Running the 1x drivetrain experiment

[SummitFever]

I've ridden Stromlo every Sunday morning for the last three Sundays and have used three different 1x configs with a 32t front chainring:

(1) 11-34 10 speed;
(2) 11-40 10 speed;
(3) 11-48 11 speed.

Each time, we've done a pretty similar ride. 3 times to the top via every crazy route that Jeebus can invent (except going up the traditional route) and then down Vapour, Pork Barrel + Double Dissolution or Skyline in various orders.

It's been interesting using the three different cassettes.

The close ratios on the 11-34 are great. A good gear for every occasion and the 34 is large enough that all the techo stuff can be cleared but you burn a lot of energy with only having a 34. 3 times to the top of Strommers in a row is fine, but if I had to do it 10 times it would probably break me.

The 40t on the 11-40 does not feel much easier on the climbs but it's got an annoying 3t jump in the lower mid part of the cassette at a speed where I spend a lot of time on the single track. Gives me a sort of Goldilocks feel - cadence either too slow or too fast.

The 11 speed 11-48 is better than the 11-40 as the 48 means you can spin up the steepest stuff and smoothly get the power down up technical obstacles. It does have similar larger jumps between gears like the 11-40 but interestingly its not in the position that I personally find annoying. It is also still not low enough for me on a 29er with big tyres.

Conclusions

I'm about $600 into this "experiment"

- $200 for an XTR 11 speed RD
- $100 for the 11-40 cassette
- $320 for the 11-48 cassette

so I should be gushing to you all about how great 1x drivetrains are but 1x sort of sucks. I "get" all of the advantages but for me there's just too many compromises. I like a gear for any and all occassions and the wide ratio cassettes don't give the range of a 3x setup nor the in-between gears that make for efficient riding.

I don't get off and walk my bike no matter how steep things get or how long the climb is. I also don't drive to the places I like to ride, so Stromlo is a 30km+ bike path round trip from home. I need an efficient drivetrain and the 1x stuff is probably never going to be able to deliver that...

Reality check

While I prattle on about efficiency and gear range I'm duty bound to point out that Jeebus (Brett Bellchambers) has been doing all of these Stromlo rides (and smashing the climbs) on his single speed with 32-21 from memory. Each to his own.

 

[LPG]

I personally find that I am quite content dropping my top speed to get better climbing gears. When was the last time you were going over 30km/hr (or even 25) and felt the need to pedal for more speed on proper mtb trails.

I've been running 28t 28t and 10-42t 11spd casette on 29+wheels) on the front since doing a bikepacking trip on the colorado trail and dont miss the top end speed at all. You are probably different if umyou ride far to the trail but how fast so you really cruise on the flat and would you miss it if you were a gear lower and cruising at a slower pace or spinning more?

Only thing I worry about is my 90kg weight putting a lot of tension on the small 11spd chain with that small chainring means I try to change my chain a bit more frequently to prevent too much wear on the drivetrain.

 

[The Duckmeister]

so I should be gushing to you all about how great 1x drivetrains are but 1x sort of sucks. I "get" all of the advantages but for me there's just too many compromises. I like a gear for any and all occassions and the wide ratio cassettes don't give the range of a 3x setup nor the in-between gears that make for efficient riding.

I don't get off and walk my bike no matter how steep things get or how long the climb is. I also don't drive to the places I like to ride, so Stromlo is a 30km+ bike path round trip from home. I need an efficient drivetrain and the 1x stuff is probably never going to be able to deliver that...

It's for exactly these reasons why I remain devoted to the untrendy awesomeness that is 3x. The reality is that you treat it like 1x with bonuses; the vast majority of the time you're in the middle ring, and with an 11-34 or 36 on the back you have a very meaty and thoroughly useful mid-range right where you need it, and a good enough spread to cover most terrain, but you do have the back-up of the granny ring when you're grovelling up a steep climb, and the big ring to open the taps at the other end when you hit the open bits between/to/from the fun stuff.

 

[SummitFever]

Could not have said it better myself.

 

[slimjim1]

I personally find that I am quite content dropping my top speed to get better climbing gears. When was the last time you were going over 30km/hr (or even 25) and felt the need to pedal for more speed on proper mtb trails.

I've been running 28t 28t and 10-42t 11spd casette on 29+wheels) on the front since doing a bikepacking trip on the colorado trail and dont miss the top end speed at all. You are probably different if umyou ride far to the trail but how fast so you really cruise on the flat and would you miss it if you were a gear lower and cruising at a slower pace or spinning more?

Only thing I worry about is my 90kg weight putting a lot of tension on the small 11spd chain with that small chainring means I try to change my chain a bit more frequently to prevent too much wear on the drivetrain.

I couldn't agree with this more. Too often chainring size is a dick pulling contest.

If your regularly spinning out a 28T (on a 29er) you aren't mountain biking, you are gravel grinding or road riding.

 

[goobags]

Go a 11-40 11sp with a 30t up front. Close gear ratios, can still climb and shouldn’t be spinning out on the 11t very often.

Of all your experiment time, how much time have you spent in the 11t?


