1x road setups

Seeing a lot more people running a 1x setup on road builds, with big cassettes to compensate for the lack of range that 2 chain rings brings

Figure it might be a bit of a marmite topic as functionally it's pretty flawed for more hilly riding. But do like the simplicity and aesthetics

What do people think – love/hate? Any nice examples you've seen?

Hot take, 1x is pretty OK, after all this is a FGSS forum, anyone complaining about cassette gaps can get in the sea ;)

popcorn.gif

Definitely not a fan of 1x for pure road setups in terms of looks and function, but do love the old TT look with a tiny range cassette and a big single ring up front.

Depends where you’re riding, but I’m pretty happy with a 40t x 11 -32.

Not much worse at the low end than a standard double and if you’re happy to spin, the top end’s quick enough.

You might get fed up with cross-chaining if you live in the hills.

functionally it's pretty flawed for more hilly riding

How so?

As I live in Norfolk 1x with a 50t front ring is just fine on the Standert

Suppose depends on your rings, but potentially less range and bigger gaps between gears. But tend to agree with spinnout's take... maybe it's not an issue

Sounds good! Any pics?

What crankset you rocking? Any pics?

maybe it's not an issue

I don't think it would be in the real world.
I live in Bristol so pretty much all my rides are hilly.
When I was young I had a Rourke with 10 gears and a freewheel. Now I'm old I have 1 fixed gear. Routes are all the same; no faster, no slower. (Shit fixie skidders say?)
So yeah, echo what @spinnnout says...

Only when it was in CX mode, but same drivetrain.

https://www.lfgss.com/conversations/341518/

I'm trying it atm as i fudged my FD and had a NW ring in the parts box. The range is fine for me but the noise in the higher and lower end of the cassette is an issue. I'm running a 50t on a CAAD with short chain stays and the cross chain angle is quite severe and makes for a noisy drivetrain. Nice and simple in the mid range on the turbo which is where the bike spends most its life but something to be aware of if you're planning on using a bigger front ring on a road frame.

this was a mega bargain bike!!!

All I can say is they have Shimano written on it. I keep meaning to replace them with so nicer ones, but just never got round to it.

https://www.lfgss.com/comments/16792221/

There are a couple of hills in the local that I could do with an easier gear, but most of the time in in the smaller half of the cassette.

(Oh I have replaced that chain!)

I’d read that a clutch type rear derailleur is best for the 1x setup – not sure if that would help at the higher/lower ends

Yeh make sense. I’m sure most riders only use about 50% of their gears with a conventional setup anyway

For 'fast' group riding and the odd race, I run exactly this - mostly out of laziness as it's set up that way for a road bike TT event and CBA changing back to a double. Anything under 6% is fine with an 11-30 and a 52 or 54t upfront.

If I was riding solo, looking at optimal cadence and wanting to ride steeper inclines, then yeah it's not great.

On the road you don’t need a clutched RD, just the NW ring will be enough to keep the chain on.

the only argument against 1x is price of cassettes compared to an 11-28 which will be fine with a 46-30