# Converting 2x10 to 1x10



## 3narf (26 Jan 2017)

Hi

If I swap my two chainrings for one, is it prudent to use something exactly in the middle, or tend towards a slightly higher top gear, or a slightly lower bottom gear? 

I usually ride single speed bikes, off road and on, so I generally don't have a problem getting up most hills.

Ta


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## Sharky (26 Jan 2017)

I went to a 1x9set up. Put a 40t narrow/wide ring on the inside position. Shortened the chain by a few links and used shorter chain ring bolts. Works fine on all 9 sprockets.


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## 3narf (26 Jan 2017)

Sharky said:


> I went to a 1x9set up. Put a 40t narrow/wide ring on the inside position. Shortened the chain by a few links and used shorter chain ring bolts. Works fine on all 9 sprockets.



40T sounds a bit tough on a 9 speed! You must be a good climber...


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## Sharky (26 Jan 2017)

3narf said:


> 40T sounds a bit tough on a 9 speed! You must be a good climber...


Like you, used to riding single speed on other bike, with 44x17, so a 40: 13-26 ish is a luxury. There are a few hills i avoid, but can usually manage up tp about 1 in 8.


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## MarquisMatsugae (26 Jan 2017)

Sharky said:


> I went to a 1x9set up. Put a 40t narrow/wide ring on the inside position. Shortened the chain by a few links and used shorter chain ring bolts. Works fine on all 9 sprockets.





Sharky said:


> Like you, used to riding single speed on other bike, with 44x17, so a 40: 13-26 ish is a luxury. There are a few hills i avoid, but can usually manage up tp about 1 in 8.



I am such a woos.
32t on the front of my 1x10


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## Motozulu (27 Jan 2017)

That's what I did Marquis - in my defence though it was 32 x 11-36 cassette - none of this wooftery 1x11 or expanders.


although on my full suss it was 30 x 11-42


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## 3narf (27 Jan 2017)

That sounds fine; the bike I'm getting has an 11-36 cassette. I was thinking either 32 or 34 for the chainring.


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## ChrisEyles (27 Jan 2017)

I run a 1x8 set-up, 32t up front and 11-30t at the back. It's fine most of the time but some of the multi-mile long draggy steep climbs on Dartmoor are a bit of a PITA. I find the top 32/11 gear is perfect off-road, I don't think I've ever wanted anything higher, but it's obviously limiting if you're using the bike on tarmac. 

I'm switching over to a 11-34t cassette tonight which I think will be perfect for this bike's intended use - if I need lower gears than 32/34 (with 26" wheels) on the moors it's almost certainly a rider fitness issue rather than gearing... and at that point it's time to get off, have a cup of tea from the thermos and walk the rest of the hill anyway  

You might need to think about your chainline going from 2x to 1x (3x to 1x is easy, you just use the middle ring position). I think you can get 1x chainrings with built in spacers to get the chainring in the middle of the cassette. If you have to err either side, I'd bias towards the larger sprockets, it's nice to know you have a good chainline when you're mashing as hard as you can up a b*stard of a hill.


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## ChrisEyles (27 Jan 2017)

ps - I found I dropped a lot of chains until I put my front derailleur back on (locked in place with the limit screws). But then I wasn't using a dedicated 1x ring with narrow/wide teeth, which won't have helped. Putting the FD on fixed the issue, I don't think I've dropped a chain since.


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## 3narf (27 Jan 2017)

ChrisEyles said:


> ps - I found I dropped a lot of chains until I put my front derailleur back on (locked in place with the limit screws). But then I wasn't using a dedicated 1x ring with narrow/wide teeth, which won't have helped. Putting the FD on fixed the issue, I don't think I've dropped a chain since.



Thanks for this info! Yes, I was planning on using an N/W ring. I'll see how it goes and fit a chain device if needs be.


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## marzjennings (28 Jan 2017)

You'll need a new rear mech with a clutch to help keep the chain on.


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## Salty seadog (28 Jan 2017)

MarquisMatsugae said:


> I am such a woos.
> 32t on the front of my 1x10





Motozulu said:


> That's what I did Marquis - in my defence though it was 32 x 11-36 cassette - none of this wooftery 1x11 or expanders.
> 
> 
> although on my full suss it was 30 x 11-42



Oi, my new Whyte 901 came with 1x11 32t chainring with 11-40 cassette. It's dedicated trail bike do it suits it's use. May put a 34t on the front and see what difference it makes.


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## 3narf (28 Jan 2017)

marzjennings said:


> You'll need a new rear mech with a clutch to help keep the chain on.



Yes, it has one of those as well. Also comes with a dropper post; it's really good value which is why I think I have to go for it. I had a test ride on a Bird Zero AM which is already 1x11, but it doesn't have a dropper post and it's *400 quid* dearer...  Was great to ride, though.


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## MarquisMatsugae (28 Jan 2017)

It's dedicated trail bike do its suited use.[/QUOTE]
Yep,my excuse too and I'm sticking to it


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## Motozulu (28 Jan 2017)

My fatty Trail is 1x11 with a 28t front ring!! 

It's a fatty though...it's in the rules


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## MarquisMatsugae (28 Jan 2017)

Motozulu said:


> My fatty Trail is 1x11 with a 28t front ring!!
> 
> It's a fatty though...it's in the rules



That actually makes a whole lot of sense.
Making it easier to climb like a standard trail bike.


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## Motozulu (28 Jan 2017)

Yes it does. A mate said 'why not change to a 30 up front?' and tbh I could get away with it around Cannock, which is quite flat, comparatively. The Fatty will be going to places like Degla though so I reckon then, it'll be perfect as it is.


