Cheapest way to go 1 x 10 (or is 2 x 10 better)?

joebristol

Hi there guys, I've already got a Boardman Pro FS trail bike as my main bike - it's a 2 x 10 with I think 28 / 42 front chainrings and a 12-36 10 speed cassette. It's all SRAM X9 I believe.

Now bought myself a small hardtail frame (of unknown manufacture - I got it cheap from eBay with a few ropey components on it which are going back on eBay / in the bin) and thinking about groupsets.

I want to spend as little as possible, so 11 speed I think is out the window. I'm either going to run it as a double or single chainring. The bike will be used for popping to the shops / messing about on pump tracks and jumps / maybe the occasional ride at a trail centre when I'm with mates that are really slow on their full sussers.

I'd like a clutch mech, and I'm not fussy whether I go with SRAM or Shimano. On my current bike I spend most of my time in on the 28 ring at the front and fully use the cassette range. I figure if I went 32 front / 11-36 on the back I'd be ok at high speeds, but would lose my easiest gears.

Thoughts? Am I better going 2 x 10 - or to keep it simple should I go 1 x 10 and use an extender ring at the back, or one of these new cassettes in 10 speed that offer either a 40 or 42 ring at the back?

If 1 x 10 I think SLX might be the cheapest clutch mech available - which leaves me with the conundrum of which crank to get for 1 chainring. I don't have a current crank - so to keep it cheap do I buy a lower range tripe (with a 104bcd middle ring) and junk the granny and the big ring, or do I buy a dedicated single ring setup (like a Zee)?

My main outcome here is to keep it cheap!

(other components on the bike are HS33 Magura rim brakes and some '98 Bomber Z1 Bams. Keeping an eye out for some strong rimmed wheels on the cheap - something like a Mavic D521 rim would be ideal.

Thanks

kajjal

Just think about which gearing you need for where you are going to ride it. If 1 x 10 covers it then you will be fine. I use 2 x 10 due to doing mostly xc riding with a few trail centres.

crazymac680

I'm running a 10 speed slx clutch mech long cage with a sunrace mx3 http://www.tritoncycles.co.uk/component ... tte-p14800
It's been great over the last 3 months.

The Rookie

I'm running 1x9, so no damping on the mech, narrow wide ring, never lost the chain....am in the process of getting the parts to go 1x10 using an MX3 cassette using the same mech.

cooldad

9 speed mech is not working on a 10 speed cassette/shifter without a bodge.

The Rookie

You bit, I'm disappointed in you.......No bodge, just using a Shimano 10 speed shifter exactly as its meant to be used.

Before you call me out and I then embarrass you, have a think before replying.........

cooldad

As you referred to your 9 speed mech in your post, clarification on which the second referred to would have helped. If it was ambiguous to someone really clever like me, most of these monkeys would have been rather dazed.

Or perhaps they are used to interpreting semi literate posts.

The Rookie

I am using a 9 speed XTR mech now, I will be using that same 9 speed mech with a 10 speed (MX3) cassette and chain and with a 10 speed Shimano shifter* - all put together just as Shimano state in their manuals, there was no ambiguity in my post at all - both were clear and concise and not at all semi-literate.

*Not all Shimano 10 speed shifters are dyna-sis remember.

cooldad

Way to confuse people...

The Rookie

The Rookie wrote:

I'm running 1x9, so no damping on the mech, narrow wide ring, never lost the chain....am in the process of getting the parts to go 1x10 using an MX3 cassette using the same mech.

Nothing confusing there, I am going 1x10 using the same 9speed mech - with a 10 speed shifter designed to work with that mech,

cooldad

It is possibly confusing to someone with '98 Bombers.

Or, as in my case '96 Judys

The Rookie

Well yes, but on that basis the concept of 1x, 9 speed and hydraulic discs would confuse you.

cooldad

I look forward to seeing those miracles in the future.

kajjal

You are both dinosaurs we are all on 1 x12 plus sized bikes now........

The Rookie

We don't need plus sized bikes as we aren't plus sized riders......

kajjal

The Rookie wrote:

We don't need plus sized bikes as we aren't plus sized riders......

bendertherobot

Not MTB but I use a non clutch SLX with my SLX 10 speed shifter and a Hope Retainer ring. No issues with it coming off (over loads of bouncy CX courses)