1X gearing

[Veloo]

For those riding a cross/ gravel bike with 1X on the front, what type of gearing are you using?

ie chainring size and cassette size?

[Dead Man]

42 narrow/wide

12-27 in the back. I have never ridden anything over 28t in the back, but I suspect these 11-32 or even bigger range cassettes would be way better for gravel/road/general purpose use... In CX, you aren't going to sit and grind out any steep hill in 32t while everyone else passed you running up with their bikes on their shoulders, so you don't need anything that big

[eBAUMANN]

for RACING - 40/42 in front and 28/32 in the back - this is also fine for general riding as well, depending on your fitness.

for general riding though it also depends a lot on your terrain.

[kppolich]

Force CX1 40T narrow wide, 11-32 11 speed in the back, SRAM clutch RD.

[eBAUMANN]

Force CX1 40T narrow wide, 11-32 11 speed in the back, SRAM clutch RD.

this covers about 95% of things if you are in shape.

if you like riding very loose/steep/ridiculous trail stuff as well, or may want to do some sort of loaded bike-packing trip, you can always throw something bigger (read m8000 11-42) on there for those special occasions.

[AllanVarcoe]

42 narrow wide SRAM Rival 1 and 10 speed 11-36 out back and an X7 derailleur.

Oh, and an Apex group shift lever.

Last edit:
I also ride a lot of MTB trails too so the 36 is nice on steep loose stuff because I can stay seated and maintain weight/traction in the rear wheel.

I've never raced a CX.

[1X10]

44 TA ring on the front with chain watcher

13-29or26 rear...

And yes, Campy...

A bit steep and old school but I don't line up on the weekends anymore so this is a good masher set up for the gravel and my local trails...

When I did race I always pushed a 42...

[superbowlpats]

Been racing with Force CX1 42T narrow wide, 11-32 11 speed in the back, SRAM Force clutch RD. But just put on a 38T chainring for racing this weekend. Been fine with the 42 but all the cool kids around me are going 38 :D

[sparky33]

Force CX1 40T narrow wide, 11-32 11 speed in the back, SRAM clutch RD.


Me too. Great range for CX racing. CX1 works well.

I'll switch to an 11-36 for a gravel ride.
I'll switch to a 42t for general winter riding.

[NPcycling]

Racing with 40t up front and 11-32.

[AllanVarcoe]

My wife runs a 38t narrow/wide Race Face chainring on Sugino Pista arms, and a 10 speed 11 - 36 cassette, X7 Type2.1 Med cage derailleur for gravel rides.

I'm thinking of getting her the Sunrace 11 - 40 cassette just to ease the knees and make her ride a bit more enjoyable. I think I may need to get one of those Wolftooth extension thing.

Has anyone done the above?

[sandyrs]

I race with a 42x11-36 and do my trail rides on the same. Not worth it to swap to a smaller cassette for races... though I think I've used the 36 once this year.

[superbowlpats]

I race with a 42x11-36 and do my trail rides on the same. Not worth it to swap to a smaller cassette for races... though I think I've used the 36 once this year.

Well if you had raced Fruitlands you might have used the 36 :hello:

[Jad]

For a few seasons, my 1x10 for CX has been a "normal" 39t x 28 with a bash guard and chain keeper. But after having spent a summer with lower gearing for dirt road riding (39x36 w/ mtb derailleur), any decent climbing on the 39x28 has taken a wee bit of adjustment.

[Dead Man]

Do you guys that race on 32t+ cassettes ever actually use those low end gears in competition?

I guess if you're mostly racing in firm/dry conditions you might ride up stuff that's exclusively run-up around these here mudfest courses

[sandyrs]

Do you guys that race on 32t+ cassettes ever actually use those low end gears in competition?

I guess if you're mostly racing in firm/dry conditions you might ride up stuff that's exclusively run-up around these here mudfest courses

Early in the season there are some steep dry places where the low gears can come into play but yeah, I don't use the 32 or 36 frequently.

But I use the 36 plenty on mountain bike trails and am not going to swap to a tighter cassette just for race day when the benefit would be minimal to none. Could even be a negative because the chain would be too long.

[sandyrs]

Well if you had raced Fruitlands you might have used the 36 :hello:

Did that on 40/28 last year. That was painful.

[sparky33]

Well if you had raced Fruitlands you might have used the 36 :hello:


That would have been helpful. btw, great course.

In contrast, I don't recall pedaling 40x11 recently.

[purpurite]

All gravel/limestone, full SRAM CX1: 42 x 11-32

I haven't used the 32t too often, but it has been used. I'm probably in the 11t far less often than the 32t, but I don't ride pavement all that much at all.

[Luwabra]

^ 👍

I run 1x1 98% of the time but when I do it's a 40 or 42 11/28

[rusty1200]

1x11 40 tooth up front with an 11/32 in back. Perfect for just about anything for me.

[oliver]

50x11-25 most of the time but it's flat around me. 50x11-32 when I know I'm going somewhere with some climbing.

[shovelhd]

Well if you had raced Fruitlands you might have used the 36 :hello:

The only person who successfully rode up that run up was Jeremy Durrin, and you are not him :)

[estilley]

I'm running 10 speed 42x11-36 right now.

36 was nice for summer gravel exploration. Made the 13% gravel climbs on compass tires possible.

Will be switching to 11 speed 42x11-32 for CX next year.




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[bigbill]

Flat to rolling here. 44 with a 12-26. Really, I have a double chainring with a 38 too but never use it. I shift onto it once a week to make sure the FD isn't seized up.

[chiasticon]

I don't race with 1X but a local fast kid has raced all season on a ghetto setup, running 36 up front, 11-28 out back. said it's all he needs. as proof, he won the 123 state champs on a course that was used later that day for UCI C2 races with the likes of Jonathan Page on it.

and by ghetto setup, I simply mean that it's not quite what most would consider "legit" 1X. I believe he's running 105 with a wolftooth front ring, a standard (no clutch) RD and no chain guard or catcher.

[estilley]

I don't race with 1X but a local fast kid has raced all season on a ghetto setup, running 36 up front, 11-28 out back. said it's all he needs. as proof, he won the 123 state champs on a course that was used later that day for UCI C2 races with the likes of Jonathan Page on it.



and by ghetto setup, I simply mean that it's not quite what most would consider "legit" 1X. I believe he's running 105 with a wolftooth front ring, a standard (no clutch) RD and no chain guard or catcher.



Ha! Pretty close to my ghetto setup. I also run the n/w wolftooth with 105 shifters and a standard shimano 9sp mtb derailleur.

Although I don't have the state 1/2/3 title under my belt...


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[louielopez]

I guess I've been off my bike(s) for too long. I'm struggling with 42 and a 10-42 cassette. Or I'm just trying to hit too many steep rediculously steep sections...