# Best chainring size for 1x11?



## Endoismynamo (Mar 5, 2014)

I currently have a SRAM GX 1x11 on my Tallboy 3. It came with a 10x42 cassette and a 30t chain ring. I am going to be doing the San Juan huts 5 day tour from Telluride to Gateway in a couple of months with this bike. I am in decent shape for the average 49 year old weekend warrior, but I am not a stellar climber and I feel pretty trashed if I do a day of 20 miles/2000 feet of climbing or more. Obviously, I expect to improve my conditioning between now and the trip.

Would I benefit from swapping my chain ring to a 28t or even a 26t? I've read that this makes bikepacking death march slogs quite a bit more manageable, but I am curious what the MTBR community has to say about this.

Thanks!


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## axnels2 (May 23, 2017)

only you can make that determination. in my situation on very steep climbs it would make it difficult to keep front end down and be wasteful of energy. i would probably walk at the point i need that much more gear.


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## alexbn921 (Mar 31, 2009)

Yes you would. If you're doing a trip like that I would drop down. how much is up to you.


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## NZPeterG (Mar 31, 2008)

Yes

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## Legbacon (Jan 20, 2004)

axnels2 said:


> only you can make that determination. in my situation on very steep climbs it would make it difficult to keep front end down and be wasteful of energy. i would probably walk at the point i need that much more gear.


You are correct that only the OP knows what gearing he needs. However, it is not hard to keep the front end down, nor is it a waste of energy. A super low granny can make tech climbing difficult, but smoother climbing is no big deal, and is still faster than walking. 26-42 on a 29er is not that ridiculously low historically. Personally, if I was going to strap a lot of extra weight on my bike I would error on the low side.


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## sapva (Feb 20, 2017)

A chainring weighs about 40 grams, why not get a 28 and a 34 to put in your bag?


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## NZPeterG (Mar 31, 2008)

Why not just set up bikes with 2×11 like on my bike. I like pedaling up and down hills.

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## Skeeno (Jan 14, 2009)

Im 27.5+ and running 30/42 as my lowest. I would love to go 2x but don't want to spend the money on a bunch of new parts right now. The 30/42 is low enough to get me up the longest, steepest climbs, but one more lower gear would sometimes be welcome.

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## Endoismynamo (Mar 5, 2014)

sapva said:


> A chainring weighs about 40 grams, why not get a 28 and a 34 to put in your bag?


If I were more of a wrencher I would consider this, but I would rather spend my time riding and avoid any unnecessary bike maintenance during the trip.


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## Endoismynamo (Mar 5, 2014)

NZPeterG said:


> Why not just set up bikes with 2×11 like on my bike. I like pedaling up and down hills.
> 
> Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk


I actually think 2x11 would work great, but I like my 1x setup in general and I'd rather avoid getting a front shifter/derailleur just for this trip if I can swap out the ring and then go back to my 30t when I get home.


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## MR. ED (Aug 19, 2006)

I'm in the S. San Juans and I run a 26t on the front of both my bikes with 42t and 44t on the rears. I still end up walking every once in a while. Go low you won't regret it. Good luck and have fun out there.


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## richwolf (Dec 8, 2004)

MR. ED said:


> I'm in the S. San Juans and I run a 26t on the front of both my bikes with 42t and 44t on the rears. I still end up walking every once in a while. Go low you won't regret it. Good luck and have fun out there.


Good advice. Bikepacking the colorado trail last summer on my stache I ran a double that I had to shift by hand. Low was a ridiculous 22-42 but I used it! 
Someone said that on trails like these you will be in your low gear a lot more than your high gear! I would much rather ride than push if I can avoid it.


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## She&I (Jan 4, 2010)

I've run a manual 2x in front, 40 days last year and plan to use that setup again. Only down side might be sourcing N/W rings in the size you want, but if it's not a rowdy trail you're good. Downshifting with toe usually works; upshift requires dismount. The most times I front-shifted in one day was four.

A single ring in front will hurt you somewhere; spinning out on the mild downs or dying on the climbs. I use 11-36 10-sp in rear on 29er, FWIW. It's less a factor with 1x/11-12-sp, but could still slow you down. Like most of these lads suggest, I'd probably default to increasing the low end.

I'd rather walk than pedal 2.5 mph. Ass and pedal muscles get a nice break. To me, walking is resting more than spinning is. That may not make sense for a day, but successive days come to bear.

Don't discount the gains you'll make en route. What might seem tough to pedal at the start could be not so a couple days in. Then again, you might be wiped out if your base is lacking to start.


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## leeboh (Aug 5, 2011)

Seems 1x11 might not be ideal for bikepacking. 3x9 still works for me. YRMV.


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## mikesee (Aug 25, 2003)

leeboh said:


> Seems 1x11 might not be ideal for bikepacking. 3x9 still works for me. YRMV.


Au contraire -- it is ideal, you just have to choose an appropriate ring/cassette combo. I typically run 24 x 10/44 or 26 x 11/46 in the mountains.


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## leeboh (Aug 5, 2011)

^^^^ Yup run what works for you. My routes sometimes involve pavement. Flat or slightly downhill, 46x11 seems to works for those.


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## Smithhammer (Jul 18, 2015)

I've done a lot of bikepacking in the last year with various 1x drivetrains, in mountainous country: 

Fat bike - 1x10 (28t/11-40)
Trail bike - 1x11 (30t/11-42)
Gravel bike 1x11 (42t or 40t/11-42)

They all have worked well, and can't say I've ever wished for a front derailleur.


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## baltobrewer (Apr 22, 2015)

I typically run a 26 x 10/42, as I welcome the help on the steeps and don't care that much about the loss of top end speed. Put another way, I'm usually enjoying the scenery and smelling the roses, not hurrying along to the finish.


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## Endoismynamo (Mar 5, 2014)

Thanks for all the great replies. This has been very helpful. Based on the comments, I think I will likely go to a 26t or 28t front ring. I understand there may be some fast downwhill doubletrack and I may end up a bit slower on that, but I am sure that I'll be perfectly happy coasting on some downhills if it means I don't have to kill myself on the climbs


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