# Shifting to 1x11



## mudflap (Feb 23, 2004)

In the last year I've converted both bikes to 1x11 and regret not doing it sooner. 
Thanks to the 42 tooth rear cog, this setup has proven itself to be far superior to my old 3x11 setups on earlier bikes.
Age requires I power it all with a 28 tooth chainring, and find I don't use that 42 tooth cog all that much, but it's a life saver when the trail turns to gruel.
I think 1x11 forces you (or allows you) to ride in a higher gear.
Anyone else feel the same about 1x11?


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## Legbacon (Jan 20, 2004)

I am quite happy to see the demise of the front derailleur. 28-42 is plenty low when the going gets steep and long.


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## mces (Apr 12, 2011)

For me it depends on the bike. When I was riding a hardtail I would get out of the saddle and pedal and a 1x10 worked great, but now that my low back has forced me to a full suspension standing and pedaling just doesn't seem as efficient, so that the 1x would be to high of a gear for me while sitting. Granted a 1x11 might do the trick as I only have experience with a 1x10. I currently am running a 2x10 on my full suspension and it works for me.


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## MSU Alum (Aug 8, 2009)

1X11 here...won't go back.


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## k2rider1964 (Apr 29, 2010)

MSU Alum said:


> 1X11 here...won't go back.


I agree. I think it's one of the top 3 advancements ever for mountain biking. I have 11-42 with a 30 tooth chainring on all my bikes. A friend of mine runs a 28 up front and just threw on the new Shimano 11-46 for todays ride. I've yet to run across anybody with 1x12 yet but have seen it on a ton of bikes at the shop.


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## boomslang64 (Feb 18, 2015)

I love the lack of chain clattering against the front derailleur with 1X Also: ease of shifting, chain retention, weight. I'm running 1x10 with a 30t chainring and 42t large sprocket. I think I'm going to upgrade to 11spd and get the Sunrace 11-46 because I'd like slightly lower gear.


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## k2rider1964 (Apr 29, 2010)

boomslang64 said:


> I love the lack of chain clattering against the front derailleur with 1X Also: ease of shifting, chain retention, weight. I'm running 1x10 with a 30t chainring and 42t large sprocket. I think I'm going to upgrade to 11spd and get the Sunrace 11-46 because I'd like slightly lower gear.


Shimano has an 11-46 now and e-thirteen has a 9-44 as other options.


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## Dgage (Aug 20, 2006)

I went to 1x11 this year at 58...I don't miss the front derailleur at all!


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## bitflogger (Jan 12, 2004)

I say friends don't let friends buy a front derailleur in 2016. I'm not as popular when I say same about road bikes. Most who don't get that haven't shared my hit by a car experience.

Even with a problematic wearing out knee a 32 x 42 on 29r works. Our Farley 9.6 is 27.5 fat with 28 x 42 and that's a bit more like old school granny gear. After being used to the 32 I don't always like it. I might think differently riding that fattie in winter soft snow.


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## azjeff (Jun 3, 2006)

Going from the 22x32 low on the 26" FSR to the 30x42 low on the 27.5+ Hendrix I lost the lowest gear. Tried it for 2 months and got tired of burning out early and/or suffering at the end of rides. On a trip to Colorado this summer I was walking the bike up steeps early so I had something left at the end of long rides. My buddy was happily spinning up on his 2x10, grrr. Forget that crap, I want to ride it all. Did some math and got a 26T ring and have been happy as a butcher's dog since. Don't use it often but I need it. Otherwise 1x11 is great other than the goofy looks of it.

<- little bitty 26T


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## andytiedye (Jul 26, 2014)

bitflogger said:


> Even with a problematic wearing out knee a 32 x 42 on 29r works.


For YOU with YOUR knees and YOUR hills.
My knees and my hills? No way. Not now, not 20 years ago (or 40), not ever.


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## m66 (Jul 13, 2014)

Well, all of you just talking about the lowest gear, but I don't like 1*11 because of high gear. 32 *10/11 is not enough on flats. If I use 34 or 36 then I have problem with low gears. So 2*10/11 or 1*12 with 34-36 up front for me.

Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk


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## Lone Rager (Dec 13, 2013)

42 cog, 28 ring, and 29r tires provides the same effective low gear as my old 3x9 26r had figuring in that going from 26" -> 29" increases all gears by about 10%. Pretty much all my riding is on rough twisty trails so the small end of the cassette sees very little if any use in the woods. I'm pretty happy with the gearing though I've never ridden a lower gear than that so don't know how practical it would be.

I sometimes ride a mile or two on paved roads to get to trails and will occasionally spin out there. I imagine in more open terrain and/or on a faster bike I might want higher than I have now.


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## boomslang64 (Feb 18, 2015)

k2rider1964 said:


> Shimano has an 11-46 now and e-thirteen has a 9-44 as other options.


I wonder how the 9t sprocket behaves. That seems awfully small.



m66 said:


> Well, all of you just talking about the lowest gear, but I don't like 1*11 because of high gear. 32 *10/11 is not enough on flats. If I use 34 or 36 then I have problem with low gears. So 2*10/11 or 1*12 with 34-36 up front for me.
> 
> Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk


What size wheels? I can barely spin out 30 x 11 with my 27.5 bike on flat ground. I occasionally find myself wanting a higher gear in descents, but not often enough to go through with an XD freehub and expensive cassette upgrade.


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## Legbacon (Jan 20, 2004)

What flats? Up and then down. Sometimes a bit of road to get there, but who cares about road on a mountain bike?


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## boomslang64 (Feb 18, 2015)

Travis Bickle said:


> What flats? Up and then down. Sometimes a bit of road to get there, but who cares about road on a mountain bike?


Also this.


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## Skooks (Dec 24, 2008)

k2rider1964 said:


> I agree. I think it's one of the top 3 advancements ever for mountain biking. I have 11-42 with a 30 tooth chainring on all my bikes. A friend of mine runs a 28 up front and just threw on the new Shimano 11-46 for todays ride. I've yet to run across anybody with 1x12 yet but have seen it on a ton of bikes at the shop.


I have nothing against 1x and agree with the benefits listed by others on this thread, but it is definitely not even close to the top of the list in important MTB advancements (those would be disc brakes, good suspension damping, and frame geometry). It does not make your bike work appreciably better. You can get a better / closer gear range using a multiple chainring setup.


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## Prophet Julio (May 8, 2008)

I love the silence of the 1 x 11. I run 34t up front with an 11-40 cassette. I'll be 54 in October.


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## Skooks (Dec 24, 2008)

Prophet Julio said:


> I love the silence of the 1 x 11. I run 34t up front with an 11-40 cassette. I'll be 54 in October.


Just curious: Why would a 1x setup be quieter than a properly tuned 2x setup? I don't get any noise from my front derailleur except when shifting. The clutch rear mech definitely reduced chain-slap noise but that has nothing to do with the chainring setup.


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## panchosdad (Sep 21, 2008)

I've got a 22/36 up front and 11/36 in the rear. The only way I get that same range from a 1x is to have a 30T up front with a 9/50 rear. Don't think they're making that yet.

And yes, I do use my full range now.


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## Prophet Julio (May 8, 2008)

I ran a 3 x 9 prior. The clutch on the 11 speed RD is the biggest difference. No chain slap or bounce. I think any 2 x 11 with a clutch would be the same. Just saying I love the quiet after coming from the clatter of my 3 x 9 which wasn't too bad to begin with, but silence is so quiet.


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## Ptor (Jan 29, 2004)

panchosdad said:


> I've got a 22/36 up front and 11/36 in the rear. The only way I get that same range from a 1x is to have a 30T up front with a 9/50 rear. Don't think they're making that yet.


They do make a 10x50.

I gave up the front derailer over 10 years ago, at least off road, by using a Rohloff inernal gear hub for when I wanted more than one gear (lots of single-speed miles during that time). I just got on a SRAM XX1 1x11 setup (32t chainring, 1-42 cassette) and am quite impressed -- far quieter and lighter than the Rohloff, if not as quick shifting or as robust.

As a more-often-than-not single speeder I've gotten over the issue of gearing range long ago, both for the high and low end. The high end in particular is never an issue for off-pavement riding, and I expect people who claim a 32x10 (88 gear inches on a 29er) isn't enough aren't spinning what either a SS or Roadie would consider all that fast -- 32x10 spun at 120 rpm (doable with practice) gets a 29er with 175mm crankarms to 31.6 mph. Heck, even 90 rpm gets you to 23.7 mph. On the low end, my balance pretty much sucks at really low speeds so I'm usually putting a foot down before anything easier than 32x42 (pretty much 20 gear inches and below) comes into play.

I agree with the earlier statement that the modern 1x drivetrains are one of the most significant developments in mountain biking. YMMV for sure on this one -- I put lots of miles in on a V-brake equipped rigid single speed, so what do I know?


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## mces (Apr 12, 2011)

Skooks said:


> Just curious: Why would a 1x setup be quieter than a properly tuned 2x setup? I don't get any noise from my front derailleur except when shifting. The clutch rear mech definitely reduced chain-slap noise but that has nothing to do with the chainring setup.


Agreed, my 2x10 is just as quite as the 1x10 I used to run...but neither are as quite as my single speed.


