Originally Posted by
Happy Feet
You seem to be over complicating things by trying to suggesting some choices come with compromises as if others do not. All choices come with pros and cons. It's just up to the end user to determine which pros and cons best suit their needs/wants.
Bolding is mine.
Once again, no one said your choices, for you, were wrong.
Just a note on your responses: It's easier to quote you if you use quotes rather than respond like you did. I have to cut and past your responses so that I can quote you correctly.
I suspect the fat bike is under geared because no one considered using it as a touring bike when designed. But never the less, Shimano didn't determine anything as an easily ordered 11/42 cassette just arrived in the mail yesterday and awaits it's place on the fat bike. I know what I'll be doing over Christmas.
The 11/42 cassette isn't necessarily "easily replaced". It would depend on the gearing system that the current bike has. The derailer with the capacity for a 36 tooth low doesn't necessarily have the capacity to do a 42 tooth low. I've been down that path myself.
I am going to suggest the differential is just because you are used to one system. If you spent time riding the 2x system it would also, become natural. Sometimes we make too big a deal out of what we perceive as "optimal" conditions.
I don't ride 2x systems
because of the large differential. I have zero interest in changing from a system with a good selection of gears to a system with a poor selection of gears. Why would I? Again, I don't adopt new technology unless it is better than the old stuff.
Not really sure what you said there but you seem to gloss over the fact that the older 3x systems you prefer came with cassettes that maxed out at 36T. The newer 1x and 2x systems can come with 42T+ so it's not a straight across comparison. In the example they are comparing race oriented bikes so they have narrow range cassettes. But yes, you can add a wider range cassette to your triple.. apparently you are suggesting Shimano and SRAM don't dictate what you can use.
The cassettes are only maxed out by the derailer. There is nothing that keeps me from using the same derailer on a 3x system as what is used on a 2x system. I have just that arrangement on my current off-road bike. I have a 10 speed SRAM GX that has a 36 tooth capacity on my YBB with a 44/34/20 and an 11-36 10 speed on it. SRAM will probably tell you that it can't be done but it works wonderfully. The range is dictated by the derailer, not the shifter. I did have a SRAM XO 9 speed rear derailer on the system but it couldn't handle the 10 speed cassette.
On another bike, I actually have an 11-36 9 speed cassette (which are harder to find). It has a Shimano XTR 9 speed rear derailer that will only take a 34 tooth cassette. I added a Wolftooth Road Link (with a fair amount of file surgery to make it fit the Cannondale hanger) to give it the 36 tooth capacity. I could do the same to get a 42 tooth capacity on the YBB if I wanted but a 13" low gear might be guilding the lily a bit too much. A 15" gear is already ridiculously low compared to what Shimano says is possible.
SRAM and Shimano dictate what I can use by saying that I can't do what I have done. They also don't offer what I have done without going to extraordinary measures. For the triple, I have to use old triple fronts shifters and derailers because SRAM and Shimano don't offer those choices.
In fact, one of the things I find odd about current bicycling is that we are in an era when people are putting motors on bicycle to make them easier and/or faster to ride while at the same time making bikes
without motors harder and/or slower to ride. From a marketing standpoint, there should be value in offering "normal people" the kind of gearing that I have to cobble together from bits and pieces from here and there and/or modify to make them work.