Source
r/bicycling•
Swift06

1x road setup questions

I'm really considering switching to a 1x setup because it's very flat where I live. There's really only one small climb near me and I'm never usually using my small ring.

What would be an optimal gearset combination? I don't know how to figure out what would suit me best for something this specific. I typically ride around 17.5-18.5mph, sometimes 24mph with the wind. Any advice is appreciated, thanks!

Edit: I should add that my rides are typically 1-2 hours with an average elevation of about 200ft in 18 miles and a high of 650 ft over 39 miles.

Posted Dec 1, 2018, 2:15 PM UTC · edited

129
andrewcookeChile, Cotic Soul•

you have a bike you ride now, right? so go ride it and make a note of what gears you use. then use a gear calculator to find a combination that matches.

this is much more likely to give you useful results than collecting random opinions on the internet...

12
graymulligan(2017) Cannondale Quick Carbon 1•

But...if the people on the internet don't tell me what to do, how will I know if its right?

2
Swift06OP•

Thanks for the link, it'll help. I just didn't know where to look, but now I do!

2
tuctrohsNH, USA (2 80s Miyatas + assorted newer and older)•

You probably don't need to buy anything. I would just shift into whichever chainring you use more, and either set the limit screws so you can't move the front derailleur, or just make an agreement with yourself not to use the front derailleur, and ride for a while and see whether the gear range you have suits you. If the years aren't quite low enough, get a slightly smaller chainring or, if they aren't quite high enough get a slightly larger chainring. If you are happy with it you can stop there or if you really want to you can take off the cable and perhaps take off the front derailleur and perhaps by a narrow wide chainring, but you don't really need any of that.

3
Swift06OP•

I'm looking to upgrade and save weight though. I've had this mindset for a year and I want to move on for something I actually want, not something I just tolerate that can "still get the job done."

2
tuctrohsNH, USA (2 80s Miyatas + assorted newer and older)•

Your weight savings comes from removing the cable and housing and, if you like, the derailleur. No need to replace the rest.

1
AusrufepunktUnica RD 03 | Cube Cross Race 2013•

Weight doesnt matter on flats anyway

1
Spaiduhz•

Weight. Eh. Cassettes and chainrings are heavy. DMR has a single speed conversion kit. And after you remove your inner chainrings, you can remove those pesky derailleurs, cables and housing.

That said, while I am able to feel the weight difference between a 12-25 and 11-32, I personally go for the 11-32 because of its range, and my insistence to keep my bum planted on my saddle when going up gradients. If where you cycle is mostly Amsterdam flat, you might actually like going single speed. Till you feel that brakes are heavy... Then you can go fixie.

1
kopsisArizona, USA•

I'm never usually using my small ring

Then you have a great opportunity to reduce the range on your cassette. Going down to an 11-25 or even 11-23 will reduce weight and get you nice tight gear ratios to help optimize cadence.

3
Swift06OP•

That's a great idea, thanks!

1
saimajajarnoFinland (Replace with bike and year)•

I would probably go with 52x11-28 👌🏻

2
Stubby_B0ardmanTrek Crossrip 1 / NOX Airbase 1•

52 for 18.5mph is way too much. 11-28 spread is good, but I'd go for 48 in the chainring. If not smaller.

7
saimajajarnoFinland (Replace with bike and year)•

Oh, I checked and I have 50/36x11-28.

I remembered i have 52.

Anyway, I avg around 18-20mph in pretty flat area, some steep (12-15%) climbs but pretty short ones and usually go with big one.

Dont if if 48 would be better for me tho, 50 is all I have ever used 😌

1
karlzhao314•

The extra gearing you get from a 50 only matters in the absolute highest gear. Once you shift even to your 12, that's already a lower ratio than what you'd get from a 48/11.

Be honest with yourself, how often are you on your highest gear? People living in mountainous areas with long straight descents may use it pretty often (and I'd argue that those people need a 50 or a 52, and that 1x is not suitable for them) but for everyone else its difficult to spin out even a 50/12 on flat ground, let alone a 48/11. I'd be perfectly okay giving up a 50 if I were to go 1x.

The much more important thing to consider for going 1x is how much of a climbing gear you can get.

2
ross-gellar-69•

There’s all kinds of calculations you could do to justify a set of gear ratios, but when I did this, I just copied the tooth count of my most used front chain ring and started there. Unless you must have a top of the line chain ring, the cost involved in swapping chain rings out is minimal.

2
lazerdabArgon 18 Ambassador•

FWIW 12 speed road 1x is 6 months away.

1
PanicshotsPlanet X Tempest•

True but the gear ranges will likely be the same just with smaller jumps.

1
OverunderscoreEngland 2018 Canyon Aeroad Di2•

You say that as if that’s insignificant. The biggest turn off with 1x is the jumps between gears. At the moment you’re either spinning at 105rpm or grinding at 85rpm.

Personally I don’t even like the jumps on an 11-28 cassette.

2
PanicshotsPlanet X Tempest•

Don’t get me wrong it’s definitely an improvement. Although for 1X I think having XDR 10-x cassettes might be more significant in smoothing out the jumps.

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GenuineMassholeMassachusetts, USA (2016 BMC RM02, 2015 Scott Addict Team Issue)•

From SRAM? Sure.

I haven't seen any Shimano leaks FWIW.

I'd take Di2 over ETap any day but that's me.

1
dark04templar•

Here is a diagram comparing a 1x11 (46x10-42) to standard, semi-compact and compact

https://imgur.com/a/q9BmtnN

1
richard_67Trek Madone•

1x11? There are only 10 dots on the 1x.

2
dark04templar•

Nice catch, had are error in my spreadsheet, now I wish I went with a bigger front chain ring. I but off the granny gear which should be 1.1 rev per pedal.

1
shadracko•

This is misleading because no one switches chainrings back and forth in the middle of the cassette.

1
snowbeersi•

My road bike has 50/34 with 11-28. My commuter/gravel has Sram rival 1x, with a 42T up front and 11-36 in the back. Upper Midwest so there are hills, but no extended climbs.

42T is just barley enough I find on days I feel strong, and if I was on my more aero road bike, I'd probably spin out occasionally.

I don't like the jumps in gears even in my 11-36, so the 10-42 would piss me off even more and I can make it up every hill in the state with the 11-36.

Your speeds sound a bit slower than me but not by much, and assuming you are somewhere even flatter, I would think a 46T with an 11-36 would work perfectly. My Sram rival 1x with the clutched derailleur has been flawless.

1
HOMlEG2013 BMC GranFondo Disc•

50t chainring with an 11-32 or 11-36 should probably do it.

1
Swift06OP•

Thanks!

1
apeincalifornia•

Sram offers a 1x road group that gets you a 10-42 cassette. Then you play with chainrings until you find your favorite. If you wanna use what you’ve already got, an 11-36t cassette with an mtb derailleur is possible for shimano 9 or 10 speed and the Sram 1x chainrings should work with common cranksets that use five arm 110 or 130 bolt circle diameter

0
EasternLet•

No need for 10-42 riding flats. Better off with 12-23 and matching the right chainring

0