3 rings needed?

[alexb618]

maybe its just my style but i dont often use the large ring and if i need to use the granny then its probably faster (and more stable!) to get off and leg it

and now since riding my roadie a lot more i have noticed i am 99% of the time in the small (44 i think) ring on that one

so i am considering turfing the big and small rings off the dirt bike - anyone here done this? i am sure i can get a significant weight reduction (over 500g perhaps?) with the right crankset/bb/ring combination but not sure if i worth it

i am not the fittest guy and i only race occasionally but i love toys and bling and if this can get me on the way to sub 9kg, (currently around 9.7kg) i will be happy!

 

[alchemist]

so i am considering turfing the big and small rings off the dirt bike - anyone here done this?

Yup, lots of people - OK a few. 1 x 9s & 2 x 9s arent too unusual.

While you at it you probable should get rid of the surplace 8 cogs on the back and that stick catcher that hangs off the back wheel

 

[alexb618]

well the roadie is going down that road mate

 

[GrubNut]

so i am considering turfing the big and small rings off the dirt bike - anyone here done this? i am sure i can get a significant weight reduction (over 500g perhaps?) with the right crankset/bb/ring combination but not sure if i worth it

Its a good idea, I almost exclusively use my middle ring these days, on my geared bikes. But don't you still need either a front derailleur or chainguide to stop you dropping the chain all the time?

 

[alexb618]

possibly, would be a nice weight reduction again with no derailleur/shifter too. wonder if anyone on here has done this and knows the answer?

 

[anthonyma]

I took off the large ring on my trail bike some time ago, as I never really used it, and I wanted the extra clearance. However, without the large ring the chain had a tendency to jump off when shifting from granny to middle ring. I ended up putting a lightweight poly bashguard in it's place to stop the chain jumping.

 

[FR Drew]

Yup, last year I dumped the 3 rings off my Yeti ARC and ran a single 32 up front for a while.

In fact, in the time I had the ARC, I have run the following:

SS 32:14 1/8 chain
SS 32:16 9sp chain

3S 22/32/44:13
3S 22/32/44:18

9S 32:12-23
9S 32:12-28 (frankenstein cludge of some road cass and some 11-34 cass)
9S 32:11-34

Plus 27 speed with 11-32, 11-34, 12-23, 12-28.

Running the 9 speed setup I used a Rohloff chainguide instead of the front mech. All alloy and a lot lighter. I'm lucky that I have Middleburn RS8 cranks with a removeable spider, it means I can dump the three ring setup and just throw on an Uno 32 tooth middle ring with a substantial weigh loss because the spider goes too.

Depends a lot on the terrain you're riding. Some of the top riders who race the 24 hour in Canberra run 29:44 up front. I'd want to be fitter than I am to try that course with just a 32 up there, but of course, if guys can do it on a steel singlespeed running 32:18 or 32:16 then it's gotta be do-able by mortals, maybe just not by guys with my knees.

Now I've switched to the AS-R instead of the ARC, I don't know if the hills will be easier or tougher. I'll want to do a lot more laps out there before I'm confident to dump the triple ring and go the 32 again.

 

[Fidsey]

Dude, Singlespeed is good......

If you're going down that route, may as well go all the way.

"Don't do things by halves" My old man used to say.