Pics of a couple of my rigs with 1x9 set ups
Hi all,
I know this thread has been inactive a while but I thought I would chime in after reading through and hearing of CQPs similar use of the front derailuer as a chain guide
I have two of my rigs set up 1x9.
One is my 2008 Giant Anthem 0 set up 1x9 using the 32T middle chain ring from the original triple and the XT FD locked out as a chain guide. I have found this set up to be very reliable with the chain only ever coming off once in a couple of months with this bike used 3-4 times a week for singletrack fun.
The other is my Santa Cruz Chameleon hardtail. This one is very similar to above but I used a 34T raceface alloy single specific chainring as the original XT triple was knackered.
FD shifting has long been a real bain of my mtn bike riding experience with myself very rarely using anything but the middle ring anyway. I can honestly say I have never used the 22T granny ring on any of my bikes in all of the time I have been riding bikes.
Since going 1x9 I have not looked back, the flexibility of still having gears out the back is great for technical riding and longer rides and the maintenance is significantly reduced (not as good as my single speed but still great). Also great having that extra clearance for logs, step ups, rocky drops. Too date I have not smacked my front chainring on anything.
Chainline on both of these bikes with the FD chain guide is pretty darn good with the 34T equipped Chameleon not experiencing any rub at all and the Anthem only rubbing very slightly in the 32 x 11 combo which in reality I use very little as most of my riding is singletrack and fire trail is boring anyway. Both bikes run 32-11 9 speed cassettes out back (all SRAM on Anthem, all Shimano XT on the Chameleon)
Highly recommend it to anyone considering. It is easy to revert back to 3x9 if you keep your old bits and the meagre 400+ gram weight saving is actually a little more noticeable than I ever thought it would be as some of it has come off the rotating mass down below.
I am waiting on a 32T widget to replace the FD and old chainring on my Anthem and will keep you posted on how that compares. Interesting to see others views above.See pics below.



