More talking about 1x

[bicycletricycle]

I have been running 1x for a bit now, these are my main conclusions. For reference my set up is 38t chainring 11x40t 11 speed cassette.

1. The gaps between the 11-13-15 are annoying when riding in the flats. When I am tired or when it is windy and I can't get my RPM right and it bothers me.

2. Going back to multiple shifters and rubbing front derailleurs somehow seems archaic.

Thinking about new bikes I find myself attracted to 1x set ups even though I think I will continue to find the gaps in the cassettes annoying. This isn't that important of a problem, I think it is kind of funny. Anybody else feel this way?

[Bentley]

Not sure what part of the 11/13/15 is annoying, but maybe a 40t chainring would help?

I run a big as a 44, so maybe a bit of experimenting

I found my biggest problem when I first started was not having a cassette bigger than a 32 ... some hills where no fun

[eBAUMANN]

Would those gaps change at all if you were to shift your gearing with a larger or smaller chainring? Different range cassette?

The only time I ever noticed something like this was the one time I rode a bike with a 50/34. It was infuriating.

I have 1x gravel/cx bikes with a 36, 40, and 42t chainrings, all with 10-42t out back.
Horses for courses...or something ha.

[bicycletricycle]

Because of math a 1 tooth gap is bigger at the bottom cassette than . The jump from 11-12 is much bigger than from 20-21. On doubles you spend more time in the middle of the cassette which tends to yield smaller jumps between gears. I could improve this with a bigger front ring but Then I would up the cassette ang increase the gaps between gears some more.

I might do a 12 speed with a bigger front ring. This would keep me out of the 11 or 13 cog a little and increase the cassette range without increasing gaps between the gears. Current bike won’t fit bigger ring though.

[nickl]

I have been running 1x for a bit now, these are my main conclusions. For reference my set up is 38t chainring 11x40t 11 speed cassette.

1. The gaps between the 11-13-15 are annoying when riding in the flats. When I am tired or when it is windy and I can't get my RPM right and it bothers me.

2. Going back to multiple shifters and rubbing front derailleurs somehow seems archaic.

Thinking about new bikes I find myself attracted to 1x set ups even though I think I will continue to find the gaps in the cassettes annoying. This isn't that important of a problem, I think it is kind of funny. Anybody else feel this way?

Talk to the guys on the former Aqua Blue team, they will probably try to steer you straight.

https://road.cc/content/tech-news/243853-aqua-blue-boss-lab-rat-thing-costing-us-results-so-was-he-talking-about

[bicycletricycle]

I have no doubt this is a totally crap idea for racing.

Talk to the guys on the former Aqua Blue team, they will probably try to steer you straight.

https://road.cc/content/tech-news/243853-aqua-blue-boss-lab-rat-thing-costing-us-results-so-was-he-talking-about

[nickl]

I have no doubt this is a totally crap idea for racing.

You are correct, but the pain/misery encountered by racers using 1x is also experienced by serious recreational riders during fast group rides, hilly centuries, hard solo efforts, etc.

[R3awak3n]

I have a 1x bike. Its fine if all you doing is hilly gravel but as soon as its groomes gravel or pavement 1x really sucks and I start missing 2x. And its just what you mention, you always seem to be in the wrong gear.

[Kyle h]

You are correct, but the pain/misery encountered by racers using 1x is also experienced by serious recreational riders during fast group rides, hilly centuries, hard solo efforts, etc.

I’m with you, I don’t get 1x. It makes no sense for the area I live but people are so eager to convert. I’ve never had issues with dropped chains or rubbing FD and especially not to the level that would make me consider going to half as many gears. No one ever rides extended periods of time at either end of the cassette so why would you want a groupset that prioritizes that over gears in the middle that actually get used?

[oldpotatoe]

I have been running 1x for a bit now, these are my main conclusions. For reference my set up is 38t chainring 11x40t 11 speed cassette.

