Keep 1x Drivetrains Off Road Bikes
We have seen a rise in the number of professional riders using 1x drivetrains over the course of the last season.
A single front chainring is also popular for gravel riding, but Simon von Bromley thinks that it should stay away from road bikes!
In this video, he gives you the reasons why you should be sticking to a double chainring. What do you think? Let us know in the comments 👇
Chapters
00:00 Intro
00:56 When Does 1x On A Road Bike Make Sense?
02:31 The Disadvantages Of 1x
04:57 Front Derailleurs Are Just Too Good
06:50 What About Classified Hubs?
08:05 Thanks 1x, But No Thanks
Image Credits:
FRANCOIS LO PRESTI/AFP via Getty Images
Stuart Franklin / Staff
Jean Catuffe / Contributor.
Jorge Luis Alvarez Pupo / Contributor
Stockforliving iStock / Getty Images Plus
David Ramos/ Staff
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Пікірлер: 279
I have no issues running 1x on the road. Love the simplicity and no issues on group rides.
@bertdelrosario8003
2 ай бұрын
How many teeths are you running on your chainring and size of the cogs?
@h1n1worm
Ай бұрын
@@bertdelrosario8003 i riding 40 10-51 on my gravel. range is huge but yes gaps are too wide for a road riding. on one cog is easy, next cog is tough. but still this is gravel and i like that i can turn from asphalt to forest, ride wherever i want to.
For people living in the Netherlands, 1x is perfectly fine. I spend my whole day riding between 25-35 kph... I don't race and when I go to another country, I bring my gravel bike. But admittedly, it is a rare scenario. The only bike I own that has a front derailleur is my road bike, but I never use the small ring :)
@matthewlewis2072
Жыл бұрын
Or Norfolk in the UK. Most of the world has hills, though
@veganpotterthevegan
Жыл бұрын
@matthewlewis2072 most of the world has "hills" not climbs. Of course, fitness is a factor here. But I've lived in some pretty hilly areas and a 50/34 with an 11-28 resulted in rarely ever using my small chainring. With a 10-33 or 10-36, I would have never used my small chainring. Living in Utah now, I have two HC climbs a short distance from my door and need a small ring if I'm not using my gravel bike(which sucks on the flats). But if I'm riding somewhere where the hills aren't making me(or any fit person) drop below 10-11mph, I'm also not descending over 55mph and 1x is plenty. That's the kind of terrain MOST people live near.
@nff1987
Жыл бұрын
Vingo won the tour on 1x and Rogla giro on the last TT so even if a racing scenario...
@nff1987
Жыл бұрын
I agree that for commuting and chill rides is just better, less weight less maintenance no real drawbacks (you don't really need small gaps between gears if you ride a chill pace)
@grvl307
Жыл бұрын
@@nff1987 I can ride a 10-28 cassette with a 1x here in the Netherlands. So I still have small gaps to find the right cadence. But as I said, this situation is rare. Most people don't live in such a flat area.
As someone who has been road riding for yearsI was skeptical (just as I had been when going to wider tires). I switched from a 2x11 Dura Ace mechanical on a Giant TCR to a sram XPLR 1x12 on my BMC Road machine. The Shimano set up is obviously not 22 discrete usable gears. Several are near duplicates and of course you could argue four gears are thrown out for cross-chaining avoidance so it's more like 16.. The jumps in the meat of the XPLR cluster are actually fairly tight; then you have a couple larger jumps toward the inside and outside. I will admit the high end is a little bit less, but I only noticed that when cruising in the upper 20 mph range for extended periods and at my age that happens infrequently these days. After 1,000 miles in various types of solo, chat, group and some gravel rides I have no interest in going back to a 2x. Shifting is extremely intuitive (I programmed left shift easy right shift hard and long press to shift multiple gears). Zero chain drops, no need to monitor cross chain, no big clunks as would sometimes happen on 2x when you are basically forced to shift front and back simultaneously. In short I have zero regrets and will not be going back. There is no right or wrong, but 1x road works for me.
@tariqkamil7853
7 ай бұрын
That’s not bad thinking…for my aspero, since I use it more as a road bike and champagne gravel. I might have a word with my LBS. I have a Ritchey outback being assembled that will be running apex eagle axs 10-52 with a 42 chainring. It’s this setup I get 2 gears with a greater 1:1 ratio. The xplr setup for the aspero then.
@hendrixinfinity3992
7 ай бұрын
2 are thrown out. There may be identical gears but they come at a different point in the spread, meaning you utilise them differently at different times. The main advantage of 2x is dumping a whole set of gears when you hit a steep patch without worrying about shifting under load. Get an FD that can handle a bigger jump and it gets better. I have a 38/22 on my offroad tourer with an 11-36 and can get up just about anything.
@davidcawthorne7115
6 ай бұрын
You get 12 gears on 1x and 16 on 2x from your calculations. Therefore 2x is better. I mean if 1x 14 or 15 or 16 speed came out you would want them as more gears are better. But you can have 16 speed now. Forget about 1x 2x etc. It is all about what gearing is needed. I mean a huge x1 cassette offsets any weight savings from going 1x. Plus the gaps between gears on 1x is garbage.
