I recently switched to a 1x10 setup, I really like the simplicity of it. Only issue is I ride a mix of AM\XC and a little bit of DH on occasion. 1x10 with a 32t ring is no good for me for climbs - and the next alternative is a 1x10 24t. Several people have communicated to me that going with only a 1x10 @24t is NOT a good idea, but typically on my 3x10 i never come out of the 22t cog..... I'm not a racer, and im not a hardcore downhiller, so i'm guessing for me adding 2 teeth up from a 22t will hit that "goldilocks" zone for my riding style and skill at this time - am I under thinking this?
If you are consistantly climbing in 22/36.....perhaps 1x is not for you. 24t up front is not a usable ring for all around riding....you will spin it out waay too fast on the flats, and it will be useless on the DH's. recommend 28t/30t with a 42t Add-a-Cog to your existing drivetrain. After that, just ride more and get stronger.
A 30t with a 42t should help you out... I from a double before running that setup... A little tougher, but manageable...
Ok so I heeded the advice of the masses and went with a 30t up front, and I'll add a Wolfstooth GC 40/42t to the rear cassette if needed. The difference between 30 and 32t should be noticeable....I hope lol, if not - I'll add a Wolfs tooth 42t to the rear cassette. Then I should be golden! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I currently run 30T and 11-36. I'm planning on going to 32 and the praxis 11-40 (1x10). Met a guy on the trail who says the praxis cassette is smooth!
Short park rides you can get away with any gearing you want. Tall gear if you ride to the trailhead. Long days with lots of climbing those bailout gears keep ya from walking. Many of us have different bikes for different types of riding. One bike is a compromise. I have 3 bikes: RFX for the shuttle days. Czar for most days Single speed for the local parks Dean
For some of us who have other financial priorities, one bike has to do. Dialing in a 1x10 combo to try and cover your types of riding can be challenging.
I run something similar to what you are thinking of running. 1x10 w/ a 32t up front and an 11-36 w/ the OneUp 40t and 16t as my rear cassette. It's not 100% ideal, but my front derailleur never worked perfectly, so the simplicity of 1x shifting has been worth the sacrifice. SRAM 1X gives a bit more range with the 10-42, so when I wear my current drivetrain out I'll consider it. Oh and I really like the look of 1x setups. I'm usually a function over fashion guy, but this trend I may have gone a bit for looks.
I haven't added the 42t to the rear cassette yet - but making the switch from 32t to 30t up front made a very noticeable difference. I'm halfway considering sticking with the setup as is! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I use a 32 NW and the cheap Sunrace 11-40 expanded cassette. Cheaper than the wolf cog and works just as well if not better. you havea much more natural jump in your climbing gears. They sell a 11-42 also but I got the 40 since some shimano RDs don't play nice on the 42.
There was a time when I was strong enough to push that combo. I miss those days... In fact I am probably going to ditch the 40T when it wears out and go back to a stock cassette. It will save $$ and force me to get stronger again. These days I sit and spin and never seem to get in better shape. I initially got rid of the granny because I had trouble with traction on steep/loose/technical terrain. If I stayed in the middle ring and was able to maintain power/momentum I was able to get up a lot more sections. I will be sucking wind big time but I don't mind stopping to rest.
You should go for it ... when there is no other option it forces you to get stronger I have been using the 34-36 for a little over a year now and I am much stronger now than when I started. So much so that I have recently been doing most of my climbs in the 2nd biggest rear cog, which is a 32. In places like Oaks I never even use the 36 anymore, but others like Dreaded and Mathis I still need to use it. I eventually hope to have that 36 as my granny gear.