I have a few gravelly bikes. One is a Specialized Roll...which is a comfort cruiser, but it's 650B, so I threw on a set of tubelesd wheels and gravel tires....BOOM! It's a "gravel" bike. Anyway, I run a 36T single ring with an 11-40T 9 speed and it's fine. Like you, I just coast when I'm blasting down a hill. I've waffled back and forth with my preference for 1x drivetrains. Until recently, all my main riders had them, but I've been buying older bikes lately, so they all have 3x cranks. I've forgotten how useful multiple chainrings are. 10 years ago, 2x cranks became very popular on mountain bikes. I really like a 26/40T crank paired with an 11-36T 10 speed cassette. That is my ideal gear range.
yeah I'm with you on going back and fourth on 1x or 2x. When a 2x is working and shifting right, it's great, but the day it starts causing problem my mind go to "screw it, I'm going 1x".
I love 1X. Have you heard about bikes like the Canyon Roadlite 6 which is 1X: 46T chainring and 12 gears 10-51T cassette or the Canyon Pathlite which is also 1X but 36T and also 12 gears 10-51T cassette. The Pathlite at 36-51T should climb basically anything and 36T-10T is okay for flat terrain, and well, downhill it depends
You r making me to think that do what you like and always have consistency in your work and at the end of the day you will get the people with the same ideology or same thoughts and the same likes as yours 😅❤
Subscribed! Really appreciate your practical approach to bikes! I've been meaning to fully convert my 3x to a 2x using the same crankset and FD combo. The chain however keeps dropping much as I try setting the high limit screw. Any ideas? Thanks
short answer yes. long answer no. I'd never use less than a triple with a 42t and a 22 smallest. never need the larger rings in the back hardly.. sold my 2020 XC8 with the 12spd (30t front) 1x and embrace the 3X 7 and 8 but DEORE level or higher. i got a 26" city bike with a 28-48 front crank. I have a 2021 NORCO INDIE 4 city bike.. it's a 38t front and seems pretty usable