@keithreeves7463
2 ай бұрын
Not sure I agree with some of the logic here😂
I've ridden all combinations, 3x7, 3x9, 2x11, 1x10.....and let me tell you the following. The less chainrings you have, the simpler the system...HOWEVER.... The less chainrings you have - the worse the cadence choice. The worse the chainline. The worse the durability. The worse your flexibility for tackling various courses. Having 2x11 or even 2x10 is what I would say is best for road bikes. You can have the smallest sprocket up front 36, with 32 tooth in the back and be able to climb anything, whereas still keeping 52 front and 11 in the back and have enough gear for any sprint you tackle. Having more gears in between will allow for a finer choice of cadence, while also allowing to keep a straighter chainline. Using the small gear on the crankset with the first (largest) 6 gears on the cassette, and using the large crank sprocket with smaller 6 gears on the back allows for a fairly straight chainline and basically all gear ratios needed. Some people will opt for even 3 sprockets on the front, but I would argue it's not necessary, unless you daily tackle 20%+ gradients and you actually require the granny gear. Otherwise it's unnecessary. You could go for a 34-50 crankset and you should be fine. These new 1x systems for road bikes are nothing but marketing shenanigans. Yes, the system is simpler....but you lose so much. It makes little to no sense. Even if you have "old" 2x10 shifting system, keep it, enjoy it, ride it. Service it and remember that it was a "revolutionary new" system when it came out back in the day, all the pros riding the Tour de France back then loved it and never thought they are hindered by the bicycle they had.
@The2808erik
Жыл бұрын
The rpm jump between gears with 12 speed is small enough cadence choice is not an issue anymore and 2x10 only has 2 more usable sensible gears than 1x12. It might be slightly less durable but hard to say my gravel bike gets about 9000-10000 km until the chain is at 0.5, my road bike about 11-13k km with a 2x10 system until the chain is at 0.5. The gravel bike is more exposed to dust and mud though. I like the 1x system more overall there is no downtime when shifting at all , with 2x you always have a delay before you can apply power again when changing front chain rings.
@richdyer2000
Жыл бұрын
The durability of 1x12 transmission on MTBs nowadays is remarkable…..after 5000 *offroad* km, my chain wear indicator says ‘new’.
@kevincard172
Жыл бұрын
Well said
@rangersmith4652
Жыл бұрын
The industry is beginning to push 1X for road bikes just as it pushed carbon fiber, disk brakes, motorized shifting, internal cable routing, integrated cockpits.... If you're not fit, none of these will make you significantly faster, and if your focus on is recreation or basic fitness, none of them will make you enjoy road riding more. They are meant (or should be meant) for cutting edge riders who get paid to go fast and who don't foot their maintenance bills or have to buy new parts after a serious crash. But the industry has to make such stuff available to the consumer (thanks to UCI), so it does, and people who want it readily snap it all up.
@MisterMcGibblets
11 ай бұрын
Comparing your experience with 1x10 isn’t the same as 1x12 but you do hit the mark in some areas
My issue is, I never use the big ring any more 😂
@veganpotterthevegan
Жыл бұрын
A bigger small ring may be what you need😂
@stillededge
Жыл бұрын
Here-Here!!😢🤣
I live is CA. 1x is a wonderful upgrade. So simple. Never notice the cadence difference. Love it
Here in Belgium I personally wouldn't really ever consider putting a front derailleur back on my bike. I run a 42 up front and a 13-28 at the back which has every gear I need (I'm a fast spinner when power is needed at higher speeds), and because I'm only running 9 cogs from the 11 in the cassette and a spacer in the back, chain line is great. I very often see people being in an awkward spot where the 1st front ring is too small and the 2nd one too large for 90% of their riding, but with my 1x i'm almost always in a perfect straight chain line :)
1x12 is all I've ever owned, granted I've only been riding for 3 years, and gravel. Works great for me.
You should choose whichever you want as per your own needs and preferences as well as the road conditions, nobody likes being told what's good for you.
@dondgc2298
Жыл бұрын
That’s exactly what the manufacturers do when they force 1x drive trains on their customers
@chuckyfox9284
Жыл бұрын
What manufacturer forces 1by? I know very few that even offer it.
@bebopman5
Жыл бұрын
@@dondgc2298Who’s forcing 1x? Shimano has no true 1x only group sets for road. Sram has a selection of 2x and 1x setups to fit almost everyone’s needs, and Campy only has their gravel 1x Ekar group. Honestly, I’m sure they’d prefer you buy 2x since you’d have to buy the front derailleur and chainrings.
@bikeradar
Жыл бұрын
Of course - everyone should absolutely use whatever setup makes them happy, I'm just giving you my opinion on the subject. Perfectly fine if anyone disagrees with it. Cheers for watching, Simon
@bebopman5
11 ай бұрын
@7trails Oh, I just meant in the parameters of “road cycling” as the video suggests, not overall. Not sure why’d you need more than 1x on eMTB. It’s been a good 10 years since 1x for MTB was introduced as the primary drivetrain, so that’s beyond me
Although I do agree, I currently find myself tearing down my fathers old Trek 5100 because it hasn't been used in years. I found out, it's because my 69 y/o father has bad knees, a bad back and in turn numbness down his right hand/middle fingers. I've now installed flat bars, a 1x9 drivetrain for single hand shifting. Now just working out a left side shifter where he has more feeling in his fingers. Bike looks a bit awkward imo but it'll get him back on the road so I guess sometimes you just gotta do what ya gotta do regardless of efficiency.
