1 x 11 - is it time to make the change?

[Fatal Swan]

So I've got a bike's worth of XTR 3x9 kit (M970 gears / M960 chainset) all in very nice condition, and I think it's really great stuff. In particular the shifters, plus it's really lightweight (the M960 chainset especially). But I'm building up a lightweight full sus 26er, and am wondering whether to go 1 x 11 at this point, since if I'm going to do it, now would seem to be the time...

I've used triple chainsets since day one on the MTB 27 years ago and am comfortable with them. What will I be missing out on (apart from an extra front mech and a couple of chainrings) if I stick with 3x9 rather than 1 x 11? I ride mostly on the road nowadays and I've got used to appreciating being in the right gear for my cadence, and I usually like to ride as fast as my ability/fitness will let me rather than just to pootle around. I like to have a pretty big gear for the times I ride on the road (I don't enjoy spinning out quickly on the flat), so I'm reluctant to lose 44x11 for example.

Maybe it's the wrong forum, but can anyone persuade me 1 x 11 is what I should be using for the new build? Cheers!

 

[greencat]

If you'll miss 44x11 then 11speed may not be for you. There is a simplicity in a 1x set up and theoretically it may save weight. But the prices of consumables like the cassette may make you think twice (but if you're already into XTR then perhaps that's not a consideration...). 12 speed is also an option, but for the higher end stuff you'll be looking at replacing the freehub body (that's also true of the better 11 speed stuff on SRAM too). Chainline is also important to get right - especially on the largest cog. It is also a lot less forgiving than 9 speed.

Box components Prime 9 may be worth a look.

I've got 11 speed on my main mountain bike and it does the job. I've got a low end 12 speed system ready to go at some point too so I get a lower gear, but haven't got around to fitting yet.

 

[2manyoranges]

Cassette replacement - eek. Have you SEEN Eagle prices???!
HOPE has stopped their excellent 11 speed. Couldn't make it work financially.

Us? 1x10 on most bikes - sram or xt, remove 15 and 17, insert 16 add 40 or 42 range extender - run 30 up front on 29 and 30/32 on 27.5.
Done. Good for most stuff.

DH.. tight block at back...point downhill. Done.

 

[brocklanders023]

I have 1x11 on both my modern bikes as that's what they came with. Is it better than 3x9? No, not really, just different with pro's and con's. If the industry went back to 2x or 3x I'd shrug and use whatever my next bike came with.

If you have decent 3x kit to use I'd probably do that although if you want to scratch the 1x itch you may as well. Sorry to be vague but there really isn't much difference between the 3 styles IMO.

 

[Fatal Swan]

Thanks for the replies so far! Yes, I hadn't looked into 1x11 prices really, so in that case maybe 1x10 would be the more realistic option - and in which case I'm even less likely to go for it I think!

What I've got is XTR but certainly not on a 'money no object' basis - I've managed to collect it pretty cheaply second hand and in really good nick (all before the used bike/part prices went mad of course!) I'm not in a rush to lose it and my instinct is to keep going with what I'm happy with, but I'd like to at least understand better whether the single chainring offers some genuine improvement (or even is as good as 3x9) or whether it's just the random direction the industry has gone in to sell different/more stuff.

 

[brocklanders023]

The rumour was Sram got tired of trying to produce a decent front mech so binned it all together!

Pro's to 1x11 are simplicity, it's difficult to end up in the wrong gear, gives you space for a dropper lever and it can be lighter.

Con's are unless you are spending zillions it's either heavier than it should be (Shimano) or made of cheese (Sram), you might need a new rear hub, you can run out of gears at either end and replacement parts tend to cost ££££.

 

[mattr]

It's ok, 50% of the time i'm annoyingly between gears.

All my 2x and 3x bikes shift flawlessly at the front anyway. Including M95x shimano, and bodged up 2x/3x systems with chainrings from different manufacturers and mechs/shifters from wildly differing generations of shimano and so on.

I'll leave the bike thats already on 1x11 as it is, but i'll also leave the 2x11 bike as it is.

 

[ishaw]

I'm part way through my first 1x11 build (xt). I was lucky to get the full drive train at a very decent price. If I hadn't, I'd probably not even contemplated the build at all.

I've done 3x10 (xt), 2x10 (x0) and 1x10 (xtr) all without the dinner plate cassette and if I'm honest, still probably prefer 3x. 1x is simple but found myself spinning up and almost always in lower cogs, 2x was probably a compromise, as was better gearing wise. 3x just worked, but is so familiar from 3x9.

I remember the days when most bikes with 1x were basically bsos and even 2 or 3x6 was considered as a huge advancement.

What gets my goat is that 1x drive trains cost so much more, or are comparable price wise for less. Not too long ago you could get an entry level bike for the cost of an xtr 11sp cassette.

Probably not much help. M952 and m970 are in my view the pinnacle of groupsets. Quality has gone downhill since, but the price has gone the other way.

Still keen to get my 1x11 build done. Will end up with a very decent bike, still for less than an xtr cassette.

Oh, if you happen to have mavic wheels, they will take an 11sp cassette without the need to replace the freehub. Just remove the spacer.

 

[2manyoranges]

I have all the frustration of a stable of different configurations (and mechs which claim on the spec sheet to fit 42 rears but don't really) - and of course a box full of monster-longer B screws. But I built two jump bikes recently and Oh the simplicity of singlespeed. Builds to savour....when everything just fits like a dream. At the weekend I bled the aesthetic horror of purple (LH) and orange (RH) Hope tech3 on the COTIC SIMPLE - last job before the fat-rim wheels arrive from TrueWheels and now am wondering whether to pulverise my thighs by running singlespeed off road (as opposed to thrashing round the pump track) or running 1x11. Or 1x12. Or 1x10. Probably 1x10, since it's the nearest box in the cupboard....

Looking back over the last couple of years, I have been quite happy on 3x6 on one bike - flawless in all conditions, like MattR says. XT mechs front and rear. Careful choice of rings which meant a great range and no duplication. And then latest 1x.... Basically it all works, if chosen carefully. I seldom think 'I wish I had something different on' since with the 3x6 I just think - 'well, I rode this without fuss when I first had it, way back in the Jurassic period, so just get on and pedal...'. The only hint of ratio-frustration was when I was on a stupid-steep grass drag trying to follow Ant who was on my Ragley, which had a 30 front rather than the 32 I was running on the SOUL...and I was hurting a lot more than he was....

 

[Carge]

Most recent modern-is build was running SRAM x0 3x9sp and quite frankly, it's the type of setup I've always used.
Newer bike is SRAM XX summit or other at 1x11sp - and I'm yet to be convinced.

I deffo seem to spin out at the top end - I tend to run bigger chainrings so probably need to look at summat bigger than the 36T (having dismissed the 34T in nano-seconds) - but that compromises the other end.

Yes it's simpler - yes you can run a dropper - but it just feels a bit of a compromise at the mo.
Probably need to ride it more - but yet to be convinced - especially with the cassettes north of £300