susser and to work & back on my 1×7 rigid commuter.

Edinburgh… My 1×9 is just about good enough for all the riding I do though there’s a couple of steep climbs where I run out of rear wheel traction (not being able to put down power properly, but having to just smash the lowest gear as hard as possible).

Only place I’ve ever ridden where it really wouldn’t work was in the pyrenees, the sheer length of the climbs would blow me up. But it’s fairly often annoying here as I run out of high gears.

i run a 36t front ring and 11-36 10spd cassette and that works everywhere for me. Chilterns,wales,scotland, alps you name it. It means you have to power up stuff rather than grind i find

Got a 32T up front with 11-36 on my hardtail, and for all my local(ish) riding (Wyre Forest, Forest of Dean, Bredon Hill, Malverns) it’s fine, though I do have to get out the saddle and grind a bit more than I’m used to on some of the steeper climbs.

Went to Brechfa the other week though, and was glad I had my full sus with 3×10 on it, as a couple of the climbs were just relentless, and I ended up having to use the granny ring a few times for sure.

1×9 32t is fine for places like Cannock, Wyre Forest, FoD etc. I wouldn’t want to be without a granny ring somewhere like the Long Mynd though, although I have done that 1×9 I wouldn’t reccommend it as I was walking loads.

My Pitch is 1×10 with a 32t front ring and 11-36 cassette, i haven’t had a problem on any climb yet and it’s done cwm carn xc and white’s level at Afan on the trail centre front. I had a 34t and found it a bit hard work on longer steeper climbs so changed to a 32t front and now find it spot on. Would prob get away with a 34t on my Soul if i 1×10’d that but my Pitch is a lot heavier.

I run 2×9 but never get into granny around Thetford forest 😉

Often thought the same question because I mainly ride in the lake district and there would be no way I could ride with just one ring up front.

28t at the front and a 11-34 cassette – North Lakes. Tried a 32T up front – there’s always a hike involved around here but I was off carrying a bit too soon with the 32 and switched to a 28 inner.

I’ve just ridden the offroad coast to coast, fully unsupported bivvy kit and 3days of food with 1×7. It probably helped my arse from getting sore as I was stood up so much!

1×7 as in a 9 speed cassette respaced for better chainline, 35t front ring.

34/11-32 – Mendips, Qs. A couple of really nasty inclines get pushed up.

Oh and from robin hoods bay I then rode down to dalby for a lap, so yup trail centres too!

NW Alps mainly, ideal gearing round here. I know of at least one other NW Alper who uses 1×9 gearing and also rides adult sized wheels.

Managing to make 32 x 11-34 work in my local forest on the hardtail. I can think of a few mountain route’s it will work for but the BIG days out with the big bike will always need a granny (or my beloved HammerSchmizzle).

I’m on 3×10 & wouldn’t like to think I was on 1 (or even 2) x10 in the Dales & NYM!
But I’m a lardy arsed 54yr old. 😉

34 up front and 11×36 at the back on a 1×10 ride Kirri, Dalbeattie, Ae, Mabie, whinlatter etc and it’s fine, couple climbs are challenging and result in a little push, and sometimes have to stop for rest if lungs are done 🙂 I do enjoy riding with less gears and much better on the downs as on my 3×9 the chain sometimes drops where as with the chain device no such issues.

1×10, mostly South/Mid Wales, I find it spot on

only recently changed to 1×9, running 34t on 11-32.

after being singlespeed for the last 5 years its amazing, all these gears its so easy to get up hills 😀

if your unsure, go singlespeed for a few months, then 1×9/10 will seem like you have more gears than you know what to do with

I tried single speeding but I puked at a top of a hill so did’nt bother with it again lol I went 3×10 and it was mad having 30 gears! but I love the fact of 1x 10 sits in between the two 🙂

1×9 on my hardtail. Use it for everywhere – natural riding in Ireland and trail centres Scotland. If I come to a particularly steep hill and can’t make the climb with the gears I have, I get off and push. I can easily keep up with ones spinning away in the granny ring on foot and I reach the top fresh.

Mainly Surrey Hills riding, race everywhere including 5 laps of Dalby WC course, done Afan no problem. 36t with 11-36.

mate couldn’t make it around Penmachno on a single 36t chainring, 9 spd cassette. despite losing 6lbs off the bike replacing his old fatarse forks. Bit of a lardy freeride bike though.

1×9 on a 29er, 33 front, 11-32 rear, just done a 4 day away trip in Mid Wales with NO issues, normally ride SDW Sussex area. Havent found a hill to push up yet xx

What about any linking road sections? Wouldn’t 1 X 9 or 10 be massively undergeared?

in a way yes but then again a small price to pay IMO

1×9 (34T/11-34) on a 30lb HT (lardy yes, but QUITE strong).

Fine for round here and local trail centres (Thetford & Sherwood), but have also ridden Dalby, Nevis, Laggan and Brechfa plus the Brecon Gap loop with it. Will be trying the Moray centres and Glentress/Innerleithen with it in a few weeks time.

Might have to get off and push occasionally but 34-34 has mostly been enough for the ups so far.

On knobblies I find 11-34 plenty on the road – they’re the bits you use for a little rest?

slainte 😀 rob

i have 1×9 36t front ring and 11-36 cassette and i ride anywhere.

32 by 11 to 32. I ride wherever. If it gets too much I get off push, I’m really not that bothered about it.

think there is a stigma about getting off and pushing but if it’s that steep whats the point !!!

9x1NW Alps mainly, ideal gearing round here. I know of at least one other NW Alper who uses .gearing and also rides adult sized wheels

+1
“Midlands forests” as seen in this months mag also a few scottish trail centres 32 x 11-36 on a 29er

Run 34/34 on a 1×9 set up on my hardtail and 36/36 1×10 on my five. I ride around Lakes / Peaks / N Wales generally and it doesn’t hold me back – in fact it has encouraged me to try harder which pays off.

Got up Honnister pass which is a 25% gradient in a personal best time the other week so it is doable

richieokeefe1 – Member
think there is a stigma about getting off and pushing but if it’s that steep whats the point !!!
POSTED 7 HOURS AGO # REPORT-POST

That’s the whole point – it’s the challenge 😉 walking is the last option for me, I’ll stick with All my gears. Did try singlespeed one weekend and to be fair, there was only a couple of climbs I couldn’t get up but it was frickin exhausting. Fair play to those that can!

I’m currently riding a 1×9 with 32 front and 11-32 riding on the South Downs. I can get up everything with that and I think it has improved my leg strength in the short time I’ve been running it. If and when I change to 10 speed I think I’ll go 34 and 11-36 as I reckon a little more at the top would be as useful as a little more at the bottom.

anywhere down south, SDW, purbecks etc
34-11/32 on mtb inc races (9-spd)
39-11/28 on cx inc races (8-spd)

1×7 and 1×8 here just for DH tho. (and 1×5 would be enough) but I couldn’t manage XC with proper hills with a single ring

For my local trails my 1×10 (34t 11-36) is ideal and for the trail centres I go to I’m sure it’ll be fine. I much prefer to get out the saddle and climb andyway and it’s just my fitness that needs to be sorted to help there. The year I had off for an injury has really been hard to get beck from and I seriously need to get my head down and get it sorted!

I’ve never walked up a climb, if I was having to walk I’d not stick with it. I ride up to 13 miles to/from the trails on the road, and find it fine!