For most people in most situations, it’s up to personal preference. The marginal gains for going either 1by or 2by, are only important for the top 1% and Fred’s
I run 1x on my mtb/road/tt bike. All good over here.
Realistically, most average riders who ride for entertainment or cardio need every benefit of a 2X crankset. Personally at over 70 years old and in hilly Maine USA I need the best possible options. I recently tried a gravel bike with 1X on some of the local hills and the last section of the bigger hills almost caused me to bonk. We have to remember that there are a vast number of riders who are not as experienced as some who have commented. Have great riding what ever your personal preference might be.
Use whatever gears and set up you like, it doesnt matter what any magazine or ypu tube video or other cyclist says to be honest. A non debate.
@dondgc2298
Жыл бұрын
The issue is not what “you want to use”. The issue is manufacturers forcing a choice on people by eliminating 1x drive trains.
@wandering_pete
Ай бұрын
@@dondgc2298 No one is being forced into anything.
Front derailleurs shift so smooth now it's amazing. They provide a wider gear range with smaller steps between gears. Less drivetrain noise and noticeably less friction
Look, I'll try to give a fuck about it. Let me check my pockets. **checking left pocket** nothing there... **checking right pocket** not there either... **checking back left pocket** nope **checking back right pocket** zilch. So, I have ZERO fucks to give about it. I'll drive 1x and nobody will tell me what to do.
@bikeradar
Жыл бұрын
😂 That's ok - I'm not trying to tell anyone what to do. If you like 1x, that's absolutely fine. Cheers for watching, Simon
I bought a Trek FX 4 Sport 1X "gravel-light" bike for the sandy trails in Minnesota and some road riding. It came with a Shimano Deore 10 Speed 11-13-15-18-21-24-28-32-37-46T. The 2-3 speed cog jumps bothered me, could not find a cadence I liked. Switched to a SRAM 10 speed t 11-12-13-15-17-19-22-25-28-32. For the rolling hills around here, the SRAM road cassette alllows me to choose the perfect cadence, and I did not need the easy gears. If I were to use it on very hilly terrain/mountain biking, then would put the original Shimano Cassette back on. I do enjoy the 1 X on this bike, but prefer 2 X on my road bikes. For old school training though, I still ride my track bike fixie in March and April each year, the ultimate in forcing your body to use the gear you have at hand.
You prefer 2x, great. I prefer 1x, it doesn’t mean either “needs to die”, people are different and so should their bikes be.
@bikeradar
Жыл бұрын
Hey, I didn't say 1x "needs to die" 😂 I think it can be great for certain bikes and situations, but just not for all-purpose road bikes. But that's just my opinion - absolutely fine for people to disagree, and I'm happy for everyone else to run whatever they like on their bikes. Cheers for watching. Simon
@thebrunoserge
3 ай бұрын
@@bikeradar But why? Why do "all purpose road bikes" need the extra 4 usable gears? I see a lot of cork sniffing about this by cycling snobs, but no one could yet give me a proper reason. The gear range difference is barely noticeable. Starting to feel like 99% of the time it comes down to "I own a couple bikes with X therefore X for life". I own a Cannondale CAAD 12 with mechanical 105 2x, and now a Canyon Grail with 1x SRAM Force. Have I been noticing the difference? Not really
@wandering_pete
Ай бұрын
@@thebrunoserge I've yet to hear a reason given on any of these sorts of videos as well. I think a lot of it comes down to two things. a) 2x has been the rider standard for decades and people don't like "tradition" to change or evolve. b) judging by the comments under and within the video, a lot of people seem obsessed with their cadence number, yet if tested blind they probably wouldn't notice a difference between 1x & 2x.
3:39 bingo. I'll stick to two in the front 😎. I like having all of my bikes with multiple chain rings, including the mountain bike. It's what I'm used to and what I've raced with forever.
I built an old rim braked to a 1x11 and man im happy.
I switched on my commuter from 2x to 1x and it’s great! But never on road bike … on my TT it’s possible, but at this time I can’t ride hills anymore so no option for me.😊 I love FD too!
The average rider will love a 1x. Dumping the front derailleur simplifies shifting and increases focus on the ride itself. The range can be virtually the same but with larger jumps as mentioned l, but most riders could care less. I have found climbing is almost always easier on the 1x.
@keithreeves7463
2 ай бұрын
The voice of reason. Those of us over a certain age can remember when 2 x 5 was all that was available, and we managed to cope. Who needs upwards of 24 gears (or whatever the number of usable/non duplicate is)
@einundsiebenziger5488
2 ай бұрын
"could not* care less" is how the saying goes meaning "do not care at all". If you could care less, you would at least care a little. And since when does shifting in general distract from the ride itself?