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[mas2]

I made the switch from 2x10 to 10sp with a 30t and 11-42t a couple of months ago and find it perfect. I dont have strong legs but can climb everything as well as I did before, with the occassional walk on super steep stuff, and never really max it out going down anyway. I find the shifting is good and apart from getting smoother shifting by going to 11/12/13 speed, I dont really see the point changing over to it.

 

[Ultra Lord]

Something else to consider is the effect chainring size has on suspension.

Pretty keen to try a 34t chainring on my scout to help cut down on pedal kickback, but it will most likely bob abit more when I pedal.

 

[SummitFever]

...you are gravel grinding or road riding.

Of all your experiment time, how much time have you spent in the 11t?

...When was the last time you were going over 30km/hr (or even 25) and felt the need to pedal for more speed on proper mtb trails...

These are all valid points and that's why I would never say that 1x sucks for anyone else. However, for me, I do a lot more on my MTB than single track. Single track's what I do, but I ride a fair few km to get to it. Stromlo's a 30km round trip, Majura a 20km round trip and the dirt in the big mountains is 30-40km away.

I can definitely ride 1x but its not the best solution for me.

 

[Flow-Rider]

I've refused to go to 1x but if I did it would have to be the 12 speed eagle 10-50 cassette. The type of trails I ride very dramatically so being stuck to minimal gears is not much of an advantage for me. I ride climbs where if you stop you need to push your bike a fair way to be able to start again and most rides I clock over 50km/h on descents. I run 2 main bikes, one with (2x) 22-32t with a 11-36 cassette and the other (3x) 24-32-42 with a cassette 11-36. I hardly ever drop chains too, when I do something is generally out of adjustment or bent. Some bikes must hold chains better than others I guess, the 2x I generally keep in 32T but it has a bash plate so dropping the chain on it is nearly impossible.

 

[slimjim1]

I do a lot more on my MTB than single track. Single track's what I do, but I ride a fair few km to get to it.

Me too, and Canberra is my playground as well. Longest MTB ride i've done around here on 1x11 is 106km. Current setup is 10-42 speed with 28T chainring. Probably my favourite though was my 3x9 speed (22-32-42) with the big ring removed (and replaced with a bashy) and a bottom roller guide.

Wasn't a fan of my 2x10 (36-22), just too much of a gap between the two rings.

Literally the only reason I don't like front derailleurs is under bar dropper levers are life.

 

[Flow-Rider]

Literally the only reason I don't like front derailleurs is under bar dropper levers are life.

I don't seem to have any problems with the KS thumb sifters and I have relatively small hands compared to most people. I've cut the grip shorter on one bike and kept it close to my hand and it works ok for me. I found running good cables without short bends and lubing the lever pivots helps dramatically.

 

[stirk]

Losers, 1x13 is where it's at now.

 

[The Duckmeister]

Something else to consider is the effect chainring size has on suspension.

Pretty keen to try a 34t chainring on my scout to help cut down on pedal kickback, but it will most likely bob abit more when I pedal.

Another advantage of multi-ring drivetrains..... You can change "gears" on your suspension by which ring you're in. Multi-ring drivetrains do have a fair bit of gear duplication (or very close to it), so you can find the same or very similar drive ratios in different ring/sprocket combinations.which isn't as bad as it sounds, because it gives you a lot of flexibility to find the right gear for the moment on mixed terrain, and in particular allows you to fine-tune suspension performance without drastically changing your drive gear.

 

[mark22]

Any reason you didn't go 11-46 they are about 1/3 the cost of the 11-48?

 

[hifiandmtb]

This whole conversation is a moot point when the next frame you want to buy isn't 2x compatible.

Sucks to be you.

 

[Oddjob]

This whole conversation is a moot point when the next frame you want to buy isn't 2x compatible.

Sucks to be you.

SRAM can eat a bag of dicks.

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[moorey]

You don’t think you went into this with your mind kinda made up, Georg?
I know that if @The Duckmeister did this test, god bless him, I’d know the outcome before reading it.

 

[SummitFever]

You don’t think you went into this with your mind kinda made up, Georg?
I know that if @The Duckmeister did this test, god bless him, I’d know the outcome before reading it.

I may well have. I hate the taste of "kool-aid" and I'm a bit cranky at the bike industry continuing to reduce our choices so I've definitely got some personal biases operating.

This whole conversation is a moot point when the next frame you want to buy isn't 2x compatible.

Sucks to be you.

Indeed. This is one of the things I'm cranky about.

Any reason you didn't go 11-46 they are about 1/3 the cost of the 11-48?

I wanted to keep the weight of the cassettes comparable. Using a 1/2 kilo cassette on a FS bike is also crazy.

I'll continue with the 1x for a bit longer though. I've only used it for 8 weeks (about 1300km and 18,000m of climbing) and haven't done any properly big rides.

 

[moorey]

Many off us have been 1x for the longest time anyway. I haven’t run a front derailleur on a bike since late 90’s. Have tested or loaned a couple in that time, and they frustrated the hell outta me. Yes, I’m also biased, but I’ve found what works for me.