How is your cross bike set up?

[seanile]

I'm sure this'll quickly find a way to fall into a rabbit hole, but i need some help.

I've been riding my canti-posted cross bike for a few years now, happily set up as a 1x10 speed with a sram x9 rear derailleur on a 11-32 cassette, and a rival shifter.
because of my complacency with this set up, i've ignored any modern advancements/marketing schemes that may have come around for cross since when the sram's 10 spd road/mtb groups' cross-compatibility was quite special.
well, today my shifter stopped working, and my derailleur has been getting wiggly, so i am motivated to see what updates i can make to get to a new inexpensive setup equivalent to what mine was.

and so the question goes, what may that be comrades?
are you buying a 1x specific group?
are there interesting cross-compatibilities worth trying?
is 1x played out?
did joanie really love chachi?
are any shimano rear derailleurs capable of cassettes bigger than 32 without a roadlink?
does shimano sell blank left shifters for the 1x crowd?

anyway...
:help:

[jtbadge]

11 speed GS-cage Shimano rear derailleurs can handle an 11-36t, 1x or 2x without a WolfTooth or other assistance device.

1x is great in a racing application but every day bikes benefit from the extra range of 2x, ATMO.

Your setup is solid, don’t bother changing it.

[Hilltopperny]

I have run a 40 tooth rear cassette with the new Ultegra gs on both double and 1x setups without issue.

Sent from my XT1650 using Tapatalk

[Bob Ross]

For the type of riding I do, 1x seems like a solution in search of a problem.

I'm using Shimano 105 (48/32 chainrings and 11-32 11-speed cassette). TRP mechanical disc brakes.

It works. It's fun. One of those two statments would have to cease to be true, and/or I would have to increase my dirt/gravel riding by ~300%, for me to even consider upgrades or changing anything.

[weisan]

Your setup is solid, don’t bother changing it.

took it out of my mouth.

[GregL]

If you're happy with your current set-up, ride and enjoy it! I don't compete (much) at cross anymore, but my impression is that dedicated cross bikes and gravel/all-road bikes are different animals. If I were racing cross regularly, I would use a 1X setup. For hilly gravel racing/riding, I like the tight gear ratios that a 2X setup allows. Pick the one that meets your needs and ride the heck out of it!

Greg

[seanile]

i am pretty happy with the setup. the shifter has stopped shifting (i think i have a spare around), and the rear derailleur's bushings are aging. so i'm considering a modest update to more modern functional parts.

as for use, i won't be racing anymore, and we don't have gravel roads in the boston metro area sadly. so it'll be for riding trails in the woods that don't quite need a mountain bike. for this i prefer fewer moving parts and less front/rear coordination for spots that demand lots of shifting.

edit: also thanks for the info on the GS derailleur, had no idea that was a thing

[Lewis Moon]

Raleigh RXC pro, Chorus 11, front der, 46/34, 175 cranks, Paul canti brakes, 12-27 cassette. I can and do ride this bike for everything, from MTB trails to fast road rides.

[kppolich]

Single Speed is the only true cyclo cross setup worthy of discussion.

[seanile]

Single Speed is the only true cyclo cross setup worthy of discussion.

wellll i've already got two of those :rolleyes:

[redir]

I used to run a 1x8 then I went to 1X9 and now I have a 2x10.

1x is a fine setup for a cross bike but I found that in the preseason I like to train on my cross bike on both dirt and roads so having a 48 tooth ring is nice. In a cross race I rarely use the big ring. Some course have interesting runs and I will use the front two rings as a 2-speed bike so to speak. Other times if there is long section of road I might use it.

[batman1425]

I've got a 10s x9 rear der in great shape if you are interested. White, non-clutch.

[jtbadge]

SRAM 10 speed shifters are still relatively affordable and common, should be easy to replace if it can't be repaired.

The X9 or other 10 speed clutch MTB RD is arguably better than the newer 11s Force 1/Rival 1/Apex 1 RDs because they can be used in conjunction with a front derailleur. Any of the derailleurs I just mentioned will also pair correctly with 10 OR 11 speed shifters + cassettes, which is nice.

[Gummee]

If you're running S10, any mtn rear derailleur up to 9sp Shadow derailleurs will work. That way you can run many many teeth in the back.

If you want to go S11, the RX800 is the clutched, mechanical road rear derailleur.

No to Shimano and pretty much any 1x specific stuff. They're still making their sponsored pros ride 2x in CX

HTH

M

[AJosiahK]

I have a canti CX. set up with Force 1x and Paul mini motos. Really solid setup and works great in all conditions.

If you like your setup and dont suffer from chain drop, keep it.

1x is good for CX but lacks smooth transition in terms of gear range. Specifically on road and or gravel.

The new shimano stuff, with clutches for 2x drivetrains is really appealing and probably works pretty great as well.

[Gummee]

THAT's what I'll do with my 'leftover' canti CX bike: I'll make it fixed or SS!

Got another project for the weekend

M

[hmai18]

For 'cross racing (Aug - Dec): 38 x 11-32 or 11-36, depending on the profile of the course.

For off-season base road miles (Jan - Feb): 42 x 11-32

For summer adventuring (Mar - Aug) 40 x 11-42

This will be my fourth season on 1x SRAM hydro. It's great for racing where I'm frequently on/off the bike or constantly sprinting out of corners, so the gap between ratios and not having to worry about dropping the chain with a poorly timed front shift.

For base miles and for adventuring, I've come to realize that I would really prefer a 2x set up with 46/30 x 11-32 for the closer ratios. In an ideal world, my next N+1 would be a dedicated gravel bike.

[sonicCows]

Single speed (38x18) and canti with TRP RevoX brakes