So many gears, pointless?

[JPBoothy]

Someone told me once that a certain company introduced 1x front ring because their dual chainring gear change was pathetic, so they directed it and marketed the heck out of it.

I am always curious about the spacing/gapping between the sprockets and how the chain manages to 'mesh' faultlessly everytime (or does it?)..

 

[screenman]

I know people who get great pleasure from seeing their savings account balance grow month by month.

Might sound weird, but who are we to judge.

Not me, just bring some balance. I can see it from both ways.

 

[Venod]

Do you think a 1x* would suit me ?

I had a MTB with 1x it had 32 front and 11- 42 rear (11 speed), the 32 -11 was a bit low, so I fitted a 34, this meant the 34-42 was a bit high in rough steep terrain, I ended up fitting a 36-24 up front, that I could climb a wall with, I had a spell off the MTB last year with a bad back, so sold it.
I have replaced it this year with with a new MTB with 10-50 (12 speed) it had a 30 up front that I have replaced with a 34, I am happy with this gearing.

I don't know if I would be happy with 1x on my CX I have 46-34 up front with 11-32 on one set of wheels and 11-36 on another, again I am happy with this.

My lad runs 44 or 46 single ring with I think 11-42, he seems to like it.

If you like simplicity 1x would suit you.

 

[Ajax Bay]

I am always curious about the spacing/gapping between the sprockets and how the chain manages to 'mesh' faultlessly everytime (or does it?).

When there is tension on the (top run of the) chain (ie force is being applied to the pedals), the resistive force is applied (from the rear) by the top few teeth of the sprocket the chains on (say 10 o'clock to 12 o'clock).
[Btw the number of teeth where even a small force is applied reduces as the chain elongates.]
When the rider shifts and the guide jockey wheel moves across, the chain (helped by sprocket design/ramps) starts engaging with the bottom (and subsequent) teeth on the 'new' sprocket. And by the time those engaged teeth get round to 9 o'clock there's enough resistance to take the tension as that's released by the 'old' sprocket's teeth (as the transfer of chain gets to 11 o'clockish).
'Faultless meshing'.
Larger tooth count deltas make this process a tad less 'faultless', but not so a rider would notice.
HTH

 

[chriswoody]

It is more about simplicity than cost to me (honest ) which is why I ditched my 3x* set-up because, I always seemed to be having to tinker around to stop any rub on the front mech. The introduction of a 1x* set-up has always had my interest as a potential future 'simplistic' purchase and I'm always interested the opinions of real users (like yourself) rather than that of the marketing people. I am not a fast rider and tend to ride my CX bikes on the road at no more than 20mph using mainly the 36t up front. Do you think a 1x* would suit me ? To be honest, I think I am confusing the word simple with the word lazy, as pottering about on my SS with no chain slap or additional noise from a derailleur is music to my ears but obviously has its limited use.

Simplicity is definitely one advantage. People often grumble about the spacing between ratios on a 1x cassette, however, in order to maintain perfect cadence on a 2x or 3x you would need to change gear on the front at the optimum point and I could rarely manage that. 1x removes that from the equation, spinning out? then change down, going is getting hard, then change up, simple. My riding is mostly 80% off road and to be honest, off road or on, I really don't notice any large jumps in gear ratio or gaps. I don't use Strava or slavishly record my times, I ride to enjoy my self and explore, so for me 1x is perfect.

Another point that others have bought up is the quality of gear changes, well I've ridden the bike all through the winter in the forest and yet to adjust or touch the drivetrain aside from cleaning it. The rear mech is clutched, so no chain chatter and no front mech cage for the chain to rub against, just a lovely silent drivetrain. I've also experienced no thrown chains either, no matter how rough the terrain. SRAM double tap aside, every gear change is crisp and precise, the problem comes in changing up. I'm a bit ham fisted and double tap requires a slightly more delicate touch, so changing up the cassette I often over changed through pushing the lever too far, I'm getting there though! Down shifting is really nice though, one click and down the chain pops, no over shifting or delay, just a nice, crisp down change.

 

[derrick]

I will stick with 11 speed. I use them all. Close ratio is good helps keep cadence steady. I ride 11 x32 52 x36 up front. as i like hills. So works for me. With 8 speed i could never find a comfatable cadence.

 

[Ajax Bay]

Close ratio is good helps keep cadence steady. I ride 11 x32

11-32 is not 'close ratio' though, even with 11 sprockets. Obviously it's closer than an 11-32 with 8 sprockets.

 

[derrick]

11-32 is not 'close ratio' though, even with 11 sprockets. Obviously it's closer than an 11-32 with 8 sprockets.

Its close enough for me.

