AD-SLE

In truth, it is water under the bridge. Perhaps I am looking for consolation. Maybe just perspective. Live in NH. I have been a frugal dumpster picker for years and have found it enjoyable to ride with all types of riders. I bought my bride a ALU Bianchi AllRoad with 105 new from the local LBS 2-3 years ago. She enjoys it and as such she is riding more with me and running less. She is the fittest 60 year old you will ever meet. My old non brifter, 1980s era cantilever braked Giant Innova was becoming more of a liability than something to be proud of in group rides. She shamed me into rewarding my lifetime of biking with a Moots Routt 45 with all the goodies. This after searching for a year all the empty LBS in New England for a Specialized Diverge or similar solution to my aging dumpster bike. I ordered and paid for the bike January 15th of this year.

At the time of the order I was told there is really only one thing Shimano is shipping, GRX 2x Di2. Anything else will add more time in delivery. Being anxious to get my first new bike (or before I chickened out), I followed the wisdom of the LBS who did a complete bike fit, etc etc. They are experts. I trust them. Want to trust them.

Today I am still waiting for the bike. Yes, that is a bit of a drag. As October looms and the season in NH comes to a close, I have to ask myself, should I, could I have gotten a 1x? The 1x is a 40 chain ring, 47T rear. Lower than the 2x which is 31 inner ring, 34T rear. We got hills here in NH and VT for this old phart. Did I screw up? Doing more research I find I will get the RD RX815 and not the RD RX817. I gather the 815 is for 2x and the 817 is for 1x.

So what the heck is the point of this post? Is the supply chain that fouled up that 1x could not have been sourced before now? Or was I hasty in my decision and I should have been willing to wait for the 1x? Lastly, does it really matter? And how will a response at this stage be useful? I am 60 years old, not as fit as my bride but am a life long bike lover. I have ridden my entire life and hope to ride this bike until I can't anymore. Climbed 19,000 feet so far on gravel this year. Some of it has been "reach deep" to get it done. Read, I am last to the top which...is frustrating.

Need either encouragement and education about GRX and 1x and what could be done in the future. In talking with the store owner, he seems defeated by his suppliers. Having yet another conversation with a less than thrilled customer is doing nothing to improve his word of mouth reputation. I felt for him.

Thanks for providing some perspective.

bh85

That's a long time to be waiting for the groupset. It should not take that long. If your shop is resourceful and they have good connections, they could of gotten you anything you wanted. It looks like they dropped the ball somewhere. Maybe you should take it to some other shop and see how soon they can get you a groupset and wrap it up. Sucks to miss the "biking season" of riding in nice weather and enjoying it. Mechanical groupsets are perfectly fine, and 1x would get you a nice climbing range since you said you got some nice hills. No need for Di 2, unless you are a pro and race, or you got plenty money.

cyclezen

Question for yourself is - How 'competitive' would I like to be? If the answer is 'somewhat' and you want gearing more suitable for BOTH road and dirt road/gravel, then 2x gives the best of both worlds. However, in the world of average (but confirmed) 60+ cyclists, 1x or 2x isn't going to make that much of a difference...
IF you already paid in Full for the bike - that's a first mistake (not knowing what the current convention is - I would give a solid deposit but never again full pay on anything 'custom').
You sound to be too nice, too mellow, someone who rarely complains ... there's a point where embarrassment (of the LBS AND supplier) is necessary to get some completion.
If it's about 'parts' - Shimano is good stuff, but so is SRAM and other component makers, like Praxis. If the frame is ready, there should be a way to get it completed with equal level parts.
If you can only have a 31 on a 2x, then you can get a cassette which goes to 36 - But I would start with the 34, because the center of the cog set will be much more likeable for the vast majority of road (and avg dirt road) riding. if you find the 34 is not enough, you can always go with a 11-36...
You're not making 'compromises', you're opening options to get where you want to start (riding).
Many focus on what they 'Didn't or weren't able to get'. When what they have is eminently suitable for what they wish to ride.
The key is learning about and enjoying what you do have.
But get the bike !
If the LBS hasn't bothered to suggest alternatives, then they're not doing their job.
Whatever you eventually come up with will be light years more enjoyable than the old gaspipe... Which can still be loved for it sturdiness and memories...
... you're not getting any younger... LOL! (coming from a 73 yr old).
Ride On
Yuri

tdilf

Get a used gravel bike that is available NOW and wait for the moots to be done. When you finally have both gravel bikes choose the one you like best and sell the other.

AD-SLE

Yes. Dumb to pay in full. No incentive for shop to finish the job and get paid. Part of "too nice". Learn from my mistake. Even small LBS can exercise lapse in judgment. And, don't assume just because it is "expensive", great service will come with the price tag. Another error on my part. Yup, I screwed up. Life happens. Wife mortified about her hard pressure and word of mouth LBS failing. Only further exacerbating the issue. I think she was weary of my frugality and inaction.

Yuri, you are right. I am going to focus on what I do have when I have it. One of the riders who highly recommended said shop has loaned me their TI IF for the season which has been more than suitable for all our adventure rides in the woods. It has been fun getting to know other riders and I have seen parts of NH I never thought had bike paths that my "gas pipe" Giant Innova would never have managed. So there is a silver lining. Or I am looking for it! Time to move on. Thanks for the input.

rosefarts

1x is both great and it sucks.

The simplicity of it all is hard to beat. Up or down, no need to stress out.

The trouble is the gaps in between. For example, I ride 40x10-44 that is a sram 11 speed with the 42 swapped for a Wolf Tooth 44. My low gear is just about perfect and I very rarely need to pedal in high (tuck and coast).

But darn it, along the middle I feel like I’m always hunting for the right gear. The rougher the trail and the more like mountain biking the ride becomes, the less this is a problem. The smoother and more roadlike my rides are, it can get pretty annoying.

If I had to do it again, I’d go 46-33 x 11-36 or even 10-36 but I don’t think that actually exists. I run Trp brakes and Archer Trail for shifting. It’s honestly great but there is no practical way to change to 2x aside from a serious wallet hemorrhage. So it’s fine.

Di2 is super reliable. So is Sram. I know I hated the sram brakes and levers on their mechanical group. Hated them. The etap stuff is nicer but you might still have their calipers unless you spend more money.

My road bike is 50/34 and Campy 10 speed 12-25 and 12-30 which I switch out. I can’t hardly describe how much nicer that is on a road ride. Had I not come from a road background, maybe I wouldn’t have noticed.