2x for life. 53-34 front 11-34 rear
Living near the alps, 1 by would be a joke, uphill I need the lowest gear, downhill I can barely put power into the highest gear, but for people living in a flat area it might give you one headache less :)
@The2808erik
Жыл бұрын
I have 1x12 on my road bike with a 50 tooth upfront and 10-52 in the back that is more range than any 2x drive train on the market. I did Großglockner years ago with 34 chainring and 28 tooth cassette in the back. Its a none issue.
@Ghostina1
Жыл бұрын
It is absolutely great in the alps. Who cares if you spin out above 60km/h
@johnrichards7984
Жыл бұрын
@@Ghostina1 Tell me you don’t ride fast and you don’t ride in a group without telling me you don’t ride fast and don’t ride in a group 😂
@wandering_pete
Ай бұрын
@@johnrichards7984 Who cares?
Ride both 1x and 2x. Wide 12 gear cassettes make it much less of an issue. In effect a 2x only gives you 4 extra (usable) gears ratio's. Also, 1x saves money compared to 2x. Not just buying but also maintaining. Choose wisely.
I have a streetracer, a cannondale caad12 with a garbaruk narrow wide chainring with 48T and a 11-30 cassett. Works perfectly for me. Now, I'm not a watmonster or go out for centurys or climb for a long time. But i realy love my 1X setup. Have a gravelbike with a GRX 1x with a 40T chainring and a 11-42 cassette. works awesome to.
Redundant argument. The only reason we are saying this is because a decent 1x road groupset doesn't exist. Yet. Although it does really, insofar as ekar and XPLR are both obviously road groupsets hiding in plain sight. Front derailleurs are just stupid if you think about it. Imagine a world where they had never been invented.
I've been riding all kinds of configurations like 2x6, 2x7, 2x8, 3x8, 3x9, 2x10 and 2x11. Currently I use a 1x11 set up (Shimano GRX) with a 44 Garbaruk oval front ring. I was afraid the jumps between the gears would be to big but even in a flat country like the Netherlands that isn't the case most of the time. Only when I use my bike with triathlon bars for a bit of time trialing I use a 11-32 cassette for smaller jumps, for all of my other more touring style rides a 11-46 cassette works fine. I don't miss the smaller jumps of a 2x set up at all and I think that's for most purely recreational bike riders the case. My ideal set up would be Shimano GRX 1x12 with a 46 front ring and a 10-51 cassette that gives a wide range and jumps that are in most cases not to big. Off course, everything is arguable but for me 1x works so well I won't go for anything else.
Having ridden a 1x equipped canyon ultimate through the 7 day haute route alps and 5 day haute route dolomites without an issue. The bike was running 46t front chainring paired with the sram 12 speed 10x36 cassette. This offered pretty much exactly the same range as a 52/36 paired with an 11-28 cassette. Looking at the ratios offered by a regular 2x setup, you are looking at roughly 14 distinctly different gear ratios. Comparing that with the 12 offered by the 12 speed 1x setup, you're not really missing out and the jumps dont feel remotely significant. You can achieve similarly good gear ratio spreads using the 3T overdrive 9-32 cassettes paired with a 40 or 42t chainring.
I'm running a 1by on my Canyon Grail AL and I'm not really missing anything on the road sections. But I also tolerate a wide range of cadence to use for an extended period of time. Group rides, however, might need some adaptation....
@DumaFamilyBand
10 ай бұрын
I’m running 40T front with 11-32 sunrace cassette in back and 32mm tires on my Grail. Done some of my most challenging rides on this bike. Sunrace cassette has one tooth incremental progression 11-12-13-14-15 making jumps between gears actually smaller than on 2by
1x is great when riding solo and commuting in particular. However on group rides it can be a bit restrictive as you try to match group speed and invariably lose a little gearing at higher speeds (as only 42 or 44 / 11)
Most of us buy a bike cos we like riding. Both work well but 1 x is simpler and cheaper which leaves more time to thinking about where we want to ride. Maybe spend more time looking up than looking at your power meter.
The biggest reason I am seriously considering 1x is that I usually end up riding at a pace where the gearing overlaps between possible combinations of the two front chainrings. I end up cross-chaining anyway, so I might as well go for 1x and not think about the front derailleur.
Some of us don't like maintaining complex gear systems but need more gears than a single speed. A 1x cruiser would be perfect, except importing Dutch bikes to North America is extremely expensive.
I can understand why you may want a 52/30 chainring...you can only go down to 10 tooth in the back and if you want speed, the front chainring has to be a big cog...
For road, 2x always. I could get by with 1x in Florida, but I enjoy going from 50 to 34, power to spin whenever I choose with just a click of a shifter.
I use my gravel bike for everything. From commuting wirh rack and fenders , to fast group rides, to simply easy enjoy nature rides. 2by is brilliant for that in my opinion. The only plus i see for 1by is simplicity, but to be honest it was never an issue to operate a front deraillior or to maintain the system.
1x is better than 2x. There I said it. 1x is better for hill climbers. 42tx10t-42t on a gravel bike for 1/3 of riders. 1x is better for racers. 54tx10t-28t on an aero bike for the other 1/3 of riders. 2x is better for touring. Compact setup on an endurance bike for the remaining 1/3 riders. But powershift and newer technology will make this pointless in the future so it’s a win for everyone.
