Single Chain Ring - Mountain Bike

[laupsi]

Looking for feedback, anyone have experience w/the Sram single front chainring drivetrain? Going to repalce my very well worn 9 spd and my LBS is tyring to convice me to go single. Thanks!

[thirdgenbird]

Are they wanting you to go 1x9 or also upgrade the rear?

I did 1x9 and it was ok, but didn't have enough range with an 11-32. I'm running a 1x10 with an 11-36 and it is much better. A 11-40 would probably be ideal but it really all depends on your riding. I've also gotten by with a single speed.

[laupsi]

Are they wanting you to go 1x9 or also upgrade the rear?

I did 1x9 and it was ok, but didn't have enough range with an 11-32. I'm running a 1x10 with an 11-36 and it is much better. A 11-40 would probably be ideal but it really all depends on your riding. I've also gotten by with a single speed.

Thanks, would be 10 spd

[JAGI410]

I'm running 1x10 on 2 bikes, with zero plans to go back to a 2x setup. A clutched rear dérailleur makes it work a little better.

[thirdgenbird]

Thanks, would be 10 spd

My advice: zee shifter, zee derailleur, slx 11-36 and a KMC chain. Big upgrade from 3x9 sram and a great value. In my opinion obviously.

[Chefrider]

Go with a race face or wolftooth narrow/wide chain ring and a clutch style rear derailler. I prefer race face. My chain has NEVER come off of my rip9 and I ride rocky NY trails. Good luck.

[vqdriver]

don't know anyone who regrets going 1x. that 42t cog gets you pretty far.
most people i know have gone 1x11 tho.

[p nut]

I've always been a Shimano crank fan, but been running the XX1 for the season. It's been excellent. Love the look of the spiderless set up and you can go all the way down to 26T if needed. Wolf tooth makes nice stuff. Also check out Absolute Black.

http://absoluteblack.cc/xx1-style-sram.html

[crownjewelwl]

1x is the tits

[oldpotatoe]

Looking for feedback, anyone have experience w/the Sram single front chainring drivetrain? Going to replace my very well worn 9 spd and my LBS is trying to convince me to go single. Thanks!

Cuz they are crappy at setting up front ders? Depends on you and your riding, I would say, the gearing you need. Remember the big dinner plate sized rear cogs have some pretty big gaps in them to achieve a very low gear(42).

[peanutgallery]

I rode 1x9 for a couple years. I was finding with a triple I always stayed in the middle ring. Plenty of solutions via chain watchers, chain guides. Worked pretty well and I really liked the extra clearance for rocks and logs. Performance or finding a set-up that would operate well wasn't an issue at all, I just got into situations where I felt under geared or over geared and got tired of it

The new 2x10 set-ups from shimano are hard to beat, they work really well and are a cinch to set up. You'll switch back and forth almost as much as yoiu shift the rear and always have plenty of gearing without all the drama of a triple getting chain suck and all that. Running a 26/38 with an 11/36 out back (SG)

Tell your dealer you want a SLX or XT set-up and go to town. Better yet, get the Fish and Chips version from England and put it on yourself. You won't be sorry

[ofcounsel]

I recently switched from a Shimano 2x10 (38-26T front and 11-36T rear) to a 1x10 set up (30T RaceFace front and 11-42 rear by removing the 17 cog and adding the Wolftooth 42T cog). I love it. Won't go back to 2x10 or 2x anything for the foreseeable future.

http://i150.photobucket.com/albums/s81/ofcounsel/Niner_zps3af000e4.jpg

In retrospect, however, I wouldn't get the red 42T cog... It was too much red.

[malcolm]

I have a 1X10 on one and can't imagine ever going back to a 2or3X. My old Turner is sram 2X10 but the big rings teeth or so bent and broken that it's unusable and just a bash guard.
Wolf tooth makes lots of choices to go 1 X

[Red Tornado]

Changed from 3x9 to 1x9 a few years ago and never regretted it. Front is Race Face NarrowWide 32T. Rear cassette is 11-34.
I live & ride in central Texas and speaking gear inches the 32/34 combo with the 1x9 is just a tad more gear than the 22/26 (3rd largest rear sprocket)with the 3x9. There's almost nothing I can't climb with the 1x9 that I could climb with a 3x9.
Like the simplicity of no front derailleur/cable/chain watcher/housing/shifter but with the ability to still shift gears. Most trails I ride I use 15 thru 26 tooth sprockets.
A wider range cassette would make riding in real hills easily do-able. Don't think I'll ever go back to 2 or 3-ring front for a mountain bike.
1697893880

