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1x Gearing: I hate when the facts get in the way of a good project

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Cyclocross and Gravelbiking (Recreational) This has to be the most physically intense sport ever invented. It's high speed bicycle racing on a short off road course or riding the off pavement rides on gravel like : "Unbound Gravel". We also have a dedicated Racing forum for the Cyclocross Hard Core Racers.

1x Gearing: I hate when the facts get in the way of a good project

Old 12-18-19, 01:00 AM
  #26  
Bryan C. 
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Originally Posted by grolby
I wouldn’t go that far. Sure it could have a place there. It just depends on your wants and priorities. I’m a cross racer who occasionally dabbles in gravel racing. Both of my cyclocross bikes these days are 1x10. When I decided on a whim this summer to race the Overland, I kept the 42 tooth chainring up front and swapped out the 12-30 cassette for an 11-36. And that actually worked fine. For climbing, I was actually better off than the two previous times I’d done this event with a double, with a 38x25 and then a 38x30 low gear (I do NOT recommend the former, by the way). I wouldn’t climb up on a soap box and declare that 42x11-36 is all anyone should ever want for a mountainous gravel event or even that it would be what I would choose if I were building a bike for gravel from the ground up. I don’t even think a “do-everything” bike is actually really possible anymore these days, or if it is it’s not a good idea. But in that spirit, wouldn’t you expect a do-everything bike to do some things better and some things a bit worse? It turns out my 1x bikes can race cross or they can race gravel. They’re a bit better at the former than the latter. It’s all very conditional, I happen to care more about cyclocross capability and I’m fortunate to be fit enough that 42x36 is an acceptable low gear. But bikes are very individual. It’s hard to categorically rule anything out.
There's no way I could make that gearing work for me. I run a 1x on my Diverge. Started with a 40t front with a 10-42 cassette. Worked ok but I wanted better climbing, went to 36x42 low, then a 36x46, then 34x46 because the cassette was too gappy for more mixed terrain. And now I'm running a 34x42 low. Getting closer to what works best for me at 225 lbs and steepish terrain.

My point about a do it all bike is more about people who need their gravel bikes to be fast on the road but somehow still want it to climb the steep grades off road. I can see why some or most people would want this but I have the luxury of multiple bikes to choose from for different type rides. This allows me to build a bike better suited to a particular environment. Not to say a well rounded bike is bad in any way but a 1x system is a bit limiting if that is what you want.

I'll keep my 2x road bike and 2x hybrid as they work extremely well. But when it comes to riding off pavement I want a 1x drivetrain. The ability to shift quickly under moderate to heavy loads makes it a must have IMHO. I just wish there was an affordable wide range 1x12 groupset for drop bar bikes.
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Old 12-18-19, 08:24 PM
  #27  
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10t will help.
Sunrace has a 10-46t for 11sp

I run a 44t with 10-42t on Sram Rival on a 650b bike, either on 42mm or 28mm tires.
Bike is mainly catered for touring and some stand in 'road bike' use.
For road use, I think the setup is adequate, keeping up with the guys on roadbikes.
Pushing 44t with 10t at the back isn't that easy on individual effort for 30mins or more.
For an unloaded bike, 44t/42t is great, but for loaded touring, I will have to swap out for a 38t or lower.


I don't actually find 1x suited for more agressive road riding though.
The jump in gearing is too great and that "muscle shock" hard to get around when the peleton surges or attacks.
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Old 12-31-19, 02:15 PM
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The OP's thinking may be backwards; my 2x bike would be my dedicated climber for reasons mentioned already. My 1x bike would be my "compromise" bike for general riding where I get close to the range of my 2x but (not quite) and I'm happy to suffer a bit more on climbs and take it easy (coast) on the descents.
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Old 01-13-20, 01:19 PM
  #29  
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Can't you just get a cassete with a 50t big cog to improve your climbing gear?
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