Mbuk say the front derailor is dying!

Daz555

1 ring up front and X rings at the back is all when and good for a narrow range of applications or for pro riders who change setup each and every race.

For me though I have one MTB and one setup and I need it to be able go everywhere and with the largest range of gears possible.

lawman

I think the big appeal is simplicity, its lighter, there's less to go wrong, without going XX1/X01 its cheaper than a conventional double or triple setup, and as there's no shifter there's less clutter when using a dropper post. I for one am yet a position for a reverb remote that feels as comfy as when it's under the bar where the front shifter used to be.

Granted if you do a lot of road miles or flat then a double may be better, but on an mtb used primarily off-road, I think the majority of people could benefit from it, if you think you're not fit enough for it, try it and you soon will be. I think it gets you fitter in less time than just crawling along in the granny gear.

I will admit to being very thankful of my granny gear when I did the CCC2CC, riding 40+ miles a day for 6 days was never going to happen on my current 1x setup, but as more and more dedicated 1x options become available, they'll become more and more viable for more people. The front mech is a way off dying completely, but it's likely to be come a lot less common in the next few years.

cooldad

I think the point sometimes missed is that there are lots of types of riders. For us old fat unfit bastards who are lucky to get out a few times a week, we are never going to be particularly fit or super strong, and don't really care.
Unfortunately we have to work most of the time to subsidise your student loans.

BigAl

cooldad wrote:

I think the point sometimes missed is that there are lots of types of riders. For us old fat unfit bastards who are [b[lucky to get out a few times a week[/b], we are never going to be particularly fit or super strong, and don't really care.
Unfortunately we have to work most of the time to subsidise your student loans.

I'm lucky to get out once a week at this time of year! Kids, job, wife, lack of daylight.
The rest is on the money though I'm not fat.

lawman

cooldad wrote:

I think the point sometimes missed is that there are lots of types of riders. For us old fat unfit bastards who are lucky to get out a few times a week, we are never going to be particularly fit or super strong, and don't really care.
Unfortunately we have to work most of the time to subsidise your student loans.

There will be types it doesn't suit for sure, but I honestly think more people would be surprised if they gave it a go. I might be relatively young, but I too only get out once a week, with work and bike related issues I haven't ridden for a month, and in no way super fit or strong. Maybe I'm just one of those that care about getting fitter and riding faster and better, I get some people aren't like that though, as you say age and beer can take it's toll on fitness and will to get fitter.

And just to make you feel better about working, once I've topped up what remains of my loan I'm going to blow it on a new bike, and chuck on the XTR groupset I won over christmas too

The Rookie

The point most people miss is that a triple only gives you 2 extra gears at the top end and about 2.5 at the bottom, yes they may be all the extra gears you need, but it's not like you lose 18/20!

cooldad

lawman wrote:

cooldad wrote:

I think the point sometimes missed is that there are lots of types of riders. For us old fat unfit bastards who are lucky to get out a few times a week, we are never going to be particularly fit or super strong, and don't really care.
Unfortunately we have to work most of the time to subsidise your student loans.

There will be types it doesn't suit for sure, but I honestly think more people would be surprised if they gave it a go. I might be relatively young, but I too only get out once a week, with work and bike related issues I haven't ridden for a month, and in no way super fit or strong. Maybe I'm just one of those that care about getting fitter and riding faster and better, I get some people aren't like that though, as you say age and beer can take it's toll on fitness and will to get fitter.

And just to make you feel better about working, once I've topped up what remains of my loan I'm going to blow it on a new bike, and chuck on the XTR groupset I won over christmas too

As long as it's being spent sensibly, I am happy, and feel much better thanks.
Most of the people I ride with do seem to have gone 1x9/10/whatever. And put on fashionably wide bars, gone tubeless, some have even regressed to the stone age and gone rigid single speed.

I'm keeping my granny, tubes and bouncy bits, although I did ditch the big ring a long time ago.

lawman

cooldad wrote:

lawman wrote:

cooldad wrote:

I think the point sometimes missed is that there are lots of types of riders. For us old fat unfit bastards who are lucky to get out a few times a week, we are never going to be particularly fit or super strong, and don't really care.
Unfortunately we have to work most of the time to subsidise your student loans.

There will be types it doesn't suit for sure, but I honestly think more people would be surprised if they gave it a go. I might be relatively young, but I too only get out once a week, with work and bike related issues I haven't ridden for a month, and in no way super fit or strong. Maybe I'm just one of those that care about getting fitter and riding faster and better, I get some people aren't like that though, as you say age and beer can take it's toll on fitness and will to get fitter.

And just to make you feel better about working, once I've topped up what remains of my loan I'm going to blow it on a new bike, and chuck on the XTR groupset I won over christmas too

As long as it's being spent sensibly, I am happy, and feel much better thanks.
Most of the people I ride with do seem to have gone 1x9/10/whatever. And put on fashionably wide bars, gone tubeless, some have even regressed to the stone age and gone rigid single speed.

I'm keeping my granny, tubes and bouncy bits, although I did ditch the big ring a long time ago.

Have to get the priorities right! A lot of the "new" kit out imo does improve the bike slightly, but there are other that really don't, Press Fit BB's, direct mount front mechs, Giant's stupid Overdrive 2 forks and BB30 are just some the things that really offer nothing but hassle.

Angus Young

I've got three rings on my old Trek clunker but, as I'm on a fitness drive the granny is out of bounds. I'm getting to the top in the middle ring even if it kills me! On the other end I rarely outpace the middle ring so the big ring gets little use so a 1x would probably suit me fine. In fact, given the weight I'd save there's only upside for me.

Chunkers1980

people seem to forget the wear spread.

Also chainline compensation if for example you are doing a lot of climbing, you'll have a better chainline in a granny.

The Rookie

Chunkers1980 wrote:

people seem to forget the wear spread.

You mean wait three times as long and then replace all three......doesn't sound like much of a saving to me!

Chunkers1980

You can look at it that way.

Buying 3 rings is better value than buying the one so you do!

And like I said better chainlines mean less wear. 1x - climbing and down a hill is always a comprmised line.

njee20

I disagree. The chainline in the inner ring and the largest cassette sprockets may be better, but that's not the same gear as you'd be in with a single ring - you'd be lower down the block, so crossed over, or you'd be in the middle ring and the top of the block, which is exactly the same chain line...

Non issue IMO, I've found transmissions lasting far longer with single ring than double.

lawman

njee20 wrote:

I disagree. The chainline in the inner ring and the largest cassette sprockets may be better, but that's not the same gear as you'd be in with a single ring - you'd be lower down the block, so crossed over, or you'd be in the middle ring and the top of the block, which is exactly the same chain line...

Non issue IMO, I've found transmissions lasting far longer with single ring than double.

Agreed, I wore out my old double chainrings in a year, ending up with them being worn to the point they threw me over the bars and sliding down a fire road on my face at 20mph... similar mileage on my first single chainring and it was still fine, I only replaced because I wanted a newer narrow/wide one. Since I now tend to swap my entire drivetrain, chain, cassette, chainrings when they're starting to play up due to wear, single ring is cheaper, a set of XT chainrings are nearly £100 compared to the £30 odd for a quality single chainring