1 x 9 ? and the biggest rear cassette ever ?

SideFX

SideFX

Likes Bikes and Dirt
Ok , well i had a look around the pages of the AM threads and didnt find what i was looking for .
I was wonting to know how many people are running 1x9 on there am ride . I can see some real benefits like good weight reduction , less noise and no chain loss .
I have a nomad and its grate . I have a dh bike so this is my AM ride , the weight lose would be good and im finding i don`t really need the grany gear but it would be good to have the lighter gear a tad lighter . What are some of the options in cassette sizing and what sizes are compatible with med cage rear mecks medium . Cheers ,Damo .
 
Squidly Didly

Squidly Didly

Has Been
Staff member
1x9 fan over here. Not too fussed on the weight reduction but it's nice not having the chain drop over the rough stuff. Used to run the MRP 1x guide but this dropped the chain heaps. Have since gone a Widgit and despite the weight gain over the MRP, the chain hasn't dropped once. Am running a 34t up front with an 11-32t rear + med cage mech. You can get 36t cass with long cage mechs, but if you really need this low a gear, may as well stick with a 2x9 setup.
 
Gripo

Gripo

Eats Squid
9spd 12-39t Cass possible

There was an article in Mountain Biking Australia some 18+ months ago where they modded the 9 speed 11-32 XT/XTR cassette (11 - 12 - 14 - 16 - 18 - 21 - 24 - 28 - 32) to get a light 12-36 cassette using the 36t from a SLX.....

They removed the 36t from the SLX's spider and placed it behind the XT/XTR 32t and removed the 11t and put a 12t lockring on, my old age is getting to me but I think there was also a 2-3mm spacer in there too.

This got me thinking what you've just asked.....and yes you can go lower than 36t

I ordered a 39t Ti cog from Actiontec in the USA and did the same......had a 12-39t cassette.

There are no ramps on the Actionec cogs but that never seemed to matter, I always had it shift cleanly is the 12 months of riding on that cassette and besides I never used it that often, maybe a dozen times a ride.

By they way, something that might be critical should you want to try it is the rear derailluer.....I only ever tried it with the Shadow 9Spd XT/XTR's.

And just in case someone asks about 10spd......it's not possible (unless you want to engineer it) because Shimano have changed the offset/spider arrangement on their 10 spd cassettes.
 
madridingengineer

madridingengineer

Likes Dirt
Hey mate.

Im running a 1x9 setup on my 2007 Giant reign X0.

Ive got a 32t front ring with an E13 chain guide. No problems there, never dropped a chain or had problems with the way it feeds. It just looks a bit 'big' as 32t is the very smallest chain ring it will work with. But apart from that its sweet

Im running a 34-11 cassette out the back which gives me a low gear with a ratio just under 1:1 for the steep climbs. Ive found that i tend to run out of legs in the really long climbs (15mins+ of constant grinding) but thats my fitness more than anything ideally i would like to get to running a 34t front ring as my fitness improves so i could get a slightly taller 'fast' gear, but in saying that ive never cranked out in top gear even with riding some fast track in Nerang/Mt joyce etc etc.

I reckon its worth at least a try. I went with this setup because im familiar with it and have never had a problem on my DH bike and it keeps everything simple and tidy and i hate/really hate dropping chains and worrying about dropping chains while descending.

Also another unexpected result of this setup was a much higher chain ring. I never seem to hit anything with my chain rings now even with those tall log roll overs... another plus.

hope this helps
Cheers
 
SouthYarraSage

SouthYarraSage

Likes Dirt
I'd just add - get a proper chain guide with retention at the bottom as well as the top. Those light / cheap XC-style top-only guides suck ass, as my swollen and bloody knee will attest.
 
G

gchand05

Squid
I have a Jamis parker (Porker) II at 16kegs and I run a 36 front with e13 and a 11-32 rear. It destroys me on the climbs but I can ride everything in Glenrock which is quite hilly. I've got a 11-34 coming to get an easy lowest gear. The 36 up front is ok. I never have problems on the dirt with running out of gears and it never drops. Might even eventually try 34 to get a 1 to 1 ratio. Weight shouldn't be to much of an issue. There is only a couple of grams difference in a middle range cassettes to an xt/xtr and its in the middle of the wheel anyway.

I don't think you can get cassettes other than 11-32 or 11-34 in say an xt or SRAM 990 9 sp's. Never considered modding though.

Myn's a med cage too!
 
C

Capt.Gumby

Likes Dirt
Andrei said:
I agree with above. 1 x 10 works great (or grate even) ;)

I'm running a 32t widgit with an 11-36 xt cassette on my AM rig and it works like a charm.
Click to expand...
Must agree, was running a widgit 32t with a 9 speed cassette 34/11. Now running the widgit with a 10 speed 36/11. The 36 rear has made life a little easier with the tougher climbs.

The widgit is a great peice of kit and wholly recommend it. Yet to drop a chain, lightweight and simple.
 
Gripo

Gripo

Eats Squid
Andrei said:
I agree with above. 1 x 10 works great (or grate even) ;)

I'm running a 32t widgit with an 11-36 xt cassette on my AM rig and it works like a charm.
Click to expand...
10 spd.......

Pretty much gave up the 12-39t 9spd special cassette I made when 10spd and the Widgit arrived.

I ran 28t Widgit and the 11-36t cassette for over 12months (and never had the Widgit drop a chain).....

I've just gone back to 2 up front due to living on the Great Divide nowadays?
 
SideFX

SideFX

Likes Bikes and Dirt
Wow ,I`v never seen a widgit before , does anyone know a rough price and where to buy ?
 
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