Single chainset obsession?

nathanm

Eats Squid
God knows why we need 20 or 30 gears. Or even 11 or 12 for that matter.

If I can't get up a hill with my 1x8 it shouldn't be climbed really. They're known as push bikes for a reason.
pretty much this.

Think about what gears you use on a normal ride. For me it's the first three (30-42) and then maybe 16t on the descents. How many cassette's do you see with worn out granny gears but others seemingly untouched.

i too never saw the point of 1x, or tubeless or 15mm etc until I started using them. Though I am bemused by the continual increase in rear cassette range beyond a descent chainline. Imagine when we get 1x16 then someone comes out with this new tech 2x8 and everyone stops breaking chains.
 

Live2DieTrying

Likes Bikes and Dirt
I think also frames with rear suspension have partially driven 1x.
Think about the extra chain you need for suspension growth, and then how slack it goes while down in the granny gear. And the long cage derailleur!!
But.. now medium and long cage rear mechs are popular again... :/
 

gillyske

Likes Dirt
I think also frames with rear suspension have partially driven 1x.
Think about the extra chain you need for suspension growth, and then how slack it goes while down in the granny gear. And the long cage derailleur!!
But.. now medium and long cage rear mechs are popular again... :/
Not to mention lower BB heights.

imagine a modern enduro bike with a 46t granny going through a rock garden
 

gillyske

Likes Dirt
You mean 50t....You’re talking about 98% of bikes these days.
i meant the chainring being 46t and interfering with ground clearance. FS bikes are quite low to the ground when bottomed out, i imagine one with a 46t front chainring would be like 2mm off the ground.
 

moorey

call me Mia
i meant the chainring being 46t and interfering with ground clearance. FS bikes are quite low to the ground when bottomed out, i imagine one with a 46t front chainring would be like 2mm off the ground.
Ah right. A granny up front is small.
 

rowdyflat

chez le médecin
Will say it for the 5th x in 5 years .
We are all different and need different gearing .
Some live in flat areas , some hilly , some fit some fat , some 15 yo , some 65+ yo.
I have 1x , 2x , 3x .
Have found 1x good for frames with big rear tyres otherwise front derailleur hits tyre in granny.
 

slider_phil

Likes Bikes and Dirt
Unless I'm riding on the road or towards to end of a very big day on the bike, I'm happy with the range of modern 1x MTB. It's less complex, simple to setup and pleasing to the eye.

The biggest downside these days is cassette weight (cue gearbox aficionados chiming in right here), but if you buy your drivetrain smartly you'll buy a high end cassette and a mid range derailleur/shifter as all weight is in that chunk of metal out back.
 

rowdyflat

chez le médecin
It's less complex, simple to setup
Definitely this , no front derailleur is a big plus cos I think setting it up is one of the trickier things .
OTOH I have stayed with Shimano normal rear derailleurs +longer B screw +26 /30 x 11-40 , avoid SRAM will never go for 50T pizza dishes on the rear.
 

slider_phil

Likes Bikes and Dirt
I thought the same re dinner plate cassettes. But every time I've got up I've found myself using it every now and again to keep the watts from going too high on bigger days. Going up in chainring size increases drivetrain efficiency too so as you go up in the rear, you can go a bigger chainring for the same low gear and you'll save Watts there too. You know, if you're into that kinda thing
 
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