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## boomslang64 (Feb 18, 2015)

Skooks said:


> Just curious: Why would a 1x setup be quieter than a properly tuned 2x setup? I don't get any noise from my front derailleur except when shifting. The clutch rear mech definitely reduced chain-slap noise but that has nothing to do with the chainring setup.


Chain slap against the front derailleur cage accounts for almost all drivetrain noise.


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## jeffscott (May 10, 2006)

boomslang64 said:


> Chain slap against the front derailleur cage accounts for almost all drivetrain noise.


Nope


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## jeffscott (May 10, 2006)

Ptor said:


> As a more-often-than-not single speeder I've gotten over the issue of gearing range long ago, both for the high and low end. The high end in particular is never an issue for off-pavement riding, and I expect people who claim a 32x10 (88 gear inches on a 29er) isn't enough aren't spinning what either a SS or Roadie would consider all that fast -- 32x10 spun at 120 rpm (doable with practice) gets a 29er with 175mm crankarms to 31.6 mph. Heck, even 90 rpm gets you to 23.7 mph. On the low end, my balance pretty much sucks at really low speeds so I'm usually putting a foot down before anything easier than 32x42 (pretty much 20 gear inches and below) comes into play.


I used to ride 3 x 9 with a top gear of 46 x 11....I would spin this out on the doubletrack and logging roads after the single track descents on the way out....

I could pass guys that were spun out with their 1 x 11s

Great fun to race.....

Now I have a 1 x 11 32 tooth elipitical and a 44 x 10....Now I spin out with the rest of them....

Yes I miss the top end.


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## boomslang64 (Feb 18, 2015)

jeffscott said:


> Nope


Are you serious? Have you ridden with and without a front derailleur? It's pretty obvious that it causes most of the sound.


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## jeffscott (May 10, 2006)

boomslang64 said:


> Are you serious? Have you ridden with and without a front derailleur? It's pretty obvious that it causes most of the sound.


Yes I have ridden a 3 x 9 for twelve years, and just switched to a 1 x 11.

The 3 x 9 had some chain slap against the chainstay basically due to the long cage RD.

Very little to none from the FD.

The 1 X 11 has very little chain slap against the chain stay due to the short cage RD with a clutch.

All one has to do is look at the wear patterns on the bike.


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## jeffscott (May 10, 2006)

I should add that ridding down hill in granny on the front and little ring on the back will begin to cause FD noises....and of course more chain slap.

Shift to middle ring and again almost no FD noise.


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## BruceBrown (Jan 16, 2004)

mudflap said:


> In the last year I've converted both bikes to 1x11 and regret not doing it sooner.
> Thanks to the 42 tooth rear cog, this setup has proven itself to be far superior to my old 3x11 setups on earlier bikes.
> Age requires I power it all with a 28 tooth chainring, and find I don't use that 42 tooth cog all that much, but it's a life saver when the trail turns to gruel.
> I think 1x11 forces you (or allows you) to ride in a higher gear.
> Anyone else feel the same about 1x11?


It's nice, but crushed ice is still a better invention.:thumbsup:

34 ring and 11-40 on one bike.
30 ring and 11-42 on another.

Still prefer a double chainring on my road bike.
And still prefer one ring and one cog on my Singlespeed.


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## boomslang64 (Feb 18, 2015)

jeffscott said:


> I should add that ridding down hill in granny on the front and little ring on the back will begin to cause FD noises....and of course more chain slap.
> 
> Shift to middle ring and again almost no FD noise.


I was never able to get rid of the noise over rough terrain with a front derailleur, no matter what gear.


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## Sanchofula (Dec 30, 2007)

26 x 11-40, not the top end I want, but plenty of bottom end. Gearing is easy enough to adjust for terrain.

Even the best 1x derailleur has chain slap.

I don't miss front derailleurs, but a 2x will alwsys have more potential range. If I were touring or bikepacking, I'd take a 2x.


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## WillN (Jun 5, 2014)

Skooks said:


> I have nothing against 1x and agree with the benefits listed by others on this thread, but it is definitely not even close to the top of the list in important MTB advancements (those would be disc brakes, good suspension damping, and frame geometry). It does not make your bike work appreciably better. You can get a better / closer gear range using a multiple chainring setup.


I think you underestimate it a bit, even as I agree it isn't as big as geometry and brakes and suspension and let's throw dropper posts in there too, there is an almost emotional component to it also that isn't to be dismissed. The logistics of shifting that crappy (and aren't they always kind of crappy?) front derailleur really suck energy, time and focus away from where it can be used for more fun and speed. Not having to worry about down or upshifting that extra derailleur is huge! 50 years old here with 1x10, 30x40 and I do ok. I don't mind hike-a-bike when it's not low enough.


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## jeffscott (May 10, 2006)

boomslang64 said:


> I was never able to get rid of the noise over rough terrain with a front derailleur, no matter what gear.


Causes may include

Old low quality RD

Worn out RD

Badly set-up RD

Poor shifting

Old Loose Chain...

And the biggy old mechanic.


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## J.B. Weld (Aug 13, 2012)

WillN said:


> The logistics of shifting that crappy (and aren't they always kind of crappy?) front derailleur really suck energy, time and focus away from where it can be used for more fun and speed. Not having to worry about down or upshifting that extra derailleur is huge!


I think YMMV is appropriate here, having used both I can honestly say that front shifting doesn't suck time, energy, focus or fun from my ride.

Modern wide range 1x's are a significant evolution in drivetrain development but not revolutionary IMO, people have been single ringing it since the inception of mountain bikes.


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## Ptor (Jan 29, 2004)

GiantTurd said:


> Because most 100 mile races have long dirt road or road segments that you need a taller gear for.


I've ridden the Leadville 100 four times. That race is renowned/condemned/ridiculed for having smooth fast downhills and significant road sections. One would think you'd need big gears to do that well, but what you really need is to possess a moderate-sized engine, an ability to suffer, and the ability to breathe pretty well at altitude. I went under 9 hours all 4 times (finished in the top 25 three times) and never had my largest gear bigger than 88 gear inches (a 13x44 on my 26er) and that's equivalent to a 32x10 on a 29er. You do *not* need a taller gear than afforded by a 1x11 for long dirt road or paved segments in a 100 mile race. Heck, single speeders finish Leadville in under 9 hours.


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## Prophet Julio (May 8, 2008)

Did I mention that my 1 x 11 is much quieter that my old 3 x 9? I lost the FD after 2 changes. First was a conversion from 26" to 27.5" on the same bike. Next was fatter tires on wide rims. No room for the FD, rub rub rub.. I do not miss it at all. In fact, I am happy to be free of it.


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## Ptor (Jan 29, 2004)

GiantTurd said:


> Wow, you are really awesome!


I apologize for having irritated you -- that wasn't my intent. It was not my intent to be self aggrandizing, rather it was to relate that an average cyclist could post a reasonably fast time on a course notorious for smooth, fast sections using a relatively low top-end gear.



GiantTurd said:


> Not everybody rides the same way...


Precisely! I read your your statement as meaning the the collective "You", meaning cyclists in general need a tall gear for many 100 mile races. My argument is that's not true for many, and I would posit for most.



GiantTurd said:


> ...I raced many 100 milers on a SS and sub 9 hours, what does that have to do with price of tea in China?


Wow, you are really awesome! Oh...uh...errr...actually here I again assumed something I shouldn't have -- not everyone would know that the the 9 hour mark at the Leadville 100 is the cutoff to get awarded the "Big Belt Buckle", versus the smaller one (still rather large) that you get if you finish with a time greater than 9 hours but less than 12 hours. In any given year, less than 10% of finishers earn the big buckle. (Just an FYI for anyone contemplating the race).



GiantTurd said:


> That has nothing to do with it, people are all different, 1 x 11 does NOT work for everyone. ... Ride what you want BUT because you like does not mean everyone else has too.


I totally agree. And what I thought I was responding too in your previous message was your assertion (or that's how I read it and would read it again without your followup) that the "collective you", when racing 100 milers, need the taller gear of a 2x10 or 3x10 setup. I now realize you were referencing "yourself". I apologize for reading into your statement a meaning that was not apparently intended.

Happy trails!


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## NYrr496 (Sep 10, 2008)

I recently built fat bikes for my brother and father. I did them both 1x11 to keep it simple and as light as possible. Neither one of them is a very experienced rider. 
Both bikes have 28 tooth chainrings and 11-44 cassettes. I rode them both a little and while they have plenty of range, my 2x10, 33/24, 11-36 has a little more.


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## WillN (Jun 5, 2014)

J.B. Weld said:


> I think YMMV is appropriate here, having used both I can honestly say that front shifting doesn't suck time, energy, focus or fun from my ride.
> 
> Modern wide range 1x's are a significant evolution in drivetrain development but not revolutionary IMO, people have been single ringing it since the inception of mountain bikes.


Fair enough. I'd say removing a component from the cockpit and front of your chain is a de facto simplification, but I can imagine it isn't highly significant especially if you have a well tuned front derailleur/shifter setup. I am probably thinking of this as one of a lot of little things that can make a difference at the margins of performance--getting up that annoying little tech uphill where you need to shift and might miss it. Thinking about that shift does take some focus. And I think adding up a lot of little things like this can really make riding more fun and focused on the actual riding rather than the more 'logistical' aspects like shifting.


