# Any Clydes running 1 X 11? Do you miss your granny gear?



## JHH (Jul 4, 2013)

If you are, what do you weigh? what's your overall impression? Are you cleaning the toughest stuff you where before? Miss your granny gear?


----------



## SasquatchSC (Mar 11, 2004)

I'm 320, running 1x9, 30t front x 12-36t rear and it hasn't hampered my climbing in the least. It's great for training since it forces you to push a gear you may have deemed too big before.

Honestly, I found the biggest downside is on the other end, no big ring hammering power.


----------



## JHH (Jul 4, 2013)

SasquatchSC said:


> I'm 320, running 1x9, 30t front x 12-36t rear and it hasn't hampered my climbing in the least. It's great for training since it forces you to push a gear you may have deemed too big before.
> 
> Honestly, I found the biggest downside is on the other end, no big ring hammering power.


Thanks for the insight. I've been worried about no big ring power too. Will you next bike be 1 X ?


----------



## SasquatchSC (Mar 11, 2004)

JHH said:


> Thanks for the insight. I've been worried about no big ring power too. Will you next bike be 1 X ?


Actually, I have since bought a Surly Moonlander with a 2x10 setup and I think this is really the better option.


----------



## Carloswithac (Feb 6, 2012)

I'm 203 lbs and I run a 1x9 setup on my bike. It's a 32 tooth ring with an 11-34 cassette. I can clean the same climbs as I did with my old 2x9 (36/22) setup, albeit a little slower. Remember with XX1 you have that ridiculous 42 cog!

Edit: I can hit 20+ mph with my 1x9, just have to spin faster, which is fine since I'm used to spinning on the road bike. 

Carlos


----------



## Alias530 (Apr 1, 2013)

I have a 2x10 with 38/26 crank and 11-36 cassette. I've run entire trails in my "granny" (which is barely bigger than the smallest chain ring on a 3x10 setup) chainring and 1-6th in the rear. I'm not that fast but something to consider... would definitely do a 30t front and maybe even a larger range for the cassette. I could probably live with 1x setup if I had a 42t big cog cassette like an XX1 cassette.


----------



## Centurion_ (Aug 13, 2011)

I am able to use my middle 32 cog chainring for almost everything I ride. Having said that, there are extended climbs up the mountain a couple miles of my house that require my 22, (and I ride 26 inch wheels). And there are downhill portions of roads where I spin out my 44 x 11, and I can spin at 120 rpm. So for me, I'm always gonna have three chain rings.

It comes down to what you ride, and how you are able to ride it. We're all different, and many of us ride different terrain. 

Guys like Ed Overend and Tinker Juarez probably never needed a 22. But most of us are not those guys.


----------



## toycrawler (Sep 23, 2013)

Just changed my HT to 1x9 and loving it so far. 32T with 11-34 cassette. Only thing I noticed was "harder" was the long climbs where I eventually start spinning out when it gets too steep.


----------



## Joules (Oct 12, 2005)

Rather than ask others what gears they need, I'd encourage you to take a look at the gearing you use, and try to artificially limit that and see if you can live within those limits.

For example, if you were riding 2x9 and were considering getting rid of the granny, why not ride for a while without your granny and decide if you can manage? For the 1x11; the lowest stock gear is 32/42, which is the same ratio as 22/29, which you probably have on your bike now, can you live with not going below that?

To me the biggest question is can you live with the jumps between gears; figuring out if you have a high or low enough gear is pretty easy if you already have something that works.


----------



## Josh_SL2 (Mar 30, 2012)

I'm running 1x10, 30/11-36 and I weigh 240. Once in a while I wish I had just one more gear but it's usually going up something I wouldn't clean with a 24/36 so I try not to worry about it.


----------



## JHH (Jul 4, 2013)

Joules said:


> Rather than ask others what gears they need, I'd encourage you to take a look at the gearing you use, and try to artificially limit that and see if you can live within those limits.
> 
> For example, if you were riding 2x9 and were considering getting rid of the granny, why not ride for a while without your granny and decide if you can manage? For the 1x11; the lowest stock gear is 32/42, which is the same ratio as 22/29, which you probably have on your bike now, can you live with not going below that?
> 
> To me the biggest question is can you live with the jumps between gears; figuring out if you have a high or low enough gear is pretty easy if you already have something that works.


Thanks for the replies.

I played with limiting gears. Its insightful and can lead to some hiking...... I'm sticking with my triple for now. I had a super hooked up ride thru Wilder last week and received a lot of feedback that tapping into what I was doing. A sharpened ride time focus with an emphasis on longer sight lines and better shifting I pushed taller gears in several places and cleaned a bit more of the tough sections. 
viva la 3x10 in 2013!


