Originally Posted by
hhk25
What DeadGrandpa said - you lose the FD, cables and shifter. Simplifies the setup. I guess you get some weight savings too. I'm never going to use the high gear off road although I might regret the loss of climbing capability when fully loaded.
I've got 700x32 on there now and I think 38s would fit with some clearance at the fork. I'm hoping I can get 47s on with 650b wheels.
Ok. I asked why get rid of your current drivetrain because in general, the wider range of gearing will help when you when carrying gear bikepacking and also because wider tires effectively make gearing more difficult. And a 3x drivetrain is an easy way to get that wider range on the low end. A simple swap to a Sugino XD600 crank with 46/36/26 rings would give you all the range you need and eliminate the higher gearing you mention you will never use.
Not trying to talk you out of 1x, just curious since you already have a capable drivetrain in place. Going 1x certainly makes sense, given your ideals.