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## Skooks (Dec 24, 2008)

WillN said:


> I think you underestimate it a bit, even as I agree it isn't as big as geometry and brakes and suspension and let's throw dropper posts in there too, there is an almost emotional component to it also that isn't to be dismissed. The logistics of shifting that crappy (and aren't they always kind of crappy?) front derailleur really suck energy, time and focus away from where it can be used for more fun and speed. Not having to worry about down or upshifting that extra derailleur is huge! 50 years old here with 1x10, 30x40 and I do ok. I don't mind hike-a-bike when it's not low enough.


Why do you think that fd's are inherently crappy? A properly adjusted fd shifts just as well if not better than a rear derailleur. It's not anymore difficult to operate. I don't care if people want to run 1x but please don't pretend that front derailleurs are complicated, don't work well, or are difficult to use.


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## paramount3 (Jul 13, 2014)

The advent of the modern dropper post is a far, far more significant development than any recent drivetrain advancements. Running a 1x setup makes the control of the dropper post a little easier than with a 2x setup, and that is the only reason I would ever go to a 1x setup. I might do it someday, but I'm in no hurry. My 2x10 setup works great (36/22 front 11/36 rear, 29er). If you don't like shifting the front, think of it as a 1x with a 36t ring, with the option of shifting to a lower range when needed. The 22x36 gear is low enough that I usually run out of traction before running out of low-end range, which is how things should be. I'm 52, climb a lot, and like attempting steep climbs, as long as they don't get too rocky or too loose. No way do I want to get off and walk just because I don't have the right gears--or destroy my back trying to push a too-high gear. I also do lots of mixed-terrain rides (including my commute) and I actually spin out the 36/11 gear while taking the lane on a paved downhill that I ride frequently. And oh--I can buy a new cassette for $40-50, and new (non narrow-wide) chainrings are also pretty cheap as well, and I can use cheaper 10 speed chains. And just to piss off half the people here, I'll add one more comment: I'd take a Shimano 3x, 2x, or 1x setup over any SRAM setup.


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## WillN (Jun 5, 2014)

Skooks said:


> Why do you think that fd's are inherently crappy? A properly adjusted fd shifts just as well if not better than a rear derailleur. It's not anymore difficult to operate. I don't care if people want to run 1x but please don't pretend that front derailleurs are complicated, don't work well, or are difficult to use.


I'm just going from my experience, I'm not pretending, promise! My own bikes and those of friends, the front derailleur is a bit harder to use in my experience. Perhaps it takes more force because it lifts the chain from a small ring to a larger ring than you would have in the rear? I don't doubt your experience, if you say it shifts fine than ok.

My greater point is don't underestimate the simplification in riding overall that can happen when you eliminate this component. I guess it is a more minor version of the reason people sometimes love single speed. When you take away a choice, things are simpler, simpler can mean more attention is given to other factors. Not saying it is for everyone--I enjoy mountain biking in fairly tough conditions and 1x and the resulting simplification works best for me. If I were riding on more smooth trails with smaller hills I might appreciate multiple rings in the front also.

As with all things bike, there are of course advantages and disadvantages to every choice you make. I was only trying to point out one advantage that I don't hear espoused as often, forgive my conceit.

Will


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## NYrr496 (Sep 10, 2008)

WillN said:


> I'm just going from my experience, I'm not pretending, promise! My own bikes and those of friends, the front derailleur is a bit harder to use in my experience. Perhaps it takes more force because it lifts the chain from a small ring to a larger ring than you would have in the rear? I don't doubt your experience, if you say it shifts fine than ok.
> 
> My greater point is don't underestimate the simplification in riding overall that can happen when you eliminate this component. I guess it is a more minor version of the reason people sometimes love single speed. When you take away a choice, things are simpler, simpler can mean more attention is given to other factors. Not saying it is for everyone--I enjoy mountain biking in fairly tough conditions and 1x and the resulting simplification works best for me. If I were riding on more smooth trails with smaller hills I might appreciate multiple rings in the front also.
> 
> ...


I would agree that front derailleurs work better in some cases than others.

On my fat bike, I have a 33 tooth ring and a 24 tooth ring. This setup shifts flawlessly. I look at other bikes with let's say a 28 and a 42 and I would think they don't shift up anywhere near as easily as my bike.


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## Bail_Monkey (May 8, 2007)

I've been on 1x for a few years, started with an XC bike that came as a 3x, converted to 1x around ~2008. It was 9 speeds then....

My HT is 1x10, 32, 11-40.
FS 1x10, 32-44.

When I have more disposable income, I may go 1x11 on the FS. 

It is interesting that the Sram Eagle has a 10 cog. I'd like to have a 10 cog on a 10-36 cassette and add the aftermarket large cog... (The ~11-40 and similar range cassettes are pretty pricy!)


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## mudflap (Feb 23, 2004)

Bail_Monkey said:


> I've been on 1x for a few years....(The ~11-40 and similar range cassettes are pretty pricy!)


I just looked at pricing for Shimano M8000 1x11 cassettes and they can be had for $65 US at multiple places online. That doesn't include shifter or BB/crank however.


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## gratefulron (Sep 20, 2016)

i pulled my front mech off as well. hardly ever used the big ring except riding to the trails on the street olus i wanted to mount my dropper seat post and try to keep the cockpit clean. i have not replaced the front double ring as i am going to purchase a new bike this year (and it will be a 1x11 or 12) and i might want to put the mech back on and maybe sell the bike. i don't miss it at all!


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## plugp7 (Oct 8, 2011)

Probably one of the best advances in recent years has been the choice we have of excellent components not matter how many gears you need and what configuration you want.
I just fitted an XT 1 x 11 drivetrain ( 34 with 11/42) to my son's Whyte T130. It is superbly smooth and light shifting and he loves it, but he's just been moaning to me that he wished it had more range at both ends. Now he is a superbly fit 34 year old who can spin out at one end and has to push up some climbs at the other end. But he wont go back to 2 x 10.
I ride the same routes as my son. I on the other hand am an arthritic, post heart ablation, well knackered 67 year old and run a Cotic Soul with a X9/XO drivetrain (34/22 double and 11/36 cassette). The drivetrain runs smoothly and shifts faultlessly. Yes it needs a little more maintenance as do my XT hubs which I would never swap for cartridge hubs.
One comment I hear is that it is quicker to walk than use the lowest of my gears. It may very well be, but that's missing the point of riding steep hills.
Back to my original point, that we are spoilt for choice for great components. It don't matter what your choice is cos they can all work flawlessly if looked after, will get you up or down any trail you choose and still put a big grin on your face.


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## Legbacon (Jan 20, 2004)

No, is pure BS. I can ride very slowly up hill in a 28-42 and be faster than walking it. Also so what? 11-42 gives me more range than I can use on my local trails so this is a non issue for me and my friends.


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## plugp7 (Oct 8, 2011)

Travis Bickle said:


> No, is pure BS. I can ride very slowly up hill in a 28-42 and be faster than walking it. Also so what? 11-42 gives me more range than I can use on my local trails so this is a non issue for me and my friends.


I have nothing but pure admiration for you and your friends. It knows no bounds. They must be really fit 50+ers.


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## Cayenne_Pepa (Dec 18, 2007)

Yes, 1x11 forces us to get stronger. I'm running 32t Oval front and 42-10 XX1 cassette. I finally got past relying on the 42t granny cog for climbs - I'm mostly on the 36t machined steel cog now, only using the 40t as a bailout, on steep climbs. My goal this season is to turn my bailout gear as the 36t and only use the 32t for most everything else. So far, my power-to-weight ratio is getting better, as I do all my trail rides in a fasted state now. Doing HIIT cardio before breakfast has shed 60lbs and now reveals abs I have not seen since High School! :eekster:

Next year, I'm gonna crank up the fitness 3 notches and build the Titanium Lynskey SS 29er frame that has been sitting in storage, into a 19-pound do-it-all bike. Who says being fifty has to suck?


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## rlouder (Jun 26, 2007)

Travis Bickle said:


> No, is pure BS. I can ride very slowly up hill in a 28-42 and be faster than walking it. Also so what? 11-42 gives me more range than I can use on my local trails so this is a non issue for me and my friends.


There will come a time when you are going to need a wider range IF you are lucky unless you move some place like FL or IA. plugp7 made an excellent point. Hope to still be able to ride at his age.

Haven't tried 1x myself. Haven't changed bikes since it came out and there is no reason to upgrade since I am perfectly happy using a 2x.


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## throet (Oct 8, 2016)

1X is it for me and I'm never going back. I converted my Trek Remedy to 1X10 (28t-11/36) and my new Intense Primer is 1X11 (30t-10/42). Both are very well suited for the type of riding I do in Central Texas. I can't imagine needing any more range on the top end, but could see possibly putting a 28t on my Primer next time I ride in Colorado.


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## Legbacon (Jan 20, 2004)

28-42 on my 650b is the same as my old 22-34 26er. Pretty dang low. if I need lower I can put a 26t on the front and still not miss a high gear except on a road once in a while. I don't care at all about gearing on the road because it's a mountain bike. Also there are a couple of 11-46 cassettes that I can throw on as well.