1. The gaps between the 11-13-15 are annoying when riding in the flats. When I am tired or when it is windy and I can't get my RPM right and it bothers me.

2. Going back to multiple shifters and rubbing front derailleurs somehow seems archaic.

Thinking about new bikes I find myself attracted to 1x set ups even though I think I will continue to find the gaps in the cassettes annoying. This isn't that important of a problem, I think it is kind of funny. Anybody else feel this way?

Hmmm, so what bugs you more, your gearing when you ride or when you are sitting at home thinking about 'archaic' front ders??
I’m with you, I don’t get 1x. It makes no sense for the area I live but people are so eager to convert. I’ve never had issues with dropped chains or rubbing FD and especially not to the level that would make me consider going to half as many gears. No one ever rides extended periods of time at either end of the cassette so why would you want a groupset that prioritizes that over gears in the middle that actually get used?

What Kyle H said...

[AngryScientist]

I have 1x on one of my bikes too.

i have so many damned bikes that i did it just for something different.

mine is also 38t ring, 11-40 in the back, but 10 speed, friction shift, of course :)


i dont have a lot of miles on it, and realistically probably wont, but i think 1x is a nice change of pace from the 2x set-up. i agree with both of the OP assessments, imperfect gear jumps and nice to not have a FD to think about.

what's interesting now that most of my riding is 46/30 double, i keep it in the 46 most of the time, and if i'm in hilly terrain, there is always that thought in my mind of "how far do i push the 46, before i drop to the 30" - and it's somewhat cool to not have to ever think about shifting the front.

the rumor mill is strong with campy-13 1x. let's see what that looks like!

it will be disc for sure, so no-go for me, but can i friction shift a 13-gear block?? maybe!

[R3awak3n]

It really is nice to not have to think about the FD. Also so easy to clean. I will give it that it is better in mud, FDs are terrible in muddy conditions so 1x is king there.

[skouri1]

I mean, I get that 13 speed would give more gear options...
But seriously, 11 speed is even already a wealth of options. I dont think 1X is the future. for MTB yes definitely. Gravel, sure. (though I just checked and colin strickland rode a single 46t up front ! ) . Once youre on a road with any variety/ups/downs I cant see replacing the double.

[R3awak3n]

I mean, I get that 13 speed would give more gear options...
But seriously, 11 speed is even already a wealth of options. I dont think 1X is the future. for MTB yes definitely. Gravel, sure. (though I just checked and colin strickland rode a single 46t up front ! ) . Once youre on a road with any variety/ups/downs I cant see replacing the double.

I don't think it will either. Maybe when are at 15 speed. There are very few benefits of 1x on the road, its not much lighter, not that much more aero either.

[TheseGoTo11]

I used to think the think two-tooth jumps like 11-13-15 were annoying, too. Then I began riding a single speed MTB several times a week. Perspective has changed!

[Hilltopperny]

I am running my gravel bike with a 44t up front and 10-42 in the rear. I like it for that purpose and the simplicity it offers. I am not too finicky about too much with my gearing and after a season with this set up I am used to it.

I have tried a few different 1x rings up front on different bikes and prefer the 40-44 range unless it is on my mountain bikes. For good old fashioned road bikes I still prefer at least a double, but I could see a 1x system working with the proper gearing for non competitive cycling.


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[Dave M]

I’m running SRAM 1x on my gravel rig, 2x on everything else. I actually converted my gravel bike to run 1x, but I’m seriously thinking about changing it back for closer ratios and more top end gearing than my current 40x11 allows. Front derailleurs always seemed to work just fine for me. 1x seems like a solution in search of a problem.

[thirdgenbird]

I was wanting the simplicity of 1x on my last project, but after a lot of time doing comparisons, I went 2x12 Campagnolo.

http://www.gear-calculator.com/

The 1x13 rumors are interesting, but I suspect it won’t be available in a configuration compatible with my bike.

