1 x 10 drivetrain madness!
Now that you can get Shimano 10-speed at a reasonable price point, I have a dream:
– 36t chainring
– 11-36t cassette
– Chain guide
Pump track, dirt jump, trail, road, whatever — it’s on! JHK won the 2009 national XC championship with the same gearing.
JensonUSA is selling Shimano XT and SLX 10-speed goodness.
I guess you would see a little extra ‘cross-chaining’ by running the middle (and only) ring all the way to the inner and outermost cogs. Would this cause extra wear to the cassette and chainrings or just the chain ? I could live with extra chain wear but not the cassette.
P.S. I noticed in my new copy of MMBS2 that the gear ratio graphic should have the middle ring in the middle graphic in red not black. No biggie, just thought you might want to know.
Hey Lee, Nice Dream! I’ve been having a great time riding trails and racing XC with a 34t ring and 11-34t cassette for the last few years. I’ve held the chain on with a E thirteen LG-1. It’s been very light and simple.
Climbing with the 1:1 low gear isn’t too bad unless you are climbing for hours at a time. It’s a lot more fun if you do James Wilson’s DB combos program! I just tell myself that single speeders are out there killing themselves on 2:1. It is definitely harder without a granny ring but I’ve found, in races, that if I have to get off and walk, people with 3 rings are walking anyway.
It’s very frugal also, you run the chain and cassette way past the point where it would be considered worn out and becuase it only has to mesh with one chainring, which you use all the time, it works fine. When you do replace the chain and cassette, you just flip the chainring over and start again on the other side.
P.S. I haven’t really missed the bigger gear, but I don’t have your Awesome Power.
Don’t you also need a new rear dérailleur?
I’m sure Shimano will want you to buy a chainring, chain, cassette, rear derailleur and rear shifter.
Five reasons I won’t be doing this any time soon.
Like Chris says: A 34t ring and 11-34 cassette does the job quite well. The 36t ring gives a little extra top end for trail, road and Super D action.
Reversing your chainring? Things must be tough in Australia .. 🙂
that’s cause us aussies are tight….i mean tough, or just a few sandwiches short of a picnic basket. By the way, wish me luck on the merida 24hr this weekend! feeling ready to smash it!
Everything old is new again. Been running a 1×9 on my ‘cross bike (or is that a 29er now) for years.
JHK was running a 36t ring with an 11-36 cassette on a 29er, which is right probably comparable in gear inches to a 38t on a 26er.
I’ve been running 24t/36t setup for years now. I use the 36t 97% of the time but if you live in the Rocky Mountains, you are going to need a granny gear sometimes. (Never saw the use for a 22t which is what most bikes come with. A 26t would be ideal) A 36t is a bit tall on super steep climbs you will sometimes encounter. But the rest of the country … California, Arizona, the midwest, etc… a 1×9 would be great.