[laupsi]

Changed from 3x9 to 1x9 a few years ago and never regretted it. Front is Race Face NarrowWide 32T. Rear cassette is 11-34.
I live & ride in central Texas and speaking gear inches the 32/34 combo with the 1x9 is just a tad more gear than the 22/26 (3rd largest rear sprocket)with the 3x9. There's almost nothing I can't climb with the 1x9 that I could climb with a 3x9.
Like the simplicity of no front derailleur/cable/chain watcher/housing/shifter but with the ability to still shift gears. Most trails I ride I use 15 thru 26 tooth sprockets.
A wider range cassette would make riding in real hills easily do-able. Don't think I'll ever go back to 2 or 3-ring front for a mountain bike.
1697893880

All great stuff, thanks everyone. Know I'm gonna go to a 1x, now just have to choose! ��

[laupsi]

Okay so this is what I've decided upon:

SRAM, X1 11spd, shifter, RD, XX1 Chain, 10-42 w/32 XX1 FCR, XX1 cranks and Shimano SLX brakes. Can't wait :banana:

[thirdgenbird]

Sounds cool. what frame and fork?

[peanutgallery]

Not brave enough for the avid brakes, too:)

That should be a good setup

Okay so this is what I've decided upon:

SRAM, X1 11spd, shifter, RD, XX1 Chain, 10-42 w/32 XX1 FCR, XX1 cranks and Shimano SLX brakes. Can't wait :banana:

[RacerJRP]

I built my new bike up with XTR 2x11. For riding in CO you need the lower lows and higher high. If I was building a HT race bike i'd go single up front.

The majority of folks I see out on the trails should be on a 2x drivetrain whether they believe so or not. The single ring stuff does look super clean though. Love the 1x11 on my CX bike.

[vqdriver]

that's a smart build selection. you'll like it.

[laupsi]

Sounds cool. what frame and fork?

Cannondale Rush, Lefty fork, 650 wheels. Old set up, but not one I'm willing to part with.

[KF9YR]

I built my new bike up with XTR 2x11. For riding in CO you need the lower lows and higher high. If I was building a HT race bike i'd go single up front.



The majority of folks I see out on the trails should be on a 2x drivetrain whether they believe so or not. The single ring stuff does look super clean though. Love the 1x11 on my CX bike.


Did you use XTR race crankset and brakes? I ordered XTR Trail crankset and brakes for the frame I ordered. The Shimano rep told my lbs they are back-ordered until mid or late Feb.

I live in AZ and am going with 2x11 also.

I tried a few 1x11 bikes at Outerbike this October and didn't think the shifting is as smooth as 985 XTR that I have on my current bike. It may have been setup as these were demo bikes that get used hard but it was the impression I came home with.

[allezdude]

Are you getting new wheels too? The X1 cassette will only work with an XD driver (free hub ) I'm sure your shop took that into account but just wanted to mention it. An overlooked detail when I went to 1 x 11 & had to build a new r ear wheel that would accept an XD driver.

[laupsi]

Are you getting new wheels too? The X1 cassette will only work with an XD driver (free hub ) I'm sure your shop took that into account but just wanted to mention it. An overlooked detail when I went to 1 x 11 & had to build a new r ear wheel that would accept an XD driver.

Thanks, yes we got a new free hub for my tubeless wheels

[malcolm]

I built my new bike up with XTR 2x11. For riding in CO you need the lower lows and higher high. If I was building a HT race bike i'd go single up front.

The majority of folks I see out on the trails should be on a 2x drivetrain whether they believe so or not. The single ring stuff does look super clean though. Love the 1x11 on my CX bike.

I have xtr set up 1x with a race face crank and my largest cog in the back is wolf tooth. I can't remember the chain ring size off the top of my head or the largest cog but when I set it up it came within a gear inch of my 2X10 sram. The spacing is probably wider but I don't really notice. I probably don't have the long climbs you guys have but lots of short very steep climbs. There is also very little need for the big ring at least for me, no flattish fire road stuff. I can't ever imagine going back to a 2 X.

I'm sure it's terrain dependent or maybe if you are very strong, but my standard 20 mile or so loop I see little need for a second chain ring. I've not spun out on the high end and can climb what I need on the low.

I rode a 1X for a week in Park City and there were a couple spots where maybe I could have used a bigger chain ring but really didn't miss it much and I was able to climb everything I tried.

Like most things probably personal preference with a mix of strength and terrain. If I had lots of flattish fire roads or rolling groomed single track I may want a bigger option on the front, but I just don't see it that often.