[merlinmurph]

I think that with 1x, you have to ride more casually, or less aggressively, otherwise you'll drive yourself nuts with the gaps. I don't see how a racer would put up with it unless the conditions are suitable somehow. For utilitarian-type riding like around the city, the simplicity of a 1x is a good option.

Even though my riding these days isn't as spirited as it was 25+ years ago, I still like the gear range of a 2x. The 46/30 crank I just installed is right in my wheelhouse.

Saying that, we're considering 1x on a bike for my wife - not sure, yet. She's a very casual rider who I don't think would mind the gaps at all.

[witcombusa]

I’m running SRAM 1x on my gravel rig, 2x on everything else. I actually converted my gravel bike to run 1x, but I’m seriously thinking about changing it back for closer ratios and more top end gearing than my current 40x11 allows. Front derailleurs always seemed to work just fine for me. 1x seems like a solution in search of a problem.


The problem is you can't sell most folks what they already have. So something else new and unneeded is brought to market. Repeat as required.

[Dave M]

There’s some truth to that!

The problem is you can't sell most folks what they already have. So something else new and unneeded is brought to market. Repeat as required.

[bicycletricycle]

The problem is you can't sell most folks what they already have. So something else new and unneeded is brought to market. Repeat as required.

To be fair , bikes have advanced in a lot of real ways and people don’t need a lot on enticement to buy new stuff. I think 1x drivetrains are really nice for lots of types of riding and represent a great advancement. I have ridden cobbled together 1x drivetrains for 25 years and the new wider range cassettes, narrow wide rings and clutch derailleur are a real improvement. It is easy to be cynical about things, I am all the time, but in this case I am not sure it warranted.

In general though, all these drivetrain types work great and you can have plenty of fun riding just about anything :)

[jtbadge]

I just converted my townie from 1x10 11-42t cassette/40t ring to 11-32t and 46/30 rings. Oddly enough I find I shift less in the 2x setup as I am not searching for the right cadence so much. And of course it is much quieter with less cross chaining and gaps between cogs.

[NHAero]

I ran my CAAD10 with a 11-34 HG800 11s cassette and it was fine for Martha's Vineyard. The Casati I picked up couple of months ago has 2x10 Campy and the range of gears is narrower.

With 46-34 on the Firefly and 44-33 on the Anderson (37 vs. 25mm tires) I am almost always in the big ring, running the same cassette mentioned above.

[witcombusa]

To be fair , bikes have advanced in a lot of real ways and people don’t need a lot on enticement to buy new stuff. I think 1x drivetrains are really nice for lots of types of riding and represent a great advancement. I have ridden cobbled together 1x drivetrains for 25 years and the new wider range cassettes, narrow wide rings and clutch derailleur are a real improvement. It is easy to be cynical about things, I am all the time, but in this case I am not sure it warranted.

In general though, all these drivetrain types work great and you can have plenty of fun riding just about anything :)

It's not cynical, there simply isn't anything wrong with FD shifting. I don't like giant pie plates out back when it makes much more sense to have smaller chainrings available. Hell, I still love triples... Why do people want bigger gear steps in their most used range?

[fogrider]

These are all the issues that I'm concerned with when I set up my gravel bike a few years ago. I wanted to give 1x a try, after running the numbers, I decided on 42 chainring with 11/32 cassette (remember this is 11 speed) this was fine for the road, but not enough low end of the dirt in the Bay Area. I then got a 38 chainring and 11/36 cassette. Now I spun out on the road and was still wanting more in the dirt. So, I finally got a xdr driver and 10/42 cassette. First I want to say the Sram cassette was shifting smooth! I'm running Shimano shifters and rear mech, so I was a little surprised that Sram cassette ran smother than the Shimano cassette. As for finding the right gearing, it seems like the terrain changes so quickly that its has not been an issue. I might feel differently once I get some miles on it, but for now, its all good.

In general 1x makes sense for gravel, not sure about on the road.