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## Levo-Lon (28 Jan 2017)

I have either a 28 or32 up front depending on where im riding with 10/42 or 11/42 ..i live in the fens and All hills kill me..
use what suits.. my son in law manages everything in wales or wherever with 34 and a 11,36..goat


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## Flyboy (29 Jan 2017)

Just work it out , most of the time you are actually not better off going 1x11

Number of teeth on chainring X wheel diameter then divide by the number of teeth on your rear cog.
You then have Gear development number . The X THIS by 3.142 that will give you the distance you move per full revolution .
The less the number the easier you go up hill.


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## Motozulu (30 Jan 2017)

The biggest reason I went 1x10 was to make me fitter - as I fully realised that converting a 3x10 bike would mean I'd have to work harder and not wimp out with the granny ring.
Same with 1x11. Also - I wanted rid of the left hand shifter and the mud catcher of a front mech. Easier to maintain, less to go wrong, cleaner, simpler lines.

It makes perfect sense.


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## Flyboy (30 Jan 2017)

At least you have a valid reason, a lot of people just go with trends and actually wonder why they can't get up hills anymore "ON THE LATEST UP TO DATE SETUP" .


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## 3narf (6 Feb 2017)

Done!


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## Flyboy (6 Feb 2017)

Sweet , take it . It's a narrow wide etc etc


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## 3narf (6 Feb 2017)

Flyboy said:


> Sweet , take it . It's a narrow wide etc etc



Yes, RaceFace N/W ring.


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## prawny (7 Feb 2017)

30/11-36 for me on a 650b. Mainly because the chain line is better on the 30t that the 32, and I didn't have to faff around looking for spacers/longer bolts.


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## 3narf (17 Feb 2017)

prawny said:


> 30/11-36 for me on a 650b. Mainly because the chain line is better on the 30t that the 32, and I didn't have to faff around looking for spacers/longer bolts.



I'm wondering about spacing the chainring in a bit; the chain is straight on the 4th smallest cog. I guess I'd need spacers about 10mm thick, though, to have any significant effect...


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## prawny (20 Feb 2017)

Youve got a spacer or two on your BB by the looks of it, so you could swap them to the NDS to help a little bit if it's giving you grief.


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## 3narf (20 Feb 2017)

prawny said:


> Youve got a spacer or two on your BB by the looks of it, so you could swap them to the NDS to help a little bit if it's giving you grief.



I never noticed that! Thx


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## mrbikerboy73 (24 Feb 2017)

I converted my 2x10 to a 1x11 set up and used some 2mm spacers to improve the chain line. A 3x crankset is easy as the middle ring is in the right place but a 2x crankset won't be quite right. I suspect many don't bother with spacers and have no problems but it can't hurt. Have a read of this...
http://int.oneupcomponents.com/page...or-optimal-1x-conversions-boost-and-non-boost


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## Mb49 (26 Feb 2017)

I really don't see what all the must have 1x is about.I can see how in some disciplines of the sport it might help.As if top flight ,every gram saved adds to performance, and with only 1 set of gears means less to go wrong. But I fail to see how a 1x is as good as 2x on a trail bike.it might get close-ish but not as good. I ride a 2x10speed 28-40t,11-36 XT geared steel hardtail with rc3l forks.which i regularly do swinley on (B/R/B). I recently built a full suspension Codeine 650b, the frame, fork and shock kit I purchased was such a good deal, even though it was a 1x.I put a lot of time, trouble and thought into its gearing and myself and lbs came up with 1x11speed 36t, 11-46 as being the closest we could get to my 2x set up.top speed on my Codeine I found to be about ½ a gear down on my hardtail, which I can live with, the lowest gear is same as my hardtail.but it's the big gaps inbetween the gears i find detract from a good ride, as seem to lose a lot of flow, and where there'd be like 2 gears to choose from , your stuck with 1 which might not be the best for any given situation.i don't find the front mech is in anyway a problem.and sram Eagle is like way too much money and still has really big gaps . Any views


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## ChrisEyles (26 Feb 2017)

I guess if you don't like bigger gaps between gears a 1x set-up is not likely to suit you. I find the other way around more irritating actually, when I have to click through several gears before a steep climb. For me the 8 speed 11-34 I have on the back is pretty much perfect. If I was going to up the number of gears I wouldn't change the spacing, just maybe add (in an ideal world, I know they don't make these) a 38t granny on the back for emergencies!


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## 3narf (27 Feb 2017)

From my point of view, it's about simplicity and neatness... I don't ride competitively so the weight isn't as much of an issue.

I usually ride singlespeeds on the road so I don't need 20 gears!


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## Venod (27 Feb 2017)

I have recently got new MTB (29er) with 1x11 (11-42) 32t front ring, I felt it was a bit low geared on local trails with most of the riding on the bottom half of the cassette, so 
I changed to a 34t front the offset was different so I had to juggle the spaces and get some different sized ones to get the correct chain line, I feel its an improvement on local stuff not sure I would keep it if I was a regular trail center user, I managed Dalby Red on it with a decent time up the Adders Back climb but after a long day I think the 32t would have been appreciated, I like the simplicity of a single chain ring but there is a lot to like about a 2 x 10 setup, the gaps between the gears on 1 x 11 are going to take some getting used to.

Its my first 29er and I find it does roll better over rougher ground, but I didn't feel as confident on the steep downhills at Dalby, a dropper post would have helped. but its a XC hardtail so I won't be doing rocky steep stuff that often.


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