Settling the 2x10 vs 3x10 debate?

TheRealGuybrush

Just made this up after having an hour long conversation with a customer today about 2x10 vs 3x10. Thought it would be useful for almost everyone having the same debate?

https://www.dropbox.com/s/zu1bxkr5fg7h3qk/Gear%20Ratios.jpg

I've been generous and only highlighted gears with ratios within 0.1 and considered anything over 0.2 as an additional gear.

Let me know what you think!

EDIT: Adjusted for similar gearing over different cassette rings and moved to colours for overlap clarity.

cooldad

The colours are quite pretty but I prefer flats over SPD's.

supersonic

It only shows figures: it doesn't show how we use gears. They are accurate, but consider this:

My favoured gearset is a 9 or 10 by 3, with a 32 middle ring. I use the middle ring most of the time, and the other two when I need the very lowest and highest gears. If I use a twin ring set I miss the 32 ring, as I change more at the front. This makes things worse for me!

There is nothing to settle for me, is personal preference.

gt-arrowhead

supersonic wrote:

There is nothing to settle for me, is personal preference.

Thats so true. Like you only use the middle ring at the front, but for me thats like "WTF?" i never ever ever use the smallest 2 rings. I guess it just depends on where you cycle mostly and just how you personally like it. I only use the large ring with my 7 gears at the back. hence why i want a single at the front with the mech always in the same place. i dont think you can really get too much info out of those charts, it all depends on what you like pretty cool though.

RevellRider

What you also forget, is the 32t middle chainring has been around for so long most suspension bikes are designed around this with pivot placement.

Also, some single pivot bikes can't run 2x10 drivetrains.

ride_whenever

1*11

I plan on having two 1*11 bikes by the end of the summer. XX1 on the carbon 456 and i've already got the alfine 11 on the 456 with the lefty.

njee20

Odd choice of ratios on the triple too - standard is 22/32/44 or 24/32/42 on Dynasis triples.

tarbot18

I have a 22 and 32 up front as i wasnt using the biggest ring and i spend most of my time on the 32, only using the granny 22 on big climbs but again no right or wrong way different strokes an all that......

Levi_501

Bring back 3x8!

raldat

Levi_501 wrote:

Bring back 3x8!

Nothing wrong with 3x8. I am still using it and it works jut fine. I am never short of a gear. Sure it is a bit heavy, but at least my replacement parts are dirt cheap since you can't physically buy the expensive stuff for them anymore .

cycleclinic

Those gear ratio's don't make sense a 42T:11T gear ratio is 42/11 = 3.81:1 So how have you worked out 8.3. Is that 8.3:1?

dv69

thecycleclinic wrote:

Those gear ratio's don't make sense a 42T:11T gear ratio is 42/11 = 3.81:1 So how have you worked out 8.3. Is that 8.3:1?

They all seem to be out by a factor of about 2.18 which is approximately 24/11. I don't know what that is supposed to show. This site has correct ratios:
http://www.bikecalc.com/gear_ratios

dv69

cyd190468 wrote:

2.18 the circumference of a wheel in metres. I assume he's talking rollout.

Maybe. 2.18m circumference would be 27.3" diameter which would presumably be based on a particular tyre. Approx. 2.4" wide based on this: http://www.schwalbetires.com/tech_info/tire_dimensions

cooldad

cooldad wrote:

The colours are quite pretty but I prefer flats over SPD's.

bennett_346

But SPDs make you faster according to the MBUK i was reading on the bog this morning. If future plc published it then it must be true given they're impartial testing...

cooldad

They must have been red SPD's obviously.

bennett_346

No they were tubeless SPD's im pretty sure.

mrmonkfinger

bennett_346 wrote:

No they were tubeless 29er SPD's im pretty sure.

FTFY

The Rookie

mrmonkfinger wrote:

No they were wide bar tubeless 29er SPD's im pretty sure.

You guys all miss the real go faster mod!

toasty

What does this settle?

1x9 is 0% overlap and is lighter than of any of those, does that mean it wins? How do you gauge "better"?

The Rookie

The best gearing is the one that gives YOU all the gears you NEED, so that depends on YOU, were YOU RIDE and HOW you ride! Having a calculator helps with deciding, nothing more.....

ZMC886

People say 'hey I've got 27 gears, but you've only got 9'. I say 'technically yes, but you've actually got 13 gears, cos a shitload of them are the same as each other'.

Chunkers1980

Which is a good thing as my gears wear out slower.

toasty

But cost more to replace? :P

Chunkers1980

No. Say granny £10, middle £20 (ring used in 1x9) and outer £30 then you average out at the same as a middle and the rest is the same, but you use each of the cogs at the rear more than in a single front setup this spreading the wear.

The Rookie

Chunkers1980 wrote:

you use each of the cogs at the rear more than in a single front setup this spreading the wear.

Dosn't compute as the majority of the overlaps with multi ring are towards the middle of the cassette, so you're more likley to wear them out early on a triple than any particular sprocket with a 1x.....

njee20

Definitely agree with the Beginner there, cassette wear is reduced with 1x10 as you use the entire cassette. I've noticed chains last longer too, presumably because you avoid the nasty chainlines.

Chunkers1980

And? It is how you use them. The smaller a cog the more quickly it will wear.

So if you ride the same stuff, use 32/11 a lot then using 44/15 will have a similar effect. Depends on the cassette ratios you use too.

toasty

but you use each of the cogs at the rear more than in a single front setup

I'd have said the opposite to be honest, cassette/chain wear is far more of an issue than chainrings as well.

If I were using 3x10 and coming up to a big hill, I'd be tempted to go down to granny on the front, then hop up to a harder gear on the back to compensate. Odds are I'll not even get to easiest on the cassette.

On 1x10 you rely on using every gear.

spongtastic

mrmonkfinger wrote:

No they were wide bar tubeless 29er rigid singlespeed SPD's im pretty sure.

But these fly on an air of smugness!