Markjc

I would like to hear from 1X riders. What is your experience with 1X gearing compared to traditional 2 x 11(12). I have a Co-Motion tandem with a triple 30-39-52 - cassette 11-32. The tandem shop mentioned the bike can be converted to a SRAM AXS 1x12-speed - 40 x 10-52. Co-Motion now offers this on some of their tandems so it's not an experimental conversion. I did the gear inches and the 1X matches pretty close to the current gearing (it shows how redundant triple gearing is). Before I make the final commitment, I'd like input from real users. Or any thoughts on converting a tandem. Thank you!

Steve B.

Big advantage to 1X is not having to think or plan ahead for the front shift. Places where that might matter is mt. biking with a series of quick climbs and downs. Trying to get to the granny as well as appropriate rear takes planning and some skill to know what gears to move to.

I like 1X on mt hard tail for this reason but have no use in any other road or gravel bike as I have time to plan ahead and get to the 2X combo I need.

As well, there are more useful gears on 2X and 3X, besides the overall top and low. I like and use one tooth gearing on my road and gravel bikes, where the cadence gets wonky if I try to use 1X. Even on my 1X mt. bike I notice missing gears that I have on my old 26" 3x.

Pearson100

I have a 1x on one of my bikes (Surly Bridge Club) and I like it. I use the bike for commuting and gravel. I have two other bikes with 2x (one gravel, one road). I'd consider moving my other gravel to 1x if I ever needed to make a change.

HTupolev

No it doesn't, it's geared considerably lower. The overall range would be pretty similar if you used a 48T chainring with the 10-52 cassette instead of a 40. The compromise versus a multi-ring setup that covers a similar range is that the shifts on a 12-speed 10-52 cassette are all very wide, even within the ratios that you'd be using for cruising on shallow gradients.

dmanthree

Does increased chain deflection cause a loss of efficiency?

jaxgtr

I've converted 2 of my bikes (commuter\Mountain) and both of my wife's bikes, hybrid and mountain to 1X and we both love it. I did her bikes first, she is not the rider I am and having to deal with front and rear shifting was always something she hated. I recently bought her a new bike and specifically picked the model as it was a 1X. The lack of a front derailleur is a plus and you can really find a range of gearing to meet your needs with what every cassette you get.

Toespeas

1x is specifically for situation it calls for , like a cyclocross race you just dont need much range , or an MTB race where you are mostly ripping down hill , outside of the specific situations , its a pointless system , for any serious road or gravel 2x is the minimum , because it gives you the most range and efficiency , a triple will give you the straightest chain possible but is usually the heaviest , a 1x12 speed makes no logical sense and is just a marketing ploy

The Chemist

I currently ride a 1x9 setup that I converted from a 2x9 when my front brifter stopped shifting properly. I've got a 50t chainring up front and a 11-32 cassette in the back, and I really like it. Much simpler mechanically than a 2x or 3x system, and since Shanghai is so flat I don't need a lot of gear range. That being said, when my chainring wears out I'll probably change it to a mid-40s toothed chainring simply because I barely use the bottom of my cassette right now and I wouldn't mind a bit more range at the top end for climbing / fighting headwinds.

mstateglfr 

I have converted my family's MTBs to 1x. It works great for the terrain and speeds we ride.
No interest in converting any of our drop bar bikes to 1x though. It just isnt how I view riding on roads and I have never wished for 1x. There is just no benefit on roads as 2x has no noticeable drawbacks for me.

rydabent

There is very little planning ahead, even with a triple, if you dont over think gearing. Granny gear is for steep hills, the center ring is for most riding, and the big ring is for down hill and with the wind. Just pick the ring for what you see ahead. Pretty simple really, and the evil weight of those two extra chain rings can be discounted.

Steve B.

There is if you compare it to a really wide range 1X. It's just easier to slam thru rear gears on 1X without having to also think about the front. This isn't just my experience, it's pretty much what everybody experiences with 1X.

seypat

I don't have any experience with 1X. I ride triples and friction shifters because they greatly reduce the amount of times you have to enact the shifter when you have to shift. That may not sound like much, but over an all day ride it adds up when you are going up and down and up and down. You can dump gears either way, lots of them. If I am using brifters, at the end of a long ride my right forearm is so tight that I cannot grip the handlebar or squeeze the brake lever. It becomes a safety issue.

Tomorrow I have to donate blood or platelets, as I do every 2-3 weeks. If it's platelets, I have to sit on the machine for over 2 hours squeezing a stress ball every 3-5 seconds. The squeezing movement, while not identical, is very similar to the movement of shifting a brifter. The same thing happens. After squeezing that ball for 2-3 hours every 3-5 seconds, I can no longer make a fist or grip anything. I have to sit in the car for some time before I can drive home. While I'm sitting in the car, I'm thinking, "This is why I don't care for brifters!"