MTB gearing question

[RobJ]

I have been away from mountain bikes for a long time and was assembling parts for a build. By default was going 1x11 11-42 and a 30 or 32 front. Pure guess and would shake it out after riding.

So i picked up a complete build instead that's setup 2x. 26/38 and 11-36. Mostly will be riding the mid-Atlantic trails to start. Is there any reason to swap the 2x for my 1x parts? The 2x is circa 2012 XT and the 1x is newer XTR. So maybe for the RD clutch? Thoughts?


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[Russity]

Just a couple of things to take into account when swapping 2x to 1x...

Make sure you have the crorrect chainline.They will differ between the two.

You only really need a clutch rear derailleur when running a 1x, to increase the tension to help avoid chain slap and potentially the chain falling off, but obviously Shimano make XT and XTR with the clutch, just for cost saving purposes. I never use the clutch when running a 2x setup, to aid smoother shifting.

I know a lot of guys from my shop, that went to 1x11 and after a year or so, decided they prefered the bigger range of the 2x. I think only the real racers and weight weenies now really insist on a 1x setup in my neck of the woods. But having said that, I love it.

[jmal]

I have been away from mountain bikes for a long time and was assembling parts for a build. By default was going 1x11 11-42 and a 30 or 32 front. Pure guess and would shake it out after riding.

So i picked up a complete build instead that's setup 2x. 26/38 and 11-36. Mostly will be riding the mid-Atlantic trails to start. Is there any reason to swap the 2x for my 1x parts? The 2x is circa 2012 XT and the 1x is newer XTR. So maybe for the RD clutch? Thoughts?


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I might be in the minority here, but I vastly prefer 2x to 1x, especially in VA where there are lots of punchy ups and downs. 2x makes it easy to dump a lot of gears (by dropping to the small ring from the large) when transitioning from descending to ascending. 1x requires sweeping through the cassette which is not a huge issue, but still gets old after a while.

Clutch RD is a must. You can find XT or XTR fairly cheaply and the quiet bike and minimal chain drops are worth the few dollars it will cost. If you are buying 10 speed RDs, I'd go for the XTR as the XT had issues with the clutch springs.

[Mikej]

If you don't have the clutch, get it. To me, that has been the best advancement in a decade for MTB. 11s m9000 clutch is easier to adjust btw - As far as your ratio, it depends on your legs. I've found the 11s 11-40 w/ a 36/26 to be really great. For 1x, I'd need a 30t or 28t with a 11-42. Pretty much every race that has walker up hill, they have a 1x. I know Nino and Jules can turn it, but remember, companies are marketing 1x's with guys who put out 5.5 watts per kilo-

[Tony]

If you don't have the clutch, get it. To me, that has been the best advancement in a decade for MTB. 11s m9000 clutch is easier to adjust btw - As far as your ratio, it depends on your legs. I've found the 11s 11-40 w/ a 36/26 to be really great. For 1x, I'd need a 30t or 28t with a 11-42. Pretty much every race that has walker up hill, they have a 1x. I know Nino and Jules can turn it, but remember, companies are marketing 1x's with guys who put out 5.5 watts per kilo-

The simplicity and effectiveness of a 1x drivetrain is what makes it so appealing. Many manufactures are designing their bikes for 1X because it works for most folks, not just mtb racers.
2x and 3x drivetrains have a LOT of gearing overlap whereas 1x covers nearly the same useful range given the wide range cassettes. You can have the same low gearing for climbs with a 1X.

[TEMPLE]

Will you have a dropper post? It's nice to ditch a shifter and make some space for the dropper trigger.