Is running a 1xX set up viable on a double crankset?

I read “the chainline” is wrong, ie the ring would be too far outboard causing excessive mis-alignment between chainring and cassette sprockets most of the time. I find it easy enough to break chains as it is, I don’t need any more help!

Is there a way round this? I’d like to be able to run 1xX and occasionally refit to 2xX when necessary from the same crankset, if viable.

(I’m not up to paying the big money for XX1, that’s just daft expensive).

What exactly are you wanting to do? The expensive part of XX1 is the cassette, the chainset isn’t expensive.

If you want to run the 10-42 cassette with a double then a) why and b) that’ll cost more than buying the whole XX1 group!

XX1 is a red herring soz, I was just trying to head off the most obvious response.

For local riding I don’t need a granny ring so a 1xX set up on a ‘normal’ cassette is all I need.

Occasionally I go to Wales for a big trail centre day or whatever, on those occasions I find a granny helpful.

I’d like to be able to run both set ups from a single crankset.

Can I do that with a double (XT or SLX probably) or do I need to use a triple with short bolts? Or is there a better way?

I’ve got xt double crank set up as 1×10, works fine

Sorry, I read 1xX as XX1!

Yes, you could do that, begs the question why though? You could either adjust the stops on your mech and use it as a guide to just use the middle ring, but then you’re still carrying the weight of shifter/ring etc, or you can take it all on and off, but that’s quite a lot of faff.

@creamegg ta

@njee partly just kicking around my options, most of the time I’d be in 1xX mode without the shifter and granny installed, to dump the weight and the bar clutter. There’s the odd weekend away when I might want a granny. But then again maybe I’d do without.

You’ll get used to it without. What size chainring you planning to use on 1×10? On a 32t the chain might catch on the xt spider arms, but seems ok on my 32t hope chainring. It does catch slightly but not enough for it to be an issue

Sure, I run SS a lot of the time, 9 or 10 gears is a luxury, 20 is like a pig wallowing in s**t.

As for clearance I think Hope rings come up small – I have a Hope 34T and an On One 32T, diamater to the ends of the teeth is near identical, I think the Hope’s teeth are less deep. I run the Hope on the middle position of an SLX triple on my Yelli Screamy, a lot of people report a Yelli won’t take more than a 32T in that position.

No good will come of this dabbling with gears. Mark my words

But then again maybe I’d do without.

That’s what I do. I still have my mech/shifter/rings/cable to refit, but I’ve never done it. I contemplated it a couple of times, but I’ve always just thought that I CBA to refit it all (not helped by internal cable routing.

Yeah that’s the likely outcome. I don’t need a granny for Surrey Hills, I did use one last time I was at CYB but a smaller ring up front would probably have sufficed.

I think you’re looking at this fron the wrong perspective.

What you need is another bike to take to Wales 😉

Lol I have “another bike” for Wales, which is 2×10, what I’m trying to figure is if I can run it 1×10 on the XT double that’s on it ….

I’m a serial compulsive bike fettler really, that’s the issue here.

Yes, I run 1×10 on XTR M985 double. Chain line is marginally further out than it would be with a middle ring on a triple, but perfectly acceptable.

Great for Surrey Hills.