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## Sanchofula (Dec 30, 2007)

azjeff said:


> Going from the 22x32 low on the 26" FSR to the 30x42 low on the 27.5+ Hendrix I lost the lowest gear. Tried it for 2 months and got tired of burning out early and/or suffering at the end of rides. On a trip to Colorado this summer I was walking the bike up steeps early so I had something left at the end of long rides. My buddy was happily spinning up on his 2x10, grrr. Forget that crap, I want to ride it all. Did some math and got a 26T ring and have been happy as a butcher's dog since. Don't use it often but I need it. Otherwise 1x11 is great other than the goofy looks of it.
> 
> <- little bitty 26T


I run X9 26t x 11-40 on my Hendrix, works great for all but the meatiest climbs. I'm upgrading to GX 1 x 11, Sunrace 11-46, which allows me to run a 28t chainring, and I get more top end AND more bottom end.

Arguing about the necessity of wide gear ranges is old hat on the rest of MTBR, like droppers, the way you manage your gears is just a choice, no reason to push an agenda on people.

I don't like front or rear derailleurs, I'm holding out for a Pinion


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## woodway (Dec 27, 2005)

I just bought a new bike and it comes with the SRAM Eagle drivetrain, 12 speed, 32T front, 10-50T rear. I'm excited to be ditching the front derailleur - served me well over the years but one less thing to worry about. Will report back after I get a few rides on the bike, I pick it up tonight.


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## wfbueno (Aug 29, 2014)

I made a comparison table between 30s systems vs some currently available 11s (gear ratio, rotational mass and bike speed at 90rpm). At botton line, it's safe to say that for me, a 32T front ring + 11-46 cassette solves it..

cheers..

WFB


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## OlMarin (Oct 22, 2016)

While I think the 1X stuff is great, I do too much double shifting. I'm running 2X8 with 46/34 and 11/28 on a MTB converted to road. Works for what I'm doing. And I'll wait till things start wearing out to consider any changes. But my front derailleur has seen two different bikes and the rear has seen 3. Had to replace jockey wheels once, but they just keep going. I just don't see me making the change.


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## Francis Cebedo (Aug 1, 1996)

mudflap said:


> In the last year I've converted both bikes to 1x11 and regret not doing it sooner.
> Thanks to the 42 tooth rear cog, this setup has proven itself to be far superior to my old 3x11 setups on earlier bikes.
> Age requires I power it all with a 28 tooth chainring, and find I don't use that 42 tooth cog all that much, but it's a life saver when the trail turns to gruel.
> I think 1x11 forces you (or allows you) to ride in a higher gear.
> Anyone else feel the same about 1x11?


Great post. I like that you posted that you're on a 28t front to get that low gear. It works but it's not awesome since it doesn't spin well and it pulls on some suspension systems, causing more bob. Heck, I even have friends that are on a 26t front.

The new 1x11's now have a 46t rear. And that 50t on Eagle is good too to allow a 30-32t front and have great range still.


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## cjcrawford (Jun 2, 2008)

I keep upgrading frames and forks but I'm still with 2x9 22/34 front, 12-34 back. 29er FS, age 58, Colorado. Never had a problem with FDs, still need my 22front/34rear granny gear all the time (slickrock being a perfect example). Here in CO you are almost always going up steep (need very small gears) or coming down steep (don't pedal much at all). The only advantage I could see to 1x (given that I can get the same gearing) is a quieter chain coming downhill. Chris.


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## Sparticus (Dec 28, 1999)

Personally I'll never own another front derailleur. {tears of joy}


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## Legbacon (Jan 20, 2004)

When I went 1X I made sure that I kept the same low gear inch that I had on my ancient 9 speed. My cross bike still has a front derailleur but it sees almost no use these days. If I was going to ride it more I would dump that one as well.


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## kylef (Feb 10, 2015)

Yep, all three of my bikes are now 1x11 SRAM and I am pretty sure I will not go back. I suspect that my next bike will be 1x12.


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## OlMarin (Oct 22, 2016)

> The only advantage I could see to 1x (given that I can get the same gearing) is a quieter chain coming downhill. Chris.


And when you're not pedaling going downhill, no noise.
I've never had a problem with chain noise from a front derailleur. I always just move the lever a bit.
I have this old SunTour VX derailleur I've had since the mid '80's. I can't even make it throw a chain.


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## tincan (Mar 21, 2009)

I upgraded my bikes to 2x10 about 5 years ago and I thought that was superior than 3x drivetrains. It had plenty of range and only 2 chainrings to deal with! I rode thousands of miles with this setup. I believed this was my "ideal" setup.

Fast forward to February 2016 when I bought a Trek Top Fuel 9.8 with 1x11 drivetrain. I rode the Trek about 2000 miles last year and totally fell in love with the SRAM 1x11. I noticed I shift a lot more (to maintain the proper rpms), but shifting is smooth and effortless.

In the 2x setup, I was frequently shifting between the small and large front chainrings. When shifting between the 2 front chainrings, I would also have to shift the rear der to maintain the desired rpm. 1x11 simplified all of this...just shift up or down until you get the gear that you need.

1x11 has made riding more enjoyable. I will not go back!


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## woodway (Dec 27, 2005)

Loving my 1x12 SRAM Eagle setup. I went 32T in the front, may drop that to 30T for a little more granny gear this summer (lot's of long steep climbs in the mountains). I highly recommend the setup. No more front derailleur for me - ever.


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## crossracer (Jun 27, 2004)

I did this a few years ago and I can generally say after almost 30 years of riding the 1x setup was the most amazing difference on the bike that I can point too. 



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Kootbiker (Feb 2, 2016)

Since switching to 1x11 I would never go back to a front derailleur setup. What made me switch was the seatpost dropper lever location. I still have a bike with a front derailleur and two bikes 1x11. Finding the right pedal sprocket took some time as I tried a 32 tooth oval and ended up with a 30 tooth round.


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## mudflap (Feb 23, 2004)

fc said:


> ... I even have friends that are on a 26t front.
> 
> The new 1x11's now have a 46t rear. And that 50t on Eagle is good too to allow a 30t-32t front and have great range still.


That 46t and 50t are my future. 50t would allow me to up the front chain ring to a 32t and still be a little lower geared than my current 28t/42t. Likewise if I were to switch to 30t/46t.


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## Kootbiker (Feb 2, 2016)

wfbueno said:


> I made a comparison table between 30s systems vs some currently available 11s (gear ratio, rotational mass and bike speed at 90rpm). At botton line, it's safe to say that for me, a 32T front ring + 11-46 cassette solves it..
> 
> cheers..
> 
> WFB


I like your chart, very informative for selecting a 1x drivetrain.


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## Sanchofula (Dec 30, 2007)

26 x 11-46 on all my wheels, great climbing gears, 46t is a bailout, only use it when I need a break on long climbs.

Gear choices are dictated by terrain, some folks have the benefit of well graded trails, others have to deal with less ideal trail designs.

Bragging about not needing climbing gears says more about where you ride than how you ride, just saying...

North Central Cascades, straight up, straight down, gotta love motos.


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## Sparticus (Dec 28, 1999)

Nurse Ben said:


> ...
> 
> Gear choices are dictated by terrain, some folks have the benefit of well graded trails, others have to deal with less ideal trail designs.
> 
> ...


/\/\ This.

I live half an hour from Oakridge, OR and feel the same way. Gotta go low if you wanna climb Alpine, Hardesty, Fuji, etc. I run a 28t chainring because 28t is the smallest ring a Surly Mr. Whirly crank accepts (n/w direct mount) and Whirly is the only production 185mm crank I can find. I gots long legs.  But I'd put a 26t on there if they made one for it.


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## J.B. Weld (Aug 13, 2012)

Nurse Ben said:


> Gear choices are dictated by terrain


Yes to some degree but mostly gear choices are dictated by the brain and legs. Just ask any single speeder


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## andytiedye (Jul 26, 2014)

J.B. Weld said:


> mostly gear choices are dictated by the brain and legs


and knees


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## OlMarin (Oct 22, 2016)

^^put a lower gear on, your brain says your knees won't take it if you don't use it.


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## keen (Jan 13, 2004)

andytiedye said:


> and knees


Went 1x11 1 1/2 season ago. Started out 30x42 using the 42 as a bail out gear. Wasn't enough when going faster so I went 32x42 and started using the 42. The last half of the season my old knee's have been bothering me so I will go back to the 30x42 but add a SRAM cassette (10-42) for faster days. I have also read an oval chain ring might help the knee's.


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## DM-SC (Jan 12, 2004)

I just switched everything up last week, bike wise. Picked up a 2016 Niner RKT to replace my 2005 FSR Expert.

I was very skeptical about the 1x11 (32t chaining with a 11x42 cassette)! One ride in on the local trails and I can already say I'll be fine.

I'll probably get a 30t and/or a 28t for when we head to the steeper areas.

Sent from my VK810 4G using Tapatalk


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## Stalkerfiveo (Feb 24, 2015)

k2rider1964 said:


> Shimano has an 11-46 now and e-thirteen has a 9-44 as other options.


Sunrace makes a BETTER 11-46. Shimano jumps from 38-48 were Sunrace decided to jump from 40 to 46. Smaller gap is muey bueno!


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## Kootbiker (Feb 2, 2016)

Stalkerfiveo said:


> Sunrace makes a BETTER 11-46. Shimano jumps from 38-48 were Sunrace decided to jump from 40 to 46. Smaller gap is muey bueno!


Your right about Sunrace. I have been running Shimano 11/40 with a one up 45 added on and it seems to be Ok. The jump from 38 to 46 seems like too much.