I’ve been on mostly 3X drivelines for more than 50 yrs. At this point I have one elderly Schwinn World Sport set up as a 1X town bike, & a CF Specialized Allez w/ a 2X. Everything else, or every version of a road bike plus a big brute of a utility bike, they’re all 3X bikes because that just makes sense & it always has. If your application calls for a wide range of gears you’ll get that range _and_ a reasonable chain line with another chain ring or two. My reasoning, if you need a 2nd ring w/ the additional shifter, cable & a derailleur, you might as well add that one additional little game changer & run the 3X. The single exception for me is the Allez. That bike’s light enough that even an old goof like myself doesn’t need a lot of range - not for the flat roads that I ride it on, anyway. For anywhere else & for any amount of climbing or grinding into the wind, I have nicely capable 3X bikes that’ve been getting me there for decades.
1x, 11-36t, and 42T chainring. If I'm spinning out 11-42, then I'm going downhill and would be better served by just tucking in, getting aero, and resting my legs. And 36-42 can climb almost the same as 36-39, just at slightly slower cadence, maybe getting out of the saddle a bit sooner.
You do not represent every biker. Use what you want & don't decide for every biker
Totally agree that front derrallieurs are easy to use and quick as well.
@einundsiebenziger5488
2 ай бұрын
... fron derailleurs*
1x is cheaper, smoother shifting, fewer chain drops, don’t need to monitor cross chaining and has same gear range if using a wide-range cassette. I don’t have a problem with larger gear gaps since I ride hills with grades that fluctuate heavily, so I’m usually shifting at least two gears at a time with a 2x. If you ride flats, perhaps larger gaps are a problem.
@Ghostina1
Жыл бұрын
Same with me. I have chosen 1x on my new Sworks SL8. In hilly terrain it makes a lot of sense.
@rob-c.
Жыл бұрын
It’s only cheaper because you are getting less. I doubt a rear derailleur shifts smoother on a 1x than it does on a 2x and a properly set up front derailleur chain drops so infrequently it’s not an issue.
@dalis994
Жыл бұрын
I use 2x (I like climbing) and I don't remember when was the last time I had a chain drop. Maybe 3 years back. But with a good chain catcher properly setup it was no problem. I remember about 10 years ago when I had my first carbon frame, I had chain drops but the setup was not good and I had a bad chain catcher. But I understand that 1x setup can be good - flat or flatish roads, more relaxed riding. I'd say that gaps play much bigger role for performance oriented cyclists. For instance at very high intensities or towards the end of a race when you get tired your legs will appreciate smaller gaps.
@millermiller75
Жыл бұрын
@@dalis994 I agree, chain dropping is the least important benefit, and I prob drop a chain once a year. I think the order of benefits, from best to worst, are: smoother gear shifts (no front derailleur), simpler shifting (no front derailleur shift followed by a rear derailleur offset shift), no cross chain monitoring (especially difficult at night), cheaper and fewer chain drops. When changing gears, I suspect I change 2 gears or more 80% of the time and 1 gear 20% or less. This is the biggest problem, and not sure the other benefits outweigh this. And I agree, for racing it’s a bigger problem. However, with 12-speed cassettes, you get a lot of gears now, and a 1x12 prob compares to a 2x8 or 9 of the past. Don’t know if people would say there’s a meaningful improvement from 8-9 speed to 12 speed.
@einundsiebenziger5488
2 ай бұрын
I see chains dropped from single chainrings on a regular basis. And single chainrings DO NOT give you the same range of gears. In almost all setups the compromise goes towards lots of super-small gears for climbing which leaves you with not big enough gears to pedal along when going down that super steep hill again. And jumps of more than four teeth between gears just feel awful.
I'm not one of you. My bike is good for getting groceries and exercise. The weight savings of a 1X rather than what I've got would maybe be equivalent to a can of peas. However, I ask this question for another bicycle market group. These are people I admire. These are the people that take their bicycles on tours to exotic places around the world. They usually use steel bikes and some of them use bike transmissions. Would a 1X offer a significant advantage for these long distance bike touring people? Front derailleurs are pretty reliable, but there won't be parts if it fails in the middle of a desert or jungle.
All of my bikes are 1x1 except for my original road bike. Giant 0cr from way back. I don’t race. I just like to ride the countryside. So quiet.
The reason to use a 1X Chainring is simplicity, aesthetics, and ergonomics. The ergonomic advantage is the "feel" between a rear derailleur is different than a front deraillure. By keeping all gears on the rear derailleur it improves shifting speed and simplicity of feel. No clunky shifting. No chain drops. Using electronic shifting unnecessarily complicates mechanical simplicity. Obviously, electronic shifting and front derailleurs are an advantage for elite racers but how many of us are in the pro peloton? Let's get real. How do you improve the simplicity of a spoon? How do you improve the simplicity of fixed gear bikes? Everything is a compromise. How much are these technological complications demanded by consumers and how much of this is forced onto consumers? Soon bicycling manufacturers will be charging mandatory monthly subscription fees for heated seats and handlebars.
