1 x 9 - Why?

[letmetalktomark]

if you are running gears then what possible disadvantage does a front mech carry?

I cannot think the last time I used all of my gears on a 21, 24or 27 speed set up :?

Why not condense down the gears you do use (ratios etc) and run a simpler, lighter set up :?

 

[lewis1641]

if you are running gears then what possible disadvantage does a front mech carry?

I cannot think the last time I used all of my gears on a 21, 24or 27 speed set up :?

Why not condense down the gears you do use (ratios etc) and run a simpler, lighter set up :?

agreed. that's why i have a singlespeed bike.

 

[letmetalktomark]

if you are running gears then what possible disadvantage does a front mech carry?

I cannot think the last time I used all of my gears on a 21, 24or 27 speed set up :?

Why not condense down the gears you do use (ratios etc) and run a simpler, lighter set up :?

agreed. that's why i have a singlespeed bike.

I'm all for SS bikes.

1x 7/8/9 is just a middle ground between SS and fully geared.

 

[Harryburgundy]

Cause it gives you all the ratios you probably need.

 

[letmetalktomark]

Cause it gives you all the ratios you probably need.

Nail...head....on....the

 

[fagin]

When you get to my age you'll thank granny gear. Hell I'm about ready for great granny gear.
Granny Gear is your friend.

 

[perry]

What I don't understand is how xc guys think it's some kind of new revelation ; downhill , duel/bsx/4x etc have been doing it for years . The point is the chain can be wrapped around the chainring with no chance of it coming off .

Very few people seem to take the time to work out the gear inch's for the ratios they have . You end up with very few unique ratios that aren't just an inch or less between them or completely useless ; a 27 speed can easily go down to about 11 , so just use the one chainring and choose 9 for the back out of whats available .

and now with 10 speed gears systems , will be even better .

It's the chain I feel sorry for . Poor thing isn't best suited to being pushed sideways at either end of the block with one chainring . 10 speeds are used with 2 chainrings so you get 2 sets of ratios , a low and high . In the smaller ring you use the larger half of the cassette giving you a spread of low ratios and with the big ring the faster end of the cassette gives the fast ratios .

You wouldn't ride a triple in the big ring and largest sprocket on the cassette , besides the chain deflection , when you work out the ratio you might find the middle ring and say 4th gives similar . So only using the one ring takes away all the maths you have to do in your head to find what you want out of a possible 27 . Just think , your carting around all those ratios , most of which are a waste of time and you need to find the handful of jems contained within all on the approach to a corner or incline .

 

[Aeronaut]

What I don't understand is how xc guys think it's some kind of new revelation ; downhill , duel/bsx/4x etc have been doing it for years . The point is the chain can be wrapped around the chainring with no chance of it coming off .

Yup and that last bit is what ended it briefly for me anyway...

Never used the granny ring on my 2x9 set up either so decided to strip the front derailleur off a few weeks ago. Only thing is the chain was forever jumping off the larger ring at speed over bumps which was a pain but had luckily kept the granny ring on which caught it.
Have had to put the derailleur back on for now until i get the chain cage/roller to keep it there.

1x9 makes perfect sense though for most applications where you don't need the crawler gear. 9's more than enough

 

[IDB1]

Sorry to bump an old thread but stumbled on it while searching for something else..

Poignant since I've just decided to only run SS or 1 x ? setups.. and have spent the last couple of days pondering the sense of it and made the decision (startlingly using similar logic to the thoughts expressed here)..

What shifters you guys using??

Got a thumbie coming for the Voodoo, nice and small, but if I want to go 9 on the back without making things look completely unbalanced....

 

[ajantom]

1x9 on my Global Softail - used a Deore 9spd shifter as that was what was in the spares box! Thinking of replacing it with a 7 speed block and an old XC-Pro thumbie at some point.

A Paul's Chain Keeper at the front keeps everything on - and it's light - and looks nice