 

[MichaelW2]

For commuters, tourists and leisure riders, 8x3 is probably the optimum gear system ( unless you prefer hub gears).
The parts are durable in cheaper groupsets, the design does not rely on advanced and expensive metallurgy. Thinner sprockets, chains and rings are durable in high end groupsets but dont trickle down so well.
The precision required for accurate positioning of the derailleur increases with thinner, closer sprockets. 8 speed can go longer without adjustment and requires less precise adjustment.
Thinner chains require much more care when breaking and joining and you cannot re rivet normal links. With 8 speed you have the choice to use quick links or a chaintool .
8 speed parts are available globally in small town bike shops. 8 spd dominated the market for many years, whereas 9 spd was a stepping stone/ gateway drug to high sprocket counts.

 

[screenman]

Can you remember a time when even 6 speed was not so available, funny how things progress and get better.

 

[JPBoothy]

Simplicity is definitely one advantage. People often grumble about the spacing between ratios on a 1x cassette, however, in order to maintain perfect cadence on a 2x or 3x you would need to change gear on the front at the optimum point and I could rarely manage that. 1x removes that from the equation, spinning out? then change down, going is getting hard, then change up, simple. My riding is mostly 80% off road and to be honest, off road or on, I really don't notice any large jumps in gear ratio or gaps. I don't use Strava or slavishly record my times, I ride to enjoy my self and explore, so for me 1x is perfect.

Another point that others have bought up is the quality of gear changes, well I've ridden the bike all through the winter in the forest and yet to adjust or touch the drivetrain aside from cleaning it. The rear mech is clutched, so no chain chatter and no front mech cage for the chain to rub against, just a lovely silent drivetrain. I've also experienced no thrown chains either, no matter how rough the terrain. SRAM double tap aside, every gear change is crisp and precise, the problem comes in changing up. I'm a bit ham fisted and double tap requires a slightly more delicate touch, so changing up the cassette I often over changed through pushing the lever too far, I'm getting there though! Down shifting is really nice though, one click and down the chain pops, no over shifting or delay, just a nice, crisp down change.

Good information thank you.. Pure pleasure riding for me too so no need for any super quick gear changes or stress through a drop in speed when/if I do

 

[Blue Hills]

I think there is some on here who would rather not spend any money, or in the least as little as possible, they seem of the opinion that anyone different is wrong.

I don't see that in this thread at all - I see most folk addressing the question of numbers of gears, which is what the OP was musing about.
Some, a fair few, have given higher numbers of gears a plus because of the ultra-close ratios their style of riding makes welcome. And I have not seen anyone slagging them off.
You seem to be on a single track (single-speed?) with your comments and have barely addressed the question at all.
As I am not a racer (pretty serious cyclist but got back into bikes a bit late for that) I have no need of such a large number of gears/very close ratios and I fancy many are the same and would be best advised to resist the siren call.
As for close ratios, I am maybe a bit perverse(again I stress I am no racer - pro or amateur and don't ride in close groups) in that I sometimes like one or two changes having a certain clunky feel.
My single 8 speed is like that. Riding loaded on that down a slight incline or a good flat with a good momentum I really like changing up a fair clunk - feels like going into overdrive
I also associate that certain slight clunkiness with dependability and lack of faff - I can't remember the last time I had to tinker with the indexing on that bike.
Of course if I was riding in a tight group, by the time I had made that satisfying upwards clunk the peloton would be off in the distance and let loose from the draughting I would most likely never catch them.

 

[Blue Hills]

Does this mean that, using a single chainring, you can only use the middle of the cassette?

excellent question - I seem to remember someone who is way more techy than me suggesting that those dinnerplate rear cassettes twinned with a single front ring are far worse for chainstrain than a triple married to a decent rear cassette, where a certain near duplication of ratios can have real benefits for trouble free running, lifetime of bits, lack of faff, economy.

 

[Blue Hills]

funny how things progress and get better.

I can't say I'd fancy reading any (non cycling) history book you might write. History as a straight-line devoted simply to things being better and better for folk.
(I'd also look very closely at the small print to see who financed/commissioned such a history)

 

[Shearwater Missile]

I used to manage on a 3x5 set up on my 1980 Motobecane. It became a 2x5 when the middle chain ring got bent from a fall and I never replaced it. I managed Ditchling beacon twice on it doing the London to Brighton ride, 2002 and 2008. Sure, there were gaps between gears but I did`nt know anything else. The crux of the matter though is that I had younger legs then and I would almost certainly struggle with that set up today. My two bikes are 9 speed 12-26 (53/39) and 11 speed 11-28 (50/34) and I use most of the gears, perhaps not the 12 or 11 as I don`t go that fast as I bail out before then.