Twice in about the last 10,000 miles I have had the rear derailleur cable snap (once on my nice bike, once on my winter beater). I live in an area that's moderately hilly. Had I not had the small cog up front, I don't think I could have made it home without walking all the hills. That's a rare occurrence, but it's the first thing that came to my mind as a drawback for a 1x. Also, I'm a bit of a Goldilocks when it comes to power and cadence on long rides. At this point, I need a 2x11 setup to have the range I want but still find the perfect gear for flats.
I'm no racer. 1x is the best setup for me. Simple, easier to maintain and it does everything i need.
When/If I buy a new road bike, I'll probably comvert my current bike to 1x (48T SRAM Aero Chainring + 10-36 cassette). Not because of some supposed aero or weight benefits, but because it looks great and I know that on faster rides, I can get away with this gearing. I'm currently running 48/35 x 10-36, I only "lose" the three easiest gears as I've found that changes in cadence don't really bother me that much, especially because the terrain around here is very hilly, so there's few opportunities to really ride at a consistent sustained cadence anyways. And even then I have no issue pushing a bit harder or spinning a bit faster if I need to match others speed. Of course this setup is very restrictive, it's not suited for very steep climbs, or very long climbs, or low intensity rides, but an n+1 bike doesn't need to cover the whole range.
It comes down to the widest gear range with the smallest steps. I will not go one-by.
I was sceptical of one by but nothing to worry about 40 at the front 10 in the back can reach 31 mph and with a 44 at the top end I haven’t found a hill I can’t spin up 19 % is the biggest by me. I will however change the front to a 44 this would suit my rides better
@wandering_pete
Ай бұрын
Nice to have someone's actual experience to read, rather than comments by people who've clearly not tried 1x.
I have 3 bikes, a single speed, a 1x, and a 2x. The 2x is the most satisfying, comfortable and fast of the 3.
Loving the balance and objectivity of this review. Thx. 👌
I agree. I can't run a 1x in Brisbane (AUS) with the terrain we have here. I do, however run a 1x crit bike and that works just fine on most rces.
@richardhaselwood9478
Жыл бұрын
Agreed. Going up the back of Coottha with a 1x road bike would be excruciating Or, an airport run, you'd be spinning out trying to stay on other people's wheels
No matter how well they might ride, as long as I am the one who sets up the drivetrain of my bikes I will continue to hate front derailleurs from the depth of my heart. Besides - I feel like having read the very same stuff in XC-related posts back in like 2012.
You pay your money, make your choice. Cycling seems to have a lot of people who think they know what we should all do. We are not all racers so why would we slavishly follow race practices ?
The issue for me with 1x is how bad the chainline is and hav bad it feels and wears , everything else i could live with, just give me gearbox/rohloff and belt
The problem with my old front derailleurs is that they often just don't work well, i.e. lifting the chain from the small to the large cog strains like mad.
I agree with all your points, but I do like the look of 1x on my revolt and I'm planning on rebuilding my old caadx with 1x simply because it's cheaper! 😂
@stevetaylor2233
Жыл бұрын
it is not cheaper! 😂😂 The component companies know this and trying to find the proper 1x cranksets to maintain the correct chainline are as expensive as 2x road! They do not charge less to remove shifting internal on one brifter either! Then if you go 12s you need the proper "newer" rear derailleur and a newer hub!
@BikeLife154
Жыл бұрын
@@stevetaylor2233 I’m talking about GRX 810 11 speed. It’s almost £200 cheaper for the 1x and the 600 11 speed is dirt cheap at the moment.
Derailleurs work so well these days that in reality all configurations work very well, there is more choice of gearing with 1 X as there are plenty of options for the front ring, the only downside I have ever found with a 1X is the long mech cage can be more susceptible to catching on things and picking up grass - not an issue for road bikes -
For most people road bikes are overgeared. I run a 50-34 crankset and ride in the Peak District with very hilly terrain and regular very steep gradients. As an experiment I bought a junior cassette which has 16t smallest sprocket. Using this and an 11-34 cassette that I normally run I built a custom 16-34 version. There are more single step jumps and all the ratios are closer together. You have to use a cassettte where all the sprockets are individual (Shimano Tiagra) and not on alloy carriers to get full versatility. Works a treat and 50-16 top gear is OK on the flat, just have to tuck in and coast more on descents. Since found that there are youth versions that start at 14t so will maybe get one to allow higher top gear.
Most road bikes are overgeared, I run a 34 single ring with an 11 to 34 rear cassette and still rarely use the top gear,also narrow wide chainrings are more durable. I find gearing for a top speed of 25mph is realistic
@bikeradar
Жыл бұрын
I don't disagree that many riders could likely benefit from smaller gears overall, but I think that's a separate topic to 1x vs 2x - perfectly possible to get tinyl gears with a 2x setup, and you don't have to give up tight ratios or much on the top end to achieve it. Each to their own, though. Thanks for watching. Simon
@neilparnell5712
Жыл бұрын
Agree on the overgearing issue. I ride in the Peak District with very hilly terrain and regular steep gradients and as an experiment I bought a junior cassette which has 16t smallest sprocket. Using this and an 11-34 cassette that I normally run I built a custom 16-34 version. There are more single step jumps and all the ratios are closer together. You have to use a cassettte where all the sprockets are individual and not on alloy carriers to get full versatility. Works a treat and 50-16 top gear is OK on the flat, just have to tuck in and coast more on descents.