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## Legbacon (Jan 20, 2004)

Box Two 11-46 Tooth 11 Speed Cassette > Components > Drivetrain > Cassettes | Jenson USA

Box is making one too. Saw this on a bike at the LBS.

Cogs: 11-13-15-18-21-24-28-32-36-40-46


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## DM-SC (Jan 12, 2004)

What derailleur are you using with the 11-46 cassette?

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk


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## Stalkerfiveo (Feb 24, 2015)

DM-SC said:


> What derailleur are you using with the 11-46 cassette?
> 
> Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk


My GX mid cage worked just fine with the Sunrace 11-46. Shifted nice and smooth and the B screw was plenty long enough.


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## Kootbiker (Feb 2, 2016)

DM-SC said:


> What derailleur are you using with the 11-46 cassette?
> 
> Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk


Shimano XT M8000 with the clutch, medium cage.


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## Sanchofula (Dec 30, 2007)

J.B. Weld said:


> Yes to some degree but mostly gear choices are dictated by the brain and legs. Just ask any single speeder


Well, as a single speeder and muni rider, I disagree wholeheartedly. What makes a single speeder ride single speed is the simplicity and the challenge, not how hard it is to climb.

Having walked my single speed up more than a few climbs, I have no misconceptions about the purpose of gearing.

Try muni, then talk to me about about gearing, single speed bikes ain't nothin' but easy.

Back on topic: my low budget 11sp set up is GX with Sunrace, I run a Blackspire Elliptical on some Next SL/Turbines cranks, they run as smoothly as my first gen X1, but at a much lower price point and with greater durability.

I can't see needing a wider range, but if my budget could afford it, I suppose I'd spring for the Eagle.

Though I'm still building wheels with aluminum rims, so I'm not sure I'd cut loose the cash... now if you want to talk hubs.: Onyx.


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## J.B. Weld (Aug 13, 2012)

J.B. Weld said:


> Yes to some degree but mostly gear choices are dictated by the brain and legs. Just ask any single speeder





Nurse Ben said:


> Well, as a single speeder and muni rider, I disagree wholeheartedly.


I guess I was just trying to say that one persons granny might be a 46t cog while another rider gets by just fine with a 32t on the same trails. Fitness riding style are obviously factors as well as terrain.


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## Kootbiker (Feb 2, 2016)

J.B. Weld said:


> I guess I was just trying to say that one persons granny might be a 46t cog while another rider gets by just fine with a 32t on the same trails. Fitness riding style are obviously factors as well as terrain.


I also think the weight of your bike has a lot to do with your selection of gearing.


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## DIRTJUNKIE (Oct 18, 2000)

Kootbiker said:


> I also think the weight of your bike has a lot to do with your selection of gearing.


And how fat your tires are. And how tall your wheels are. So many factors play into this.


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## Can2pir (Nov 27, 2016)

Great discussion! I've been on the slow end of most of the revolutions (no pun intended but now that I notice it....ha) ....slow to get into FS, still riding 26", still tubes, like my grip shift, just got a dropper (best invention IMO) so the gearing 1X or even 2X wasn't even in my mind. 

I got a chance to ride some new bikes in Whistler last September and enjoyed the 1X Shimano although I did miss my 24X36 granny. 

Great to see gearing ratios but I can't imagine redoing my drive train on my 2012 Trance. The new geometry and 27.5 sizes are appealing but my bike and riding still thrills me. (I think I'd rather get a kayak, than a new bike???) 

Does anyone think it is worth the re build? I'd love to hear the suggestions.


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## Legbacon (Jan 20, 2004)

My buddy had a 26er Trance with dropper and it got stolen a year ago so he had to replace it a little sooner than planned. He got a Devenci Troy with SRAM GX 1x11, RS Pike, and a dropper. That Troy took his riding up to a whole new level. He could always climb well, but now his descending matches.


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## mudflap (Feb 23, 2004)

Can2pir said:


> Great discussion!...Does anyone think it is worth the re build? I'd love to hear the suggestions.


I transitioned to 1x on my 26" ride a year before I bought a new 27.5" bike with the same 1x platform: XT M8000.

Cost about $500 to do the first switch, but about $4500 for the second. lol

You can do a change out now for less money, and my personal opinion hasn't changed: do it.


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## Can2pir (Nov 27, 2016)

Ya, the XTM8000 sounds the best but $500? yikes, that's a long way to MY second option! Thanks though, you pushed me one step closer!


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## mudflap (Feb 23, 2004)

If you are riding a 2x or 3x now, you already have the parts for a 1x.
Use your existing crank spider with the chainring of choice (which you may have to buy: 28t, 30t, 32t, etc.) ditch the front D and shifter, and you are riding a 1x.
Like I said, probably can be done for less money if you're creative.


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## Can2pir (Nov 27, 2016)

mudflap said:


> If you are riding a 2x or 3x now, you already have the parts for a 1x.
> Use your existing crank spider with the chainring of choice (which you may have to buy: 28t, 30t, 32t, etc.) ditch the front D and shifter, and you are riding a 1x.
> Like I said, probably can be done for less money if you're creative.


Wow, you're right! I was worried about the 11 spd fitting my 9 spd hub but my short research says it does (I just bought a new rear wheel!)

I spend a lot of time in my middle ring 32x11-34 so a 30x11-42 would make me only lose some (useless) high end. (I agree that my 5" of suspension belongs on trails, with short road access rides!)

Losing the front D is appealing, means new shifters and rear D......hmmmm


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## DM-SC (Jan 12, 2004)

Well, I was hipper than I thought!

My 26" FSR was 1x9 that I never removed the 22t, 42t and front derailleur/shifter from.

In fact, I'm not even sure the front derailleur even works...it's been a way long time since I tried it.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk


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## DiRt DeViL (Dec 24, 2003)

Have been on 1x11 for two rides now on my new 26" fatty, before 2x9 on a 26" fat and 3x9 on a 29er.

Knowing that the 32t up front was going to be hard for me on climbs went with a 28t, my only complain is that sometimes feel like I'm spinning too much on the flats. Being a pedal masher is a bit different but now I wonder why I didn't considering this earlier, really enjoying the new gear combos and using cogs that before will never use.

Question, will a 9spd hub take a 11spd cassette? Considering going 1x on the 29er.


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## Yalerider (Feb 14, 2017)

As a newbie getting into the sport(I have an old Cannondale rigid but haven't ridden it much), I really appreciate the simplicity of 1x11. I am putting a dropper post lever on left side, hope I like the dropper post, should be easier getting on and off bike and maybe not so scary downhills.


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## hece (Feb 27, 2017)

DiRt DeViL said:


> Question, will a 9spd hub take a 11spd cassette? Considering going 1x on the 29er.


All shimano and Sram NX 11 speed cassettes use traditional 8/9/10 cassette body. Other Sram cassettes require Sram XD driver body.


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## DiRt DeViL (Dec 24, 2003)

hece said:


> All shimano and Sram NX 11 speed cassettes use traditional 8/9/10 cassette body. Other Sram cassettes require Sram XD driver body.


Cool, thanks.


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## Kootbiker (Feb 2, 2016)

Yalerider said:


> As a newbie getting into the sport(I have an old Cannondale rigid but haven't ridden it much), I really appreciate the simplicity of 1x11. I am putting a dropper post lever on left side, hope I like the dropper post, should be easier getting on and off bike and maybe not so scary downhills.


once you start using a dropper post you will wonder how you managed without one. Get a good one or maybe get two so when one needs servicing you always have a spare.


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## Sanchofula (Dec 30, 2007)

There's really no magic to 1x drivetrains BUT they are simpler and there is no crossover/redundancy of gearing.

When the pie plates cogs and high tension derailleurs evolved, that was the turning point, with an 11-46, you can pretty much have you cake and eat it too. If I was carrying a load, I might go with a 1x, but in all reality I'd probably just run a smaller chainring. 26 x 46 is a stump puller.


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## rm91 (Mar 2, 2017)

*11 speed slx paired with zee crank..*

hey i know this is out of the topic, but i would like to ask if an 11 speed SLX cogs and RD compatible with a shimano ZEE crank 36T?? thank you for the future respond... planning to build a 1 x 11 with slx 11speed components but a ZEE crank..


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## NYrr496 (Sep 10, 2008)

rm91 said:


> hey i know this is out of the topic, but i would like to ask if an 11 speed SLX cogs and RD compatible with a shimano ZEE crank 36T?? thank you for the future respond... planning to build a 1 x 11 with slx 11speed components but a ZEE crank..


I've never used that particular combination but I cannot imagine that it wouldn't work.


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## Legbacon (Jan 20, 2004)

36t? There are world cup CX racers on 34s.


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## rm91 (Mar 2, 2017)

tnx for encouraging me to try it lol.. though i am hesitant...


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## rm91 (Mar 2, 2017)

travis im not competing for world cup XD i just want my set up to fit my kind of ride.. a mix of XC and enduro and DH.. if its possible ahahaha


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## Yalerider (Feb 14, 2017)

So on the new Scott Genius I ordered, wondering what to do if I decide to go 1X(it has 2x10). I have 1x11 on my hardtail and really like it. I don't want to spend too much money but wondering if I could switch to maybe 1X10 using same rear derailleur and shifter and replacing front with maye 30T. Can't hurt to try it I guess, I have a 30T from my other bike? FYI, Are these decent components?

