1x12 conversion

[doctor-bond]

What’s the advantage of 1x11, etc? Weight saving I’m guessing? But the range vs 3x seems odd: vs a 26, 38, 48 x 11-32 you must lose loads of gear inches at the fast end and gain a handful at the slow end. 26 x 32 is barely walking pace as it is.

 

[Cloverleaf]

What’s the advantage of 1x11, etc? Weight saving I’m guessing? But the range vs 3x seems odd: vs a 26, 38, 48 x 11-32 you must lose loads of gear inches at the fast end and gain a handful at the slow end. 26 x 32 is barely walking pace as it is.

Depends what size chainring you use really, especially with 11spd. Personally I love the 1x setup and have been doing it for years, albeit my legs were a lot stronger when I was running 11-34 for it on 9spd. My Stiffee has an 11-46 cassette and 38T ring, and it's absolutely fine. On a light bike it's all you need at the bottom end, and while you give away a little at the top compared to a compact setup 42/44T ring I don't ever really find myself spinning out because I don't really ride fast flat stuff like that (and when I was running 22/32/44 I never felt like I was missing out to a non-compact arrangement as you mention).

Advantages are modern clutch mechs to stop chain slap, the ability to run narrow/wide chainrings for less chain drop, ability to run a top guide if you ride really rough stuff, and simpler setup because you don't have three rings and a mech on the front. I'd also say that you really don't lose anything in terms of useable gear ratios, IMO, because you're not using all the ratios in each ring, and even some of those you are using are duplicated, or close to.

 

[bikeworkshop]

Landscape dictates necessary range.
If the range gets superwide just on the cassette, you need more gears to avoid nasty big jumps.

So you can get 11-42 8speed, but it's a bit horrible to use unless you're just doing a quick blast.

Remember how when freewheels were 5 speed 14-28, the introduction of double chainsets gave a half step between the gears, like 48/52!

So the demand for 1x has in part driven up the number of gears on the cassette to 12, even 13

 

[Monolith]

I ordered Tune hubs in 135 with an XD cassette body. Running outboard and square taper BB cranks with 1x chainrings. Shifting is fine.

 

[AirHead]

Stick with 1x11, 26" wheels don't need the 50t rear cassettes & 11spd cassettes fit 135mm rear hg free hubs. Look for closeouts on m8000 or m9000 series Shimano parts.

 

[AirHead]

What’s the advantage of 1x11, etc? Weight saving I’m guessing? But the range vs 3x seems odd: vs a 26, 38, 48 x 11-32 you must lose loads of gear inches at the fast end and gain a handful at the slow end. 26 x 32 is barely walking pace as it is.

Overall range is smaller vs a 3x configuration but the true usable range is still plenty and, I find more useful.

With 3x, dropping a gear on the front would usually require an upshift in the rear to avoid 'spinning out' at too high of a cadence, while losing speed. With 1x, you just shift to the next lower gear and keep climbing.

Upshifts are similarly quicker across the entire range. Since you don't need to coordinate the rear along with the front.

 

[benjabbi]

Gear inch chart for my 94 Kona

Gear inch chart for my modern NS

Remembering that the modern stuff is really made for modern bikes with bigger wheels, with smaller wheels just up the chainring size to compensate, then the overall range is close enough that it makes no real difference. It's almost like Shimano know what they're doing!

 

[hamster]

It's almost like Shimano know what they're doing!

I'm grumpy enough to think that what Shimano know about is marketing, generally making some new-fangled innovation, then later on selling invention 2.0 to solve the problems created by the previous so-called 'innovation'.

Just remember that durability is not on their list of design considerations.

I give it 5 years before they come back to multiple chainrings...

 

[benjabbi]

I'm grumpy enough to think that what Shimano know about is marketing, generally making some new-fangled innovation, then later on selling invention 2.0 to solve the problems created by the previous so-called 'innovation'.

Just remember that durability is not on their list of design considerations.

I give it 5 years before they come back to multiple chainrings...

I'm cynical enough to believe that Sram pushed 1x because their mtb front mechs were shit and/or Shimano hold patents that prevented them doing it better. It TOOK off, Shimano had no choice but to follow suit. Despite how good the latest sideswing mechs are (they're still an option no one buys or talks about, fashion dictates no) There are benefits to 1x for mtb no doubt and I think that ship has sailed. I don't think we'll be seeing multiple chainrings on mainstream mtbs again anytime soon.

 

[highlandsflyer]

Hasn't the swing to "two by" already commenced?