I have a 1x Ti road bike I built up myself 12 speed Sram mechanical 40t chain ring 9 - 50t ethirteen 12 speed cassette Club run no problem, so much so they were very interested in my set up Unless your a professional racer then 1x is realistically all you need or your just pretending your a pro 😏😏🤔
1x axs/gx mullet road bike 50t 10-52 In the rear would be cool to see! But, that rear cassette is so heavy
The single greatest advantage of 2X or 3X is the ability to quickly drop a bunch of ratios (into a much easier gear) by dropping one's chain onto a physically _smaller_ gear, which is easier than getting the chain onto a larger one. I have a 1X "gravel" bike and a 1X ebike, and I have a sort of franken-bike and a more-or-less dedicated wheel-on trainer that are both 3X, but my serious road bikes will always to 2X.
Hey Simon .. what if the frame was exclusively designed for 1x to optimise the benefits?
I was considering 1x with the new Force AXS just because its cheaper. It’s like $1k shifters, RD and brakes. Omitting the chainring and FD can save about $300
@rob-c.
Жыл бұрын
100 rides later, you’ll wish you’d spent $3 per ride to have the gears you actually wanted in the first place though
@meibing4912
11 ай бұрын
@CaptianItalian11 The savings are missing from the video. 1x also saves time and money on maintenance.
Classified... oh nevermind. Question is who buys them? Sram?
@jonathanzappala
Жыл бұрын
I hope they stay universal, or someone like DT Swiss buys them, who's tech is pretty widely used.
I live in moderately hilly terrain, and have a 1x and a 2x. The range is similar between the two (44x10-36 & 50/34x11-28). With the 1x, there is only a single gear jump where sometimes it is a little annoying, and after riding the 1x exclusively for a couple months, the front derailleur is as annoying (or maybe more?) than the gear jump. If I lived in an even hillier or steeper area, I’d leverage the 2x for sure, but on the whole both work and I still like the relative simplicity of a 1x. I’m happy enough to swap back and forth between the two setups.
@rob-c.
Жыл бұрын
Problem is, the big jumps of a cassette on a 1x setup are annoying all the time. The front derailleur shifts are far less frequent.
@nomad61u2
Жыл бұрын
Fair point, but A 10-36 12sp cassette doesn’t really have big jumps. There is one jump where in certain situations I notice it, but usually don’t. On yesterdays ride on the 2x (for the first time in a while I) actually noticed how much I was sitting through the gears on the rolling terrain. 2x is better for most people - 1x road setups just doesn’t deserve all the hate it gets.
I ride SS for relatively flat rides with a few short hills thrown in, 1x would work perfectly fine here. But when I go further afield where the SS is a struggle or requires walking up hill, it's 2x all the way, even my 1x MTB on the road is woefully under geared and that's with the largest chain ring I can fit.
How bout NO!?
I'm not a racer, only a simple hobby cyclist and so I have a lot more fun on my gravel 1by (40//10-45), even on the road, as previously with my road bike with a 2by setup.
I don't think it should be made redundant but definitely needs a new design to stop chain jamming underload etc I do think it can be smaller and faster shifting, also these small cassettes aren't great with 1x basically what i run on my DH bikes the size on these new gravel bike's and its a hard push if your not going down! A larger cassette with the 30t or 34t is really nice
Just bought a 1x12 not had it out yet but have ridden them on my old dh bikes years ago and liked it but it's been working for years the front mech so don't think they should be ditched completely racers and oap bike spacific
For once, Simon, I agree. On gravel bikes, perfect. For the average road use...nope.
1x for off road makes sense. I have a Salsa Cutthroat with 1x and it works just fine for the stuff that bike was made for but with that bike on the road the jumps are too big for me. I can never find a comfortable cadence. 2x for road is still ideal for me 52/36 upfront and an 11-34 in the rear. 👍
If I ride with anyone who cares whether I'm riding 1x or 2x or 3x, I'm riding with the wrong people
As someone whose first proper bike was 1x and hankered after the ratio doubling powers of a double chainset. I won’t be going 1x any time soon. I know my current 11speed cassette offers 1 more gear option than my 5 speed steed from the past, but my memory of struggling up the Nick ‘o Pendle back then is hardwired in! Give me a good spread of gears any day!
I bought a one chain ring bike this summer for canal tow paths , mud ,.gravel , i have a litespeed mount bike for 100 year old logging roads etc . The bike is great , except the 42 chain ring . The bike is carbon , fast and should came with a or 45, not a 42. The small ring on my road bike is 42.
I have 50/34 and 23-11 10 speed cassette and going to a 1x 50 and a 12 speed 36-10 would give me a faster top gear and an easier hill climb gear with decent choices in the middle.
Go 2x electronic shifting if you are incapable of changing front gears.