Crankset: Shimano Deore FD-M618-E, DM
Front D: Shimano XT RD-M786 SGS
Rear D: Shimano XT RD-M786 SGS
Cassette: Shimano CS-HG81-10, 11-36


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## Legbacon (Jan 20, 2004)

You can get a Wolftooth Goatlink, and a Sunrace 11-42 10 speed cassette. The derailleur and goatlink will also work with an 11 speed cassette. It's also possible to go smaller than a 30t ring in the 64 BCD granny position. Rings will give a good chainline because they're made of 1X.


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## Yalerider (Feb 14, 2017)

Thanks! I think I will get the goatlink and 11-42 Sunrace cassette. Otherwise too much going on with twinloc remote dropper remote etc


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## thecanoe (Jan 30, 2007)

Travis Bickle said:


> You can get a Wolftooth Goatlink, and a Sunrace 11-42 10 speed cassette. The derailleur and goatlink will also work with an 11 speed cassette. It's also possible to go smaller than a 30t ring in the 64 BCD granny position. Rings will give a good chainline because they're made of 1X.


This. I did it on my fat bike. 26t AB oval. 11-42 sunrace 10 speed cassette. XT 10 speed shifter and RD. Love it.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


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## Sparticus (Dec 28, 1999)

Travis Bickle said:


> ... Rings will give a good chainline because they're made of 1X.


1X = wonder material! Everything should be made of it LOL!
=s


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## Legbacon (Jan 20, 2004)

Yes, now made of 1X, stronger, lighter, faster.


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## Yalerider (Feb 14, 2017)

Travis Bickle said:


> You can get a Wolftooth Goatlink, and a Sunrace 11-42 10 speed cassette. The derailleur and goatlink will also work with an 11 speed cassette. It's also possible to go smaller than a 30t ring in the 64 BCD granny position. Rings will give a good chainline because they're made of 1X.


So I could get a 11 speed shifter and go 1x11 with following parts(if derailleur will work with 11 speed)? I have a SRAM 30T chainring but not sure if it would be compatible, might have to get new chainring also?

Shimano SLX M7000 11 Speed Right Rear Shifter

*Sunrace MX8 11-40T / 11-42T 11-Speed MTB Cassette fit Shimano SRAM 1x11 CSMX8

[url]https://www.wolftoothcomponents.com/products/goatlink-11
[/URL]*


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## Legbacon (Jan 20, 2004)

Narrow wide rings are normally 10 and 11 compatible.


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## slowrider (May 15, 2004)

A few years ago I went 1x10 by running only the middle ring on my fs 29r and missed the easy gears. Shifting was flawless even without the narrow wide parts. I just finished building my new 140mm 27.5 fs bike and went with the narrow wide fully designed for single chain ring with boost and for the most part I haven't missed the 2nd and 3rd chain rings, except for one idiosyncratic issue that may be limited to a few people. When I'm picking my way through rock gardens I'll sometimes ratchet my cranks to ensure my pedals don't strike rocks and that I'm in my best part of the power stroke for getting over obstacles. Sometimes when I'm in my lowest gear the chain will track down the cassette as I back pedal to set my pedals and then when I go for power it shifts back up the cassette and messes me up due to high misalignment. I may be able to unlearn that technique but at 52 I may not. Has anyone else experienced this? Is it something I'll need to adapt to or have I messed up the setup on this build?


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## Legbacon (Jan 20, 2004)

The back pedal issue normally only happens in the big cog, and not to everyone. Chainline effects this. There is a thread in Drivetrain.


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## Sparticus (Dec 28, 1999)

Travis Bickle said:


> ... There is a thread in Drivetrain.


Here it is.
=s


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## RustyIron (Apr 14, 2008)

I'm enjoying this thread. Up until two weeks ago, both my bikes were 3x9. I knew they were antiquated, but I could see no sense in throwing good money at nine year old and five year old bikes. So I put them on Craigslist, and now I'm rockin' a modern bike with 1x12. 
Admittedly, it's kind of boutiquey at this point and 1x11 would be almost as good. But the sun is clearly setting on the front derailleur.


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## Yalerider (Feb 14, 2017)

RustyIron said:


> I'm enjoying this thread. Up until two weeks ago, both my bikes were 3x9. I knew they were antiquated, but I could see no sense in throwing good money at nine year old and five year old bikes. So I put them on Craigslist, and now I'm rockin' a modern bike with 1x12.
> Admittedly, it's kind of boutiquey at this point and 1x11 would be almost as good. But the sun is clearly setting on the front derailleur.


My bike is brand new so that why I don't want to switch over yet, although it sounds like if I go with 1x10 I only have to get Goatlink and maybe 1x10 cassette to get the lower gear.


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## Skooks (Dec 24, 2008)

crossracer said:


> I did this a few years ago and I can generally say after almost 30 years of riding the 1x setup was the most amazing difference on the bike that I can point too.
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Really? Have you tried disc brakes, dual suspension, a dropper post, or modern frame geometry? These are game changers and are much more important than changing to a single chain ring.


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## ravewoofer (Dec 24, 2008)

I get a chuckle reading Mountain Bike Action, when reviewing a 1x11 and calling the 30 tooth front sprocket "under geared."

Man, I could use a few more gears in the back. One thing for sure, a 1x11 makes a 50+ year old work a lot harder.

I'm gonna count my chain ring when I get home, as it feels like I'm turning a 32 tooth. 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Legbacon (Jan 20, 2004)

ravewoofer said:


> I get a chuckle reading Mountain Bike Action, when reviewing a 1x11 and calling the 30 tooth front sprocket "under geared."
> 
> Man, I could use a few more gears in the back. One thing for sure, a 1x11 makes a 50+ year old work a lot harder.
> 
> ...


When I specced my new Warden 2.5 years ago, I went from 2X9 to 1X10, and made sure that I had the same gear inch granny gear. 28 X 11-42 gets it done here, and these days I rarely use the 42, and never use the 11 on the trail.


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## ttchad (Jun 28, 2007)

You guys make me feel like one badass old dude! I wore out my 30 & bought a 32T oval. I am now having a hard time keeping my chain on and am moving up to a 34T oval. I m also spending more time out of the saddle and enjoying it quite a bit.


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## ttchad (Jun 28, 2007)

ttchad said:


> You guys make me feel like one badass old dude! I wore out my 30 & bought a 32T oval. I am now having a hard time keeping my chain on and am moving up to a 34T oval. I m also spending more time out of the saddle and enjoying it quite a bit.


Oops! I need to wait 5 more years before I can post here. I just saw 1x11.


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## binrat (May 25, 2005)

Over the course of about 2 years I went from 3 x 8, 2 x 10 and now 1 x 11. I like the 1 x 11 the most.


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## fxr man (Nov 16, 2007)

Well at 54 now and have been on 3x9 for years but my new build should be done tomorrow
and sports the new 1x12 eagle. Excited to see how it works out and since so many here have gone 1x and love it i thought i should make the jump. my old set up had a 22 x 36 low gear on 26" wheels so hoping the 32 x 50 with 27.5 rear wheel will have at least the same or better low gear for the steep climbs on my local trails.


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## mudflap (Feb 23, 2004)

fxr - just looking at simple gear ratios 22/36=0.61 versus 32/50=0.64, without taking wheel size into consideration, you are looking at a higher gear ratio than what you are used to, but at your age, you should be able to handle that ratio for most hills. Taking wheel size into account, ratio would be even higher for 27.5. Still, you're going to love it, and if it's too tough, just go to a 30 tooth chain ring (30/50=.60)
I went with 28x42 for a 0.66 ratio on a 27.5 setup and don't use the 42 tooth cog that often, and that at 67 years old, so you should be fine.


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## PierreR (May 17, 2012)

I converted my S works FSR stumpy 26 to 27.5 and went to a 1X11 with 30 up front. I then picked up a set of EC 90 29" wheels and put on 700C X 35 gravel tires that I pop on the stumpy for riding with roadies. The bike works well as duel purpose but lacked high end and real low end. Went back to 3 X 9. XTR crank 44-33-22 rings with XTR front derailleur. I am shifting with Sram XO grip shift. Rear setup is Sram XO mid cage and 11-34 sram 991. Pretty quiet and shifts flawless. 
On my fat bike I have 1X11 Sram setup with 42 up front and 11X42 in rear running Maxxis Minion 4.8 X 26 tires. Would love to drop the 11 tooth and add a 50 tooth in the rear.


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## fxr man (Nov 16, 2007)

Thanks for the info and doing the math. I will try this setup to see how it works out and now I can see that my granny will be higher and admittedly I used all of my previous low gears on my local trails. I will hopefully get stronger so it's not an issue but knowing I can go to 30 if need be is very helpful. 
Again thanks for the reply..!!


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## Legbacon (Jan 20, 2004)

BikeCalc.com - Bicycle Gear Inches Chart Here, use this with gear inches and you can do a direct comparison regardless of wheel size.


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## Arebee (Sep 13, 2012)

I recently converted to 1x11. 24t chainring and 11-42 cassette. I've only ridden a few times since converting, but the immediate results have been great!

