Originally Posted by
matimeo
Perhaps you can elaborate on this. Bikesdirect sells the same exact frame with a 1x12 (which I would have bought if they weren't out of stock).
This bike has a very basic suspension, a single swingarm. Nearly all bikes for 20 years have gone to some kind of four-bar linkage which allows the designer to tune out various undesirable behaviors this one has, and it's gradually been pushed out the bottom of the line-up. A good example is the Santa Cruz Heckler which lasted longer than most, into the 2010's as a budget model. Especially specifically it makes a leverage ratio that favors a spring and not air shocks (which is what the upper link tunes), and it does not do that great to counter brake jack as well (with a single swingarm and linkage driven shock, this is done by putting the brake caliper on the floating link, ie chain stays).
Another of those things is anti squat to counter pedal bob. That is, the system stiffens up under chain force to counteract the wheelie-force you get from pedaling, which means you want the chain line to pass through the pivot point. If you go 1x with this you are going to hope it was optimized around a 30 or 32t ring. It probably was, if it was designed for a triple, and you are ok. But you have no way of knowing without really nerding out. You can see how being in the big or small ring would screw this up, how having a 2x system would screw it up more, and how a 1x system allows the designer to really tune it in.
https://linkagedesign.blogspot.com/2...kler-650b.html
https://linkagedesign.blogspot.com/2...nti-squat.html
So anyhow now that I've gone on a bit, I think you should spend your money on a half decent fork, like a mid-low Rock Shox with Motion Control, or maybe a Z2, and then also spend money on tires as they wear out, also things like seat and pedals and grips to suit you, long before you worry about the drivetrain.