Agreed, get rid. Also Shimano sort your cassette ratios out, damn great gap of 10 inches in high gears. Look as SRAM 11-28 11-32 and Campy 12-32 (then Campy 11-34 12 speed)
It you do not have any hills, but don't need to hammer all the time, a 1x is perfect. I have a 1x using a 50 tooth on the front and a 11-28 on the back. It's perfect for my needs
progress challenges lots of people
The issue is the casettes just arent quite there yet from the big brands. Sram is close, their 12 speed 10-36 doesnt quite have enough range for mass road adoption, whereas their 10-44 XPLR is a bit gappy, especially with the 3 tooth jump between the 18-21 cogs. If Sram made a 12 or 13 speed 10-39 casette, I think 1x would be adopted by many more road cyclists. A 10-39 casette, paired with a 44T chainring, gives very similar range to compact chainset with an 11-30 and is just a tad more gappy, but has positives in simplicity/ maintenance, weight, aero, aesthetics etc. Dont forget that on a 2x11 setup, you only really have about 14 individual gears when you account for overlap between chainrings, near identical/ duplicated gear combination on the big and small ring, and cross chaining. My next bike will be 1x with Sram's 10-36 casette and a 42T chainring, giving up a bit off top end to give me the same range as compact with 12-29.
@AC-es3en
9 ай бұрын
You can get 11-40 cassettes nowadays
Valid points but: being on Dura-Ace 11-34 with an 50T chainring during races or 2400meters altitude gain Iberian mountain loops without grinding gears I figure that an 200w FTP amateur can ditch the useless gears. In the end ... do what fits you.
Hmmmm So here my experience I have riding 4 e-road bikes for over 25000 miles over 4 years 3 of them 2x systems never used small front cog So now have a 15kg BMC 1 x system absolutely no difference in performance As for chain stretch i did 5000 miles on one chain on my orbea M20 with it at 0.7 stretch I have ridden this BMC for 1500 miles in 10 weeks And stretch is below 0.1 if that so no wear on the Chain Chain is waxed liquid lube It a sram xplr 12 speed system So I get the theory of cross chain but in the real world not seen it I agree bigger gear jumps noticeable but so what I road with my friend side by side I hit 27 MPH he could only do a bit faster on a focus bike weighing 7.2kg vs 15kg on my bike I ride a lot of hills 8 big ones every day of the year 28 miles a day on country B and C roads so not great roads And for me I prefer 1x And here the thing 3 bikes were hub motor drive This BMC is mid drive so more strain on the chain So it looking good so far with no chain wear on 1500 miles
Front 44, rear 10-42 will make anyone except elite rider (from amateurs) forget about 2x.
2x shimano is the only way 🎉🎉🎉or if your a tour rider, 3x shimano groupset , and yes, I have scrap 😮I mean, ssramkp, how do you spell that other groupset name. I have road it on my bike, and it is on the way to the trash 🗑 🙃 ... thanks for the great reviews 👍
@BIIIKES
Жыл бұрын
The other groupset that's actually innovating?
Only time worrying about your front chain is when riding SRAM 😂 your front chain NEVER falls off on a decent groupset.
1 x for life.
But why is 38 not more common? Why was 39/53 a "standard" pair? 38/53 has less overlap, or more variable gear ratios than 39/53.
1x13, now. Thanks, SRAM 😁
I do like both 1X and 2X drivetrains. You have to admit a bike with a 1X looks clreaner and way better than a 2X. I'm just as fast on a 1X as a 2X, and I spend most of my time on the big ring anyway. So a 50 with an 11-32 or 11-34 works just fine, and for me the gaps are not that bad.
I'd gladly ride 1x living where the mass majority of people in the world live. Got it on my gravel bike here in Utah and it's not fun riding on the road with the necessary wide range of gears. But most people don't need that wide range where they live. Mostly everywhere I've lived(8 states and 2 countries), 1x12 with a 10-36 or 10-33 would have been great. Totally wouldn't be fun with 1x10 but 1x12 with an XDR hub is outstanding.
Yup, piss off with that road 1x!
Get off my lawn!
The weight thing is interesting. How much does a (say) 11-44t cassette weigh, compared to a 11-32 + front mech + inner ring?
@pierremaggi8661
Жыл бұрын
For ultegra level mechanical, the cassette FD and chainring would be 300, 100, 30g, so 430g total. Dont know the weight of the very big cassettes (and you do need a longer cage rear mech no ?)
@chuckyfox9284
Жыл бұрын
A sram force 11-33 is 240g, the double chainring weighs 120g more, and the front mech is 175g. A 10-44 force cassette weighs 380g. The overall weight saving are about 155g. If you go with a 44 chainring you only lose out on a bit of top end speed compared to a 33-46 sram chainring. I ride one bike with 2x11 and one with 1x12 and I honestly don’t feel a difference in terms of finding cadence, but I don’t do group rides.
@einundsiebenziger5488
2 ай бұрын
Two aluminium chainrings (50/34 or 46/30 teeth) and front derailleur are lower weight than three +40-teeth steel cogs for sure.
When are they going to invent one of those devices that come out from the bike on demand to flatten a car tire for the driver that tries to scare you on the road in showing how fast and how near he can pass you by even when your on the far right side of the road?
I think the industry will stab itself in the foot if this comes in, given people coming into the sport want to ride a "Hero" bicycle they see top athletes using and unless you are a cycling fit beanpole, 1X is not going to give you a great experience, as we overweight and beginner cyclists need a good selection of gears for hills and headwinds.