Single ring on cx/road

Interested to know what tooth ring and casette range people are running on their single ring cx bikes (10 speed ideally) and also how you get on on the road too…

Currently on compact double and 11-25

Please don’t ask me why or tell me it’s not a good idea – I’m a simple minded soul and have happily been riding singlespeed on and off-road for a long time + 1×10 off-road happily from here to the Pyrenees so this is the next logical step (maybe)

Thank you

40 up front

11-32 rear

Works for me cx racing and mixed road/trail riding.

If you’re used to ss then gears will be novel anyway and you’ll adapt to whatever you’ve got I reckon.

I run 44t up front 11-25 on road 11-32 on cx wheels all good 🙂

I’ve got a 36 for monster cross days in the big hills with little if any road, and a 40 for the rest. Big cassette out back…

1x makes loads of sense on road bikes.

I went from 12-27 9spd with 50:34 up front and 25mm tyres. That gave me max ratio 4.21 and min 1.27. I probably used 12 of those gears (top/bottom 6).

I went to 38mm tyres and could have gone with a 11-36 11spd cassette and 44T front, that would have given max 4.2 min 1.28 to effectively match the original road bike gearing.

However I built it as an allroad bike with 10-42 11 spd sram XD and a 40T upfront and 38mm tyres. This gives me max 4.20 and min 1.00. I like it as the bike is way more versatile for off days, touring or offroad.

Have a play: http://gears.mtbcrosscountry.com/#700c/25I1163I1004X700c/38I1851I1479 only you candecide whats right for your riding!

I have 44 up front and 10-42 at the back. Shimano hydraulic levers and an xt rear mech routed through a j tec shiftmate.

Went 38 for the three peaks with a similar setup

Thanks guys – this is really helpful 8)

CX = 40t front : 11/40 rear & 11spd.

38 oval and 11-32 on the cx. That’s bob-on for me racing and is OK on the trails.

Had a 11-28 on and it was just a bit too large. I like a big gear generally, but it was life and death getting up some of the CX pitches, no need when the 32 goes up smooth.

38 × 11-36 for commuting duties with a goat link to run the big cassette with a std 10sp ultegra rear mech

If I didn’t live/ride in the northern Sheffield alps, I’d be happy with a 39t ring, and an 11-30 cassette. But I do, so I also have a 30t granny ring – which comes in handy when I conk out with 500 metres of climbing between me and my sofa.

Gear selection depends so much on where you ride, I’ve just used FitFileRepair tool to analyze todays cold, hilly Quantocks & Exmoor road (40 miles, 1300 metre ascending, 3hrs 30mins) CX bike ride. It shows I spent an awfull lot of time in bottom gear (36/32) but I also spent over 5 minutes in top gear (46/11).
It also shows I spent quite a bit of time in 36/11, something I wasn’t even aware I was doing (but that could be a software glitch).

11-32 rear, 38T front for CX racing. Most 1x guys I race against seem to use 40T front but I’m a lightweight spinner not a powerhouse.

We run 42t ring with 11-28 cassette for National Trophy duties and for local riding.

running 40/11-32 but have come to the decision a 38t up front will suit me better. For road use i’d change to a 44 or 46t.

Great stuff – looks like. 40t with 11-28 or 11-32 might suit then 😀

Also depends on the rolling radius of the tyres you plan to use. That will have an effect on the overall gearing.

40T at the front and 11-32 at the back for cyclcoross racing and winter road riding.

11-36 at the back for the 3 Peaks.

50t on the front, 12/28 on the back on GP4000’s in 28mm flavour. On a GT Grade, used for commuting through London. It hurts, a lot. I should have bought the 42t but I’m too tight to do it until the current ring needs replacing. If I went off road at all, i’d be on a 40t or a 42t…

Flange, with codes theyve been ~15 quid at Superstar on and off for months, I bought 38 and 40T to try out at that price.

Bought a cx bike this time last year that came with 42 up front with a 12-36 10 speed cassette at the back. I do not race cx or go off road that much, most of the time is spent on the road and the gearing has been a great for me.

There are times when you spin out but you would need to be going a fair lick to do so, I cannot say I have really wanted for a lower gear for the hills, and I am a million miles from a racing snake but have got up everything I have tried so far. The wider jumps in gear may get to some people but I don’t mind it at all and find it just makes you get out the saddle a bit more often to get on top of the gear.

I do have a bike with 2x 11 speed as well but reach for the cx with 1x far more often.

Cheers CTM, will give one a try

I’d have thought a 50t for London would be fine, that’s what I use on a hilly commute with a 12-30 cassette. Can be a bit hard work on the steeper longer climbs but it’s okay.

Update: 40t x 11-32 10 speed and short cage mech, 28t tubeless tyres has been perfect so far, round London and Somerset

Much less to think about and although I’m running more at the small end of the cassette on the flats/downs I’ve not spun out yet. Less gear shifts to be in the gear I want + a better range for climbing – guess I’m just a dyed-in-the-wool mtber!

38t N/W + 11-32t 9 speed.

No trouble doing more ‘social’ Gravel/Road/bit of cheeky type rides, keeping up with my mate who’s on an Arkose3 (34/50 + 11-32t, 11 speed).

I err towards spinnier rather than tall ‘Manly gears’ on my Bridalslayer as being able to crank up a muddy Hill is more useful than reaching warp speed on the flat, I honestly believe tyres are more of a factor than gearing off road, and on road I can still chop along fast enough, if I were after a fast road ride I would break out the road bike…

How are you getting on with the tubeless tyres? I’ve always been tempted by them on a road bike but the last time I looked the range was small and very expensive! 🙂

42T and 11-36 cassette for me… i almost certain i could probably get away with an 11-32 cassette, or a 44t chaing ring if truth be known

38 on front and 11-42 (11 speed) rear cassette on XC bike works a treat for me. Every now and then I’m spinning out on the roads but most of the time gets me up most hills

Shermer75 – tubeless is good. Schwalbe One on Velocity A23 disc – went up fine first time. Now need an inflator as the bed of the Velocities is a bit deeper than Stans.

They now need a reseal so need to purchase an Airshot. Got tyres relatively cheap from Germany – they run fine down to 40psi on a wide rim! Nice and comfortable in 28mm flavour.