I’m sure the last time we did this we agreed that 1x systems were fine for those who thought a long day in the saddle was anything in excess of 3 hours.

…bottling it…

You’re not getting the snip, a 1x drivetrain can be reversed without the need for anesthetic…

scotroutes –
I’m sure the last time we did this we agreed that 1x systems were fine for those who thought a long day in the saddle was anything in excess of 3 hours.

Made me proper laugh out load that did.

😛

scotroutes – Member
I’m sure the last time we did this we agreed that 1x systems were fine for those who thought a long day in the saddle was anything in excess of 3 hours.

So anything over 3 hours then, you sure that’s right 😉

You’re not getting the snip, a 1x drivetrain can be reversed without the need for anesthetic

Bah it’s just a figure of speech.

I’m buying a new drivetrain for frame I’m building up so probably send a couple of hundred on 1×11 kit, whilst it’s not an earth shattering amount of money it will still erk me if I have to spend a similar amount replacing it.

By bottling it I mean adding to the basket and not checking out.

The Shimano 11 speed cranks do both 1x and 2x. The rear mech will still be fine. All that you’d have to add to a 1x system is a chainring, front mech, shifter and cable. You might look to go to a smaller-range cassette at the same time but those are consumables anyway. The important thing is not to buy a frame that can’t take 2x as your choices will then be limited.

I’m buying a new drivetrain for frame I’m building up so probably send a couple of hundred on 1×11 kit, whilst it’s not an earth shattering amount of money it will still erk me if I have to spend a similar amount replacing it.

If it’s really causing you worry maybe just go for the poorman’s interim option (that’s what I did), keep your 10-speed mech, buy an 11-40/11-42 Sunrace (or similar) and a N/W ring and see how you like general 1xN-ness for ~£60 before committing to the full £2-300 spend on 1×11…

Should you choose to go 1×11 those old 10-speed bit’s will still be ebay-able so you can recoup some of the trial costs…

By my calcs.. to match the range of 2x (22/34 11-36) you’d need an 11-56t cassette, and an 11-68t cassette for 3x (22/32/44 11-34)

I run 30t 10-42 on my 29er and 32t 11-42 on my 650b.

GF who has been riding about a year is running 30t 11-36 on her 650b.

We ride mostly in the peaks.

By my calcs.. to match the range of 2x…

And thus the point is always missed.

Who has ever claimed 1x drivetrain users were trying to replicate the range of their old 2x drivetrains?

2x/3x It’s all just ‘Moar geerz’ innit (half of them redundant)… If that’s what you’re into then fair enough.

And thus the point is always missed.

Who has ever claimed 1x drivetrain users were trying to replicate the range of their old 2x drivetrains?
The hardest bit to get your head around is top end IMHO, there is still the old school pedal pedal pedal being the only way to go faster, most of the time on anything other than a fire road it’s skill not pedalling and at times the pedalling is actually doing nothing beneficial. The most common thing I find these days is getting in too high a gear off road.
On road/fir roads – you can get very close to a double range these days, how often are you going full flat out in 11t?

Pick the low point and go from there, though I am very keen to try Eagle if I had the cash 🙂

Dunno about you – but I often have to ride on roads for a bit to get to where I actually want to ride. My old solaris (before it was nicked) was setup 3×10 and I could get out in my lunch hour, nail it get to somewhere interesting, have a good 35 minutes and get back.

On my 1×11? No chance.

I miss the top end massively. Second bike will be coming this year to do a bit of bikepacking and trails on. Will be 2×11. Even though I now hate front derailleurs and their ugly clutter and extra shifters.

I know a few people who run a “ghost granny”, so keep the 22t but lose the front mech. Whilst it seems a bit pointless, they like it for a quick manual change if thet have a steep long climb at the end of a day in the saddle.

If I want to go quickly on a road I have a road bike (2x) or a cross bike for a bit of 50/50 action (taller range 1x)…

Otherwise who actually cares if an MTB isn’t the most efficient tarmac muncher for the few miles it has to cover on a road… It’s bit like complaining your range rover doesn’t get the same MPG as a prius on the school run.

It’s just differing priorities, if having 30 cog combinations gives you what you want then stick with it.

If the “less is more” argument strikes a chord then there is an option for you too… I don’t really see what the front mech fans are so up in arms about.

However i have a nagging doubt that I’ll run out of gears that’s stopping me pressing the button.

Can someone have a word, i mean reassure me.

I had the same gearing ratio as you with a 2×10 on a 29er and changed to 1×10 with a 30t chain ring and 11-42 cassette.
Was frequently running out of gears at the low end and struggling on steep climbs.
Changed the chainring to a 28t and no problems now. Even at the top-end I can still pedal at speeds above 40km/h which is more than enough for me, how often when mountain biking do you need higher gears than that. I even manage to pedal at 50 km/h (but with fast rpm). You’d have to be doing loads of road descents to want higher gears than that, and as far as I’m concerned, if a ride is full of those, it isn’t proper mountain biking.
This gearing range is certainly okay for me so no problems with 1×10 in the range department

I rode up a monster climb this morning. At the start I was sure 1×10/11-42 would be fine. At the end I was very happy with my 3×9 setup.

All of our bikes involve trade-offs. 1×11 hasn’t had much in the way of downside for me so far, but I’m quietly glad that my frame would accept a front mech if I ended up somewhere where the terrain meant that another chainring was needed.

🙂

Didn’t realise anyone still made mtb front mechs.

You don’t see many bikes then?

I have tried both 2×10 and 1×10, and settled on 2×10. Main reasons are range, chain line, and most importantly, ability to shift down really quickly if you unexpectedly run into a steep incline – one flick of the left thumb and you’re in a suitably low ratio. 2×10 it is for me.

You don’t see many bikes then?

Not with front mechs on no. Majority of modern frames can’t even fit one.

ability to shift down really quickly if you unexpectedly run into a steep incline

Must admit, the modern RH shifters where you can dump three gears with one push have softened one of my objections to 1x setups. But then, the newer side-swing mech I’ve got on my latest bike have removed one of my pet hates about front mechs.

I haven’t used the bigger ring as much I as thought I would, but still, given the amount of road and fast track that pops up in my local loops, I would miss it.

When it gets cheap enough I may give it a go.

When it gets cheap enough I may give it a go.

Shouldn’t cost you more than postage…assuming you have a 10 speed shifter/mech

Just buy a used expander and narrow wide on ebay and disconnect the front mech…

If you’re sold you can either sell for what you paid and buy a better ratio or keep it… and if not just sell for what you paid and lose only postage?

1 x 1 here.

30 – 11 x 46.

Gears seem fine by me.

No problem climbing upto Leith Hill via Summer Lightning the other day & certainly didn’t run out coming back down. I’d have to get it on a firewood to see how it fairs then..

Did some experimenting on the road back from a ride the other day, jeez there’s some very fast people around if they run out of top end

I have 30 – 10/44 on a 29’er

30/44 is very close to 24/36 on a double (just over 2% difference). I wanted to match my old low gear

Re top end: In 9th gear I was around 16 – 19mph; 10th 19mph – 21mph ish, highest gear very comfortable at 25mph, getting a bit spinny at 27/28 mph . Reckon I’d be north if 30mph before spinning out

Didn’t have a cadence sensor but usually ride cadence in low 80’s