----------



## tysonnemb (Jan 23, 2010)

Carloswithac said:


> I'm 203 lbs and I run a 1x9 setup on my bike. It's a 32 tooth ring with an 11-34 cassette. I can clean the same climbs as I did with my old 2x9 (36/22) setup, albeit a little slower. Remember with XX1 you have that ridiculous 42 cog!
> 
> Edit: I can hit 20+ mph with my 1x9, just have to spin faster, which is fine since I'm used to spinning on the road bike.
> 
> Carlos


I have exactly this setup and do everything fine. Actually, the 1st day I rode with it, I cleaned a climb better than ever before. 6'3" 205lbs, and on an Enduro, weighing 36lbs, FWIW. If I bought another, I'd do a 1x_ again.


----------



## Centurion_ (Aug 13, 2011)

Great comments all. And they point out that we all ride different terrain, have different fitness levels and riding styles, and what works great for some, may not be such a hot deal for others.

Nearly all my rides are from the house, which require 2-4 miles just to get to the trails. One road I ride a lot is on a grade of about two miles, where, coming back, I'm rolling at 30 mph easy. I can spin out my 44x11 and wish I had a 46. Going the other direction, there are times when my 32x36 seems just about right.


----------



## phoenixbikes (Sep 24, 2010)

Interesting (old) thread. Came across this from a random google search.

I'm 6'4", 220 lbs. I think about my gearing very differently than most people but it works for me. I have a wicked spin so I gear my bikes to take advantage of that. 

An 11-13 inch gear inch combination allows me to ride pitches I'd walk otherwise. I can balance and spin at 1-3 mph just fine. If I need higher gears for technical moves, I have them. 

I am only running a single chainring on one bike. The single ring bike (26" rear/27.5" front) is 25x11-42, eight speed. The cogs run 11-14-17-21-28-34-38-42. The lowest combo is about 15 gear inches, (about equal to a 20x34) The top end is the same as a 32x14 which is usually too high for the way I ride this bike. It's the machine I take the most chances on over slow, choppy terrain.

The others are all triple ring setups.

Hardnose 24er: 15/28/44x16-20, two speed.

Hardnose 26er: 19/29/46x11-39, eight speed.
11-14-17-20-24-30-34-39

Full Suspension 26er: 18/28/44x11-40, eight speed. 11-14-17-20-24-30-34-40

Hardnose 27.5er: 17/26/46x11-40, eight speed.
11-13-16-20-24-30-34-40

Full suspension 29er: 17/26/38x12-42, ten speed. 12-15-17-19-21-24-28-32-36-42

Hardnose 29er: 17/26/39x11-42. eight speed. The cogs are 11-13-16-20-26-32-36-42

Yup, my bikes are weird. It's a good thing no-one else has to ride them... 

On a side note, I have not noticed any significant damage to my freehub bodies (except for one cheap Shimano unit) with these kinds of gear ratios. Much of the time I don't need the lowest combinations but I am far more willing to replace the odd freehub body once in awhile than I am to compromise on the gearing I want. 

Any one set up their bikes with similar gear inch ranges ? 

1x drivetrains are cool for simplicity but will never compare to the utility of a 3x system IMHO. I would rather deal with the weight, ride with the lowest gears I can get and have the option of shifting up when I want higher gears. Losing 20 pounds will make way more of a climbing difference for me than losing my front derailleur, a shifter, and a couple chainrings.


----------



## engrmariano (May 8, 2011)

~200lbs, 29er, from 3x10 XTR to 30T XX1.

so far i can still climb the steepest available trail we have, cruise 36kph on flats, & can do 47kph on flat down hill...


----------



## cpfitness (Nov 19, 2012)

phoenixbikes said:


> Interesting (old) thread. Came across this from a random google search.
> 
> 1x drivetrains are cool for simplicity but will never compare to the utility of a 3x system IMHO. I would rather deal with the weight, ride with the lowest gears I can get and have the option of shifting up when I want higher gears. Losing 20 pounds will make way more of a climbing difference for me than losing my front derailleur, a shifter, and a couple chainrings.


Strongly disagree. you are running a 1x on an 8 speed system that is why. XX1 gives people the 10 tooth cog for more top end speed along with the 42 for climbing power. it really makes for simplicity and utility. I just moved to a 1x10 set up with a 30T front and a 11-36 rear. more than likely if I can't get it up in my 30-36 I don't want to get up it, but I may consider the option of getting the 42 tooth modification done, at least for 1 particular place that I ride that has some short steep climbs


----------



## phoenixbikes (Sep 24, 2010)

What wheel size are you riding ?