Before conversion, my climbing gear was a 34t top ring and the small 22t chainring. Since converting, I am climbing better in 3rd gear at 24x32 (0.75 gear ratio) than I ever did 22x34 (0.65 gear ratio). Doesn't make a lot of sense to me, but I'll take it. I still haven't been in the top two gears (37 and 42), but we have a ride coming up this weekend that will really test that. A ridiculously steep, slick-rock climb that I've never made more than 1/2 way.


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## Yalerider (Feb 14, 2017)

I put my 1x11 Sunrace cassette, new Shimano XT shifter and oval chainring on but I can't get the shifter to go on 46T granny gear. It almost seems like they sent me a 10 speed shifter. No markings on it. With cable disconnected only shifts 9 times.


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## Yalerider (Feb 14, 2017)

Seems to be shifting 10 times now but still won't climb on last cog. Limit screws are good chain is taught. B screw bottomed out might need a longer one.


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## bitflogger (Jan 12, 2004)

Time for a new bunch of threads for anyone who didn't go 11. It looks like we'll see a whole bunch of GX Eagle bikes soon.

I meant that to be as silly as it was serious because just yesterday my wife said after 2 years she doesn't see the need to change the 32t that was stock with her 11 speed to the 30t I bought with it but I do understand where the 12 speed range would help some.

We are considering a bike more like her Remedy 29 and the idea of a closeout 11 speed seems more attractive than more money for 12 with both far more attractive than some Shimano 2x we see in our size.

Our Honzo with poor man's Deore 1x has a lot of parts wear and NX looks like a better idea than 3rd party stuff for more 10 speed range.

Knowing this is our old fart's section of the forum.... My wife and I have been doing our best to ride often and at mid-June I'm 155 miles of single track ahead of last year. It's look in the mirror honesty, but the riding does a lot to overcome thinking gearing is the answer. That's a lot of on and off the bench from cancer for her and some wearing out parts for me.


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## mudflap (Feb 23, 2004)

Yalerider said:


> Seems to be shifting 10 times now but still won't climb on last cog. Limit screws are good chain is taught. B screw bottomed out might need a longer one.


You might check your hanger for straightness. It doesn't need to be too far tweaked to shift poorly.


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## Yalerider (Feb 14, 2017)

I sent a message to company I ordered kit from. They are local so maybe I can just bring bike in. It just seems like I got a 10 speed shifter but i can't tell. I did put Wolftooth Goatlink II on and it shift nice for first 10 cogs anyway


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## Skooks (Dec 24, 2008)

Do you get 10 clicks out of the Shifter? If so then it's 11 speed. 10 shifts plus the one you started in equals 11! Check your limit screws and B-tension.


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## MSU Alum (Aug 8, 2009)

One other nice thing about 1x is that, with the smaller front ring, I'm easily clearing obstacles that I'd catch with larger chainrings up front.


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## Yalerider (Feb 14, 2017)

Yalerider said:


> I sent a message to company I ordered kit from. They are local so maybe I can just bring bike in. It just seems like I got a 10 speed shifter but i can't tell. I did put Wolftooth Goatlink II on and it shift nice for first 10 cogs anyway


Yep with cable unhooked it will shift 11 times but when hooked up it will not. Cable gets too tight. I got tired of messing with for now and just riding.


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## rmac (Oct 26, 2004)

I went from a 22/32/44 11-36 to a short trial on a 30 10-50 Eagle and am now on 26/38 10-42. I would have needed to run a 38 front with the Eagle to get the top end I wanted and would have been miserable on the climbs. Even though I ride in CO I still have lots of pedally downhills I love to keep pedaling on - not one to coast unless steeper than 'pedally'.

One interesting thing I discovered while following the 'Primal Endurance' training/diet recently is that I also need the low, low gear in order to keep my heart rate in the aerobic zone (for me <125) (I am firmly in the 'try not to walk anything camp' - each to their own). Impossible to keep it there riding up any challenging tech stuff, but I have been using the 26 front/42 back a ton in an attempt to keep my heart rate lower (sometimes higher gears help in this area too). I do see a lot default 2x systems having barely any different range compared to Eagle but if you want to extend at both ends of the range 2x is still a great choice.

1x is so popular and meets such a large percentage of riders' needs that I worry that the availability of quality frames that can take a FD is going to dwindle to nothing (already very low) which will be a great disappointment to the few of us who still want them.


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## TheBaldBlur (Jan 13, 2014)

Sorry if I missed it somewhere earlier in this thread, but if you're going 1x go ahead and get the AbsoluteBlack oval chainring while you're at it. Not even close to the Biopace crap that was out several years ago. I just switched my new ride from the stock round single up front to an AB and my knees thank me very much.


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## fxr man (Nov 16, 2007)

Agree with the 2x as I have the eagle now and would like a higher gear then 32 x 50 gives me but I also need a lower gear for the steep ass climbs on my local trails and should have gone with 2x xtr but wanted to try 1x and sram as I've always been on shimano.. Just saw that SRAM has a new oval for the eagle that's has 32,34,36,38 tooth choices. Think I might try the 32 as it won't help on the high side but might help with more torque in the low gear for climbing.


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## ridetheridge (Mar 7, 2009)

I had a 2x10 Shimano system which worked quite well. Converted to a 1x11 and haven't looked back. Dropped about a pound, gained simplicity and got a lower gear (did lose a bit of top end but that's fine with me). No dropped chains and it's quiet... so far.


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## MozFat (Dec 16, 2016)

I don't really have a strong opinion one way or the other. Both can be made to work for just about any riding conditions. 
I am not going to rush off and get rid of my 2x10 until it breaks or I change bikes and the new one happens to come 1x.
I doubt 1x or 2x would be a deal breaker for me.
I'm showing my age but my recent return to cycling after 12 years was a revelation anyway. My old 2000 Jeykll (a pretty slick machine back in the day) was 3x. So this new fangled 2x stuff was pretty slick to me.
To be fair, my current riding hardly sees me to use the small ring. Though it's handy when playing in the dunes etc.
I used it a bit when I was first getting bike fit (riding too far and the climb back home was a grim prospect), and playing in the loose sand to get a feel for what my fatty could do. But now beach rides tend to stick to below the high tide line. In large part because most rides are mixed surface and the novelty of changing pressures mid ride gets lame pretty quick.
For the amount I use the small CR I could just dump the ring and shifter and do the odd manual shift when required. But the FD is there and does no harm and works when needed.
Bike being rigid with no dropper, handle bar real estate is not an issue.
I'm sure the "future" FS fatty or plus bike will be a 1x of some description with lockout and dropper levers all over the place.


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## centershot (Nov 21, 2008)

I really don't care about the top end, if I can get 18-20 mph that's all I need. But the low end I need all I can get. I currently ride a 22-36 and spend plenty of time there when riding around Sun Valley. It looks to me that it would take a 28-46 to get the same low gear. Good to see that there are some big cassettes coming out. Treks new Roscoe has this gearing on a 27.5 plus bike that is on my short list.


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## MSU Alum (Aug 8, 2009)

centershot said:


> I really don't care about the top end, if I can get 18-20 mph that's all I need. But the low end I need all I can get. I currently ride a 22-36 and spend plenty of time there when riding around Sun Valley. It looks to me that it would take a 28-46 to get the same low gear. Good to see that there are some big cassettes coming out. Treks new Roscoe has this gearing on a 27.5 plus bike that is on my short list.


My wife is running 26x42. That's almost exactly the same as 22x36.


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## Legbacon (Jan 20, 2004)

I am frequently in the top 10% of descending times on my 28-11/42, top end shmop end. I look forward to the day when we stop wasting valuable metal on front derailleurs, and put it into cassettes and chains I have come to the realization, that if I had 12-37 on the back, it would still give me all the trail range I need.


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## J.B. Weld (Aug 13, 2012)

Travis Bickle said:


> I look forward to the day when we stop wasting valuable metal on front derailleurs, and put it into cassettes and chains


Is there a shortage on cassettes and chains? I was doing some shopping yesterday and the vendors I checked seemed pretty well stocked.

There's some segments down here where you'd be hard pressed to hang in the top 10% with your gearing.


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## rmac (Oct 26, 2004)

J.B. Weld said:


> Is there a shortage on cassettes and chains? I was doing some shopping yesterday and the vendors I checked seemed pretty well stocked.
> 
> There's some segments down here where you'd be hard pressed to hang in the top 10% with your gearing.


TB would have KOMed those downhills with a little more top end!

The couple of downhill KOMs I have this year all were on downhills with some pedally sections - I may be benefiting from all the 1x guys losing speed there.

Apologies for making Strava times something of value!


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## Sanchofula (Dec 30, 2007)

You need a climbing gear!

I met a lady on a local climb (ten miles, 4000' + vertical), she was on the way down from Lake Tahoe, I was on the way up, and she was suprised I could climb it.

I run a 26 x 46, she had the Eagle running 32 x 50. I told her to get a 28t and she'd be golden.

The only folks who can run a 32 x 50 are top athletes or folks who don't do big climbing.



fxr man said:


> Agree with the 2x as I have the eagle now and would like a higher gear then 32 x 50 gives me but I also need a lower gear for the steep ass climbs on my local trails and should have gone with 2x xtr but wanted to try 1x and sram as I've always been on shimano.. Just saw that SRAM has a new oval for the eagle that's has 32,34,36,38 tooth choices. Think I might try the 32 as it won't help on the high side but might help with more torque in the low gear for climbing.


