For those that still run 2x and 3x systems only!

Anonymous

I'm thinking of upgrading my hardtail to a 2x11 system. Now many people may run a 11-42 cassette these days but has anyone tried getting the even larger cassettes to work with a 2x or 3x system? Like a 11-46 or even 11-50? I'd imagine you would need the longer sgs rear derailleur but did you need a goatlink or similar to make it work?

And one for the 2x crowd: If you want a bashguard do you buy the 3x crankset and just add the bash in the place of the 3rd chainring or do you buy a 2x specific crankset and use some other device as your bashguard? And if you do use the 3x crankset as a 2x is the chainline ok?

Thanks in advance for your help.

The Rookie

Getting sufficient mech capacity would be an issue as its outisde what any mech is designed to accomodate.

It also sounds like an illconceived idea anyway, an extra chainring only gives you an extra 2/3 gears at best (the rest are overlaps), unless you go for big chainrings the lowest gears will be so low they will be unusable as you won't be going fast enough to balance and you are increasing the gaps between ratios needlessly making it harder to find an ideal gear (its a trade off those using 1x accept) and will you really be riding at 50mph to justify the highest gear you would then get?

Even if it did work you would have a solution desperately seeking a problem.

mattyfez

I upgraded my 3x8 to 3x9.
I have all the gears, I feel drunk with power.

My front mech is a crap shimano Sis, but it refuses to break and my highly unfashionable sram tripple chain ring refuses to wear out.

If it ever wears out I'll reconsider my options.

Anonymous

Anyone feel like actually answering my questions?

cooldad

First you have to find someone running anything but 1x11. I don't know any.

The Rookie

MB77 wrote:

I'm thinking of upgrading my hardtail to a 2x11 system. Now many people may run a 11-42 cassette these days but has anyone tried getting the even larger cassettes to work with a 2x or 3x system? Like a 11-46 or even 11-50? .

Upgrading or just different?
Done it? No as its daft, its a solution looking for a problem to fix.

MB77 wrote:

And one for the 2x crowd: If you want a bashguard do you buy the 3x crankset and just add the bash in the place of the 3rd chainring or do you buy a 2x specific crankset and use some other device as your bashguard? And if you do use the 3x crankset as a 2x is the chainline ok?

You can use a 3x or a 2x, if you use a 3x as a 2x its slightly compromised on ideal chainline versus a 3x or 'proper' 2x in the highest gears, but really an issue, if you run a 3x as a 3x it gives the best chainline versus 2x or a 3x with 2 rings, but we are talking tiny differences so in reality, do it whichever way you want to.

trek_dan

Second hand bike I bought came with a double (26t small ring if I remember) and 11-42 cassette. The 26-42 was far too small a gear to actually be of any use. Even the first 3 changes down were basically slower than walking pace.