Boxsterboy

Currently have a 2017 Trek Verve 2 with the 3x8 drivetrain. Would like to upgrade to 1x10 like on the FX4(Tiagra). My LBS says it would cost $400-500. If I do that I'll still have about $1,000 in a bike that I really like. Any comments appreciated.

mack_turtle

looks like you'll need to replace the following:

• crankset and bottom bracket. the existing one has chainrings that are not removable or replaceable, so you'll need a crankset that allows for that, and a bottom bracket for the crankset that sets the chainline appropriately.
• 10 speed cassette
• 10 speed chain
• 10-speed shifter
• brake levers- your existing brake levers are integrated with the shifters, so you have to replace both
• rear derailer compatible for 10-speed and compatible with the shifter

I would expect all that to cost more than $500 at standard retail prices and the labor is time-consuming to do the whole conversion.
before you get to deep into this, why go 1x10? there are applications where 1x drivetrains are great, but the advantaged are often over-stated.

Boxsterboy

Mack thanks for your reply! I currently only use the 38T middle sprocket. The Altus rear deraillear is not all that good. My thinking was since I only need the one sprocket why not simplify what I have with better components. I haven't tested drove one but I've heard the 10T Tiagra set up is buttery smooth. Definitely will check it before I go down this road.

mack_turtle

according to the experts in this thread, you're WRONG! https://www.bikeforums.net/bicycle-m...e-gearing.html

hokiefyd 

You have a number of options. You (or your bike shop) can purchase a complete Microshift 10s drivetrain (Advent X) for about $150-170. That's the shifter, derailleur, and cassette. Add a 10s chain for another $30 and that's the minimum you'd need to get going. You could just remove the front derailleur and just run the system on the middle ring (and even remove the large and small rings if they're bolted on). A basic new crankset and single chain ring, if you wanted to replace those, would run about $50-70 for the parts (ballpark). So you're looking at $200-300 for parts, give or take...certainly a little (or a lot) more if you went with Shimano or SRAM branded components.

Figuring in labor, $500 doesn't sound unreasonable for this conversion. It's not inexpensive, but I also don't think it's unreasonable.

Since you currently use only the middle (38t) ring, you could consider keeping it as 1x8. Just replace the derailler with an 8/9 speed derailleur (as they would be compatible with your 8s shifter). This would allow you to keep your same cassette, chain, and shifter. What is your current cassette? If it's already an 11-34, that's about as much range as you'll find in an 8s model. You can get some wide range 8s cassettes that would extend your range, but then you'll have larger gaps between gears and your cadence will be interrupted a little more.