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## jeffscott (May 10, 2006)

Nurse Ben said:


> You need a climbing gear!
> 
> I met a lady on a local climb (ten miles, 4000' + vertical), she was on the way down from Lake Tahoe, I was on the way up, and she was suprised I could climb it.
> 
> ...


Hah I ride a 34 oval with 50 on the back....I can manage a little over 500 vertical meters per hour......and that is up a East Slope Rockies climbs.....on 29 inch tires...

Not an athlete.

I do spin out on some of the downhills...


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## J.B. Weld (Aug 13, 2012)

Nurse Ben said:


> The only folks who can run a 32 x 50 are top athletes or folks who don't do big climbing.


Must be a lot of top athletes out there. Thats a pretty low gear IMO.


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## Yalerider (Feb 14, 2017)

Yalerider said:


> Yep with cable unhooked it will shift 11 times but when hooked up it will not. Cable gets too tight. I got tired of messing with for now and just riding.


So Camas Bike shop finally figured it out. Had to take off the Goatlink which was in place of original link and it works fine(so no link). So now have 30 front and 46 rear. Climbs really well. FYI ordered some CB clip pedals wish me luck!


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## Yalerider (Feb 14, 2017)

Liking this 30t 11-46.


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## bitflogger (Jan 12, 2004)

Yalerider said:


> Liking this 30t 11-46.


How fast do you ride? What wheel size? Plus?

Our fat bikes seem OK with 30t. Our 29r with 30t to 11 will spin out too soon. With 29r and Shimano I miss the SRAM 32t to 10t no matter how good a granny gear migh seem.


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## Francis Cebedo (Aug 1, 1996)

1x11 works really well, specially with a 30t and maybe a 46t big cog for steeper climbs or creaky knees.

1x12 works even better since the shift points are much better. More speed and spin too with a bigger front ring. And most important, it's cheaper now for Eagle GX at $495 for the group. So maybe we'll see it in bikes under $3k.

SRAM GX Eagle drivetrain first ride review - Mtbr.com


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## TheBaldBlur (Jan 13, 2014)

I'm running 28 in the front and 11-49 in the back thanks to Absolute Black and Wolftooth and did them both for $140


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## Sparticus (Dec 28, 1999)

J.B. Weld said:


> There's some segments down here where you'd be hard pressed to hang in the top 10% with your gearing.


Up until a couple months ago I thought I was getting all the benefit available out of my dropper post. It got the seat out of my way so I became unafraid to get behind the bike and stay off the brakes. No need to slow down for the corners anymore. Yay! True low elevation flying!

But then something happened that took me to the next level. Even faster than before. With the post down I learned to put my bike into top gear (28x11) and stand & crank whenever the grade permitted. Not just sit there. Now I often spin my top gear out. Until I'd reached Phase III, I never thought I would spin my top gear out while riding singletrack, but finally I do exactly that. Often! Spin out in top gear on singletrack. Amazing!

I understand why guys want a 9t or 10t small cog. I get it. Here on Oregon's flow trails, I've exhausted my 11t cog many times.

As my riding buddy Ken says, in order to benefit from a dropper post, one has to learn to ride a whole different way. Think I finally got it.

...and might need an XD driver.
=sParty


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## Joel_l (Aug 12, 2016)

You guys have much stronger knees than I do.

I finally switched from a 3x to a 2x. I like a really really low gear to climb. The climbs I do are moderately long and steep. My 3x was 22x30x40 with a 11x42 cassette. I can spend a lot of time on the steep climbs in the 22/42 combination. I recently put a 24x34 2x crank on and changed to a SunRace 11x46. Gives me pretty much the same low gear and a high gear thats slightly higher than my 3x second highest gear. I like the spread overall and the better shifting of the 2x. This is on my 27.5" MTB. I even thought about swapping the 24 out for a 22, this would give me an ultra low gear. I was able to try the 22/46 out when I put the cassette on but did not have the new cranks yet. At my normal climbing cadence of around 60-70 rpm, was still moving fast enough to stay on and control the bike.

How low is too low?

I might be slow, but I like to climb.

Joel


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## 33red (Jan 5, 2016)

In my opinion older is better, they were building bikes that were intended to be your bike, now the marketing twist is building highly specific/targeted bikes so 2 or 3 are nice to have depending on where/with whom you are planning to go. I have a 27 speeds SWorks hardtail no disc, 26in and love it, 23 pounds Alu and a recent carbon hardtail 29, 21 pounds 32-10/42 ,, they each have qualities but i feel if i need space the 11 speeds will go the oldie is just more versatile. I also have a 10 yo road/touring bike and i love those triple chainrings they are just waiting to be activated like we can pull a rabbit out of a hat. To me 1x11 is for racers the weight counts but with more choices it climbs like a real light bike if saving 1/10 of a second is not your thing  
PS. For a fat i would go 1x11 but i like my 20 speeds


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## 33red (Jan 5, 2016)

trying to delete, sorry


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## Galeforce5 (Jun 7, 2013)

I am running 2x10 38/24-11/34 Shimano all SLX drivetrain, and it works great. No noise from the FD. Just changed the cables to Jagwire Mountain Pro, and it shifts better than ever. I maintain the FD and RD, and the drivetrain. Before this bike, I was running a beat up Giant 26" with a 3x8 setup. 

I have been intrigued by all of this 1x stuff, but for the moment, I see no need to switch. I only have one bike, a 29er. During the week, I access the Israel National Trail which is 2 miles from my house. There are no huge drops or long ascents. There are, however, some very short and steep drops with correspondingly short, steep ascents, sort of like a chute. I normally hit it hard going down, and shift into granny gear just before the descent so I can pedal out. I am sure I could do this with a 34 front and 11x46 rear. The problem is when winter comes (Nov.-Mar.), and the rains start, the trail becomes unrideable, totally mudded out, and I ride through the streets to get to a city park and the beachfront where there are bike paths which are relatively flat, and you can really get up to speed. If I don't ride the streets, there will be no riding during the week as I don't have the time to get to the areas with rideable trails. On the weekends, it's off to the Negev or the Judean hills, which are rideable, and once again, I need granny gear for the ascents. 

For the moment the 2x10 setup works for me. I have noticed that fewer and fewer bikes are coming with mounts for the FD.

Eventually, I plan on buying a used CX bike which I can use for winter riding during the week. At that point, a 1x system 34/32-46 or similar is something that would make sense. I also don't run a dropper. If I did, running a 1x would really start to look good. 

At the end of the day, it's what works for you. I should add that I was all set to upgrade to XT or XTR shifters, and swapping out to higher end lubricated cables made a much bigger difference than I imagined.


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## 33red (Jan 5, 2016)

Galeforce5 said:


> I am running 2x10 38/24-11/34 Shimano all SLX drivetrain, and it works great. No noise from the FD. Just changed the cables to Jagwire Mountain Pro, and it shifts better than ever. I maintain the FD and RD, and the drivetrain. Before this bike, I was running a beat up Giant 26" with a 3x8 setup.
> 
> I have been intrigued by all of this 1x stuff, but for the moment, I see no need to switch. I only have one bike, a 29er. During the week, I access the Israel National Trail which is 2 miles from my house. There are no huge drops or long ascents. There are, however, some very short and steep drops with correspondingly short, steep ascents, sort of like a chute. I normally hit it hard going down, and shift into granny gear just before the descent so I can pedal out. I am sure I could do this with a 34 front and 11x46 rear. The problem is when winter comes (Nov.-Mar.), and the rains start, the trail becomes unrideable, totally mudded out, and I ride through the streets to get to a city park and the beachfront where there are bike paths which are relatively flat, and you can really get up to speed. If I don't ride the streets, there will be no riding during the week as I don't have the time to get to the areas with rideable trails. On the weekends, it's off to the Negev or the Judean hills, which are rideable, and once again, I need granny gear for the ascents.
> 
> ...


The 11 speeds will frustrate you. I have no car so i ride to and from trails. Presently 32, 10-42 the top is fine but i would appreciate 28 teeths in front on some occasions if i switch to the 28 my top speed will be too low, just a good range but with 2 or 3 chainrings the range gets great and the bike is enjoyable in more places. I tought the 1 ring was for the jumpers who were complaining of chain dropping but in a way it is marketing giving a reason for a new bike purchase IMHO.


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## Galeforce5 (Jun 7, 2013)

33red said:


> The 11 speeds will frutrate you. I have no car so i ride to and from trails. Presently 32, 10-42 the top is fine but i would appreciate 28 teeths in front on some occasions if i switch to the 28 my top speed will be too low, just a good range but with 2 or 3 chainrings the range gets great and the bike is enjoyable in more places. I tought the 1 ring was for the jumpers who were complaining of chain dropping but in a way it is marketing giving a reason for a new bike purchase IMHO.


Like I said, I am intrigued, but see no reason to change at this time. If it ain't broke, don't fix it, as they say. I see the appeal, but would rather save my $$ for other stuff.


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## Yalerider (Feb 14, 2017)

bitflogger said:


> How fast do you ride? What wheel size? Plus?
> 
> Our fat bikes seem OK with 30t. Our 29r with 30t to 11 will spin out too soon. With 29r and Shimano I miss the SRAM 32t to 10t no matter how good a granny gear migh seem.


27.5 I ride as fast as I feel like I guess. I have plent of top end for our local trails. I do have a Wolftooth 34T I could put on when I travel to faster trails.


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