Hey, I'm going to be going 1x10 on my fatbike and I'm unsure what tooth chainring to get. At the min it's running 2x8 with a 36t big ring. I'm thinking about a 32tooth ring on my 1x10 set up, anyone else run this or can advise? Cheers Rob
I now run all my bikes as 1x and would not go back. On a104bcd crank the smallest ring you can run is 32 teeth. If you use spacers to clear the spider arms you can run a 30 tooth but it will affect chain line, although this could be good depending on your bike.
I run a rigid with 32 front 34 rear, my full suss with 34 front 42 rear and my training bike with 36 front 32 rear. The rigid is geared for the hills I expect to ride, the full suss for unexpected but not too excessive hills when out on trails and the trainer to make me work hard. If I expect really steep hills I take my Alfine geared electric bike.
I spent some time on my usual routes noting the gears I used, and then sat down to work out a combination that put me in the middle of the cassette for the majority of my riding whilst ensuring I had an escape gear for when I am off form.
my genesis caribou came with 1 x10, 28t ring up front, mounted on a 104bcd race face cranks and ring, with a 11-36 10 speed cassette, i have found this pretty much spot on around the new forest but then it's not that hilly, that said i road with that gearing at cannock chase about a month ago and was ok on the climbs there aswel and my fitness isn't currently fantastic.
i have however just changed to 11speed on this bike, i went to a 11/42 cassette, i didn't need a higher gear so left the chain ring the same but this means on some of the shirt sharp clubs i have i can now spin as opposed to push a gear up a climb.
that said if you are in a hilly area you may want to go to the 11-46 cassette options if you're gonna go up to 11.
with regards to a 104 bcd rings in small sizes look at Hope and Raceface, they go down to 28t