what chain device are you running for single ring (noticed a few pro’s at dalby running single ring)
Got a Superstar BB mounted one with a bodged seat tube mount (press fit BB, and I refuse to pay the exorbitant sums MRP and E.13 want for seat tube mounted guides). Got some carbon fibre sheet to make a more bling one sometime!
not if you run a sensible range up front you won’t! I hate big dinner plate cassette sprockets, the silly long chain needed to run them causes horrendous chain slap so I run 11-28 8speed with 22/36 rings, can ride everything but steep or long draggy sat down climbs in the 36T ring and never spin out on anything worth riding a mtb down. if you’re an XC racer/roadie 24/38 rings might be a better set-up but I really can’t see why anyone would want 3 rings upfront or bigger than a 40T largest chainring on an mtb.
Ring size has nothing to do with it, it’s very simple logic. If you only have a 28t sprocket on the back I have 3 more gears in reserve before I have to shift down. On the assumption a down shift takes 2 seconds by the time you’ve backed off the power and you do it 30 times a race you have just thrown away a minute.
I tried it for a while, but it achieved nothing at all for me, combined with the fact that the rapidly changing terrain on an MTB meant that very close ratios were of no use IMO.
1×10 works really well for me anyway. YMMV.