Simplicity and utility are two different things. The first doesn't really equate to greater utility. Yes, a 1x drivetrain is simpler but it just can't match the options (and hence, greater utility in my opinion) of a 3x drivetrain. I have a higher top end and easier low range gears with my 3x systems than I would with a 30x10-42, regardless of whether I'm riding my 26, 27.5 or 29" wheel bikes.
Even with a 3x8 drivetrain, I have more range in terms of gear inches than a 1x11 system that includes a 10t high cog. 

To take your example with say., a 29" wheel with a 2.1 inch tire: On my 3x8 the top end is 39x11 which equals 98.0 gear inches. A 30x10 top end equals 82.9 gear inches. The low end on my 3x8 29er is 17x42 which equals 11.2 gear inches. A 30x42 low gear is 19.7 gear inches. Even my middle ring yields a low ratio, 26x42 = 17.1 gear inches. Even if I didn't have a 42t cog., I'd still have a lower ratio with a 17x36 (13.0 gear inches) or hell even a 22x36, (16.9 gear inches) than a 30x42 (19.7 gear inches). 
.
I have a 10 speed drivetrain on another bike, but I am not going to go 1x on it. (even though it does have a 42t rear cog)

For me, the decision to go 1x on an 8 speed drivetrain had more to do with the way I ride the bike (slow, technical trails that make it hard to stay on the bike) than anything else. I needed dependable chain management and was willing to give up some range on either end of the spectrum. Not that I don't ride technical trails on my other bikes as well, but the 1x8 bike is the one I take the most chances on over difficult terrain. It's all about fit, comfort and getting your bikes dialed for what you want.

I do what works best for me, that's what I love about mountain biking. It's such an individual sport, no need for all of us to kick the same ball around..  To each their own.


----------



## cpfitness (Nov 19, 2012)

I hear what you are saying but you gotta admit you.are a very unique case with your drive train. 17x42??? Really? And it shifts well? I'll believe it when i see it! You must truly climb mountains!

Sent from my XT1080 using Tapatalk


----------



## phoenixbikes (Sep 24, 2010)

I live at 7,000 ft. I like that ratio at high altitude. The mountains outside of town go up to almost 12,000 ft.

The 17x42 shifts reasonably well. I wouldn't call it 'quick' but it does function.


----------



## antimike (Sep 26, 2011)

I'm 230 and running 1x10 with a 34 front and 11-26 road cassette (PG-1070). I am using a road cassette because I'm actually converting over from single speed and didn't want to lose much fitness. 

I'm going to "upgrade" to an 11-36 so I don't burn my legs out so fast on long rides, while I'm trying to spec out a newer single speed. 34-21 is the gear that I normally ride when riding SS. 

I don't really find that I really spin out too often when riding geared. 

Best of luck.


----------



## cpfitness (Nov 19, 2012)

You are either a beast, 7 feet tall 230lbs or ride all downhill!

Sent from my XT1080 using Tapatalk


----------



## antimike (Sep 26, 2011)

cpfitness said:


> You are either a beast, 7 feet tall 230lbs or ride all downhill!
> 
> Sent from my XT1080 using Tapatalk


LOL I live in Cochise County Arizona and ride up in the mountains. I'm 6' tall with a half inch additional in there somewhere.

Like I said, I'm coming off riding a single speed.

I traditionally can ride pretty much anything near where I live as far as that goes. One trail that I ride is 1200ft elevation gain over the course of like 11.2 miles. Not sure how that compares to some of the stuff you guys ride.

Going on a 50+ and a 25+ mile ride tomorrow...legs willing.


----------



## NoManerz (Feb 10, 2006)

220ish, 6'4, riding a light xl 36lb vp-free with a 1x9 setup, 36t & 12-34 cassette. I normally ride up 12-18% grades no problem. With my gearing I'm not a spinner but a really slow masher, the 30 inch bars help to leverage the bike up the mountain. If I didn't hit the gym 7 days a week I wouldn't be trucking this semi uphill. 

I have had a granny gear on the bike before but didn't care for it as I don't like to spin fast.

I also have all the xx1 stuff ready to go but I am waiting on back-ordered cranks. I'm interested to test out the new 32t , 34t, 36t rings I have waiting for the cranks.

Good luck!


----------



## mcseforsale (Feb 14, 2004)

6'1" 210 or so. I've been riding a 2x9 since 2002. My previous life in Ct. required a bash guard and little need for a big-ring so I got rid of the big ring in favor of a bashguard way back then. So, I'm riding 22/32 x 11-32. For the flowy crap around Atlanta, I'm rarely out of the 32 and sometimes find myself in the granny when I'm feeling slow that day. I gots some skimpy legs so I'm more of a top-heavy spinner (think Q-tip with sneakers) so I require the use of HP instead of torque 

AJ


----------