[Vientomas]

SRAM 1x 11 speed. 40 tooth chainring with 11-42 Sunrace cassette. Used for Forest Service dirt roads. Relatively flat pavement to the dirt, long climbs and descents on dirt and more relatively flat pavement at the end. 40 to 50 mile rides with about 3500 verts on average. Dirt sections are about 50% to 75% of the rides.

My pure road bikes are Campag 50/34 and 13-29.

The larger gaps between gears on the 1x don't bother me much when climbing. On the flats it's not ideal, but I can deal with it. I enjoy the simplicity of the 1x on the dirt, I just keep clicking away on the right shifter until I find the gear closest to what I need at the moment.

Overall I enjoy the 1x for the stated purpose. I would not want it on my dedicated road bikes as my rides on those bikes are usually greater distances with longer flat and rolling sections. Closer gear ratios under those circumstances are favored.

[weisan]

When I first bought my Ti gravel bike, it was set up with 1x. That lasted for about....hmm.....a week? before I "armstrong-ed" it with a downtube shifter to turn it into...not 1, not 2...but 3X! :p

Happy as a clam ever since.

http://alicehui.com/bike/rides/IMG_6053.jpg

http://alicehui.com/bike/rides/IMG_6052.jpg

http://alicehui.com/bike/rides/IMG_6057.jpg

http://alicehui.com/bike/rides/IMG_6058.jpg

[thirdgenbird]

When I first bought my Ti gravel bike, it was set up with 1x. That lasted for about....hmm.....a week? before I "armstrong-ed" it with a downtube shifter

It wasn’t just him. Jan and a number of others could be seen with a front downtube shifter on climbing stages. I’ve nearly done it on my Tommasini.

[jwin]

Folks with a 46/30. Do you feel like the gaps are more noticeable? Since compared to a compact you will be in the smaller rings in the back more often where the gaps are larger.

[HTupolev]

Folks with a 46/30. Do you feel like the gaps are more noticeable? Since compared to a compact you will be in the smaller rings in the back more often where the gaps are larger.
I don't actually have any bikes with 46-30, but to answer your question: it will depend on the setup and the rider's typical gear selection.

One of the main potential benefits of a smaller big ring is that it can put you in the 1-tooth jumps when you'd otherwise be in the 2-tooth jumps. For instance, you might be between 14-15 instead of 15-17 on a Shimano 11-speed 11-28 cassette.

Furthermore, since smaller big rings also tend to come with smaller inner rings, you can get away with a smaller big cog in back, and thus a tighter-spaced cassette.
For instance, 30-25 is actually a slightly lower ratio than 34-28. So if the low gear on a 50-34 11-28 setup was adequate, and you switch to a 46-30, you can switch to a tighter 11-25 cassette without giving up any low-end. So instead of being caught between 15-17 instead of 17-19, you might be comfortably in a 15-16-17 region instead of 17-19.

[robertbb]

For the above reason, I'm considering trying a GRX 48/31 setup on my next road bike. I've often felt a 48t big ring would be ample (even with a cassette starting at 12t) and the 31t seems like a great road-oriented climbing ring... slightly easier than the typical 32t inner ring of a sub-compact and still a bit more "road focused" than a 30t "gravel" inner ring.

The GRX 2x crank will work with any 11sp Shimano set-up provided you also use the GRX front derailleur. It can be pared, for example, with a standard 105/Ultegra/Dura Ace shifter and rear derailleur.

[oldpotatoe]

[QUOTE=weisan;2739713]When I first bought my Ti gravel bike, it was set up with 1x. That lasted for about....hmm.....a week? before I "armstrong-ed" it with a downtube shifter to turn it into...not 1, not 2...but 3X! :p

Happy as a clam ever since.
http://alicehui.com/bike/rides/IMG_6057.jpg

Elegant, you DO know yer missing a chainring bolt..eh?

[Hindmost]

...1x seems like a solution in search of a problem...

It solves problems associated with rear suspension, q factor and fat tires, and the type of riding that will throw the chain. Otherwise, it has the limitations that people are describing here.