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Hi everyone, I'm new to mountainbiking but have caught the bug. Currently I'm using my shiney new mtb for my 6.5 mile commute to work but I don't really want to leave it unattended so much, saving it purely for offroad use.
I also have an old Kona with road tyres on that I still love but the gear system is pretty much completely worn out and only gets about 2 gears. So I figured I'll try and turn it into a 1 x 9 drivetrain (if that's the correct term), thus helping me learn how to put the system together and use it for commuting and maybe giving to the GF (with diff tyres) for runs round Forest of Dean etc.
What I'm looking at is this:
Chainring: [url= http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/race-face-narrow-wide-single-chainring/rp-prod109723 ]Race Face Narrow Wide Single 34T[/url]
Cassette: [url= http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/sram-pg970-9-speed-mtb-cassette/rp-prod5213 ]SRAM PG790 - 11-34T[/url]
Shifter: [url= http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/sram-x5-9-speed-trigger-shifter-set/rp-prod22766 ]SRAM X5 9 speed[/url]
Rear Mech: [url= http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/sram-x7-9-speed-rear-mech/rp-prod41155 ]SRAM X7 9 speed[/url] - How do I know what length to choose?
Cranks: I expect I'll need new ones - any suggestions that are cheap?
Chainguide: I'll have to find one
So my questions is this, will this lot fit together ok? And am I really biting off more than I can chew? I'm definitely new to this but am keen to learn and pretty practical.
Do I need to consider the bottom bracket?
TLDR: Will the list of stuff above work together, in particular the Chainring?
You don't need new cranks, and if the BB's ok just use what you've got to keep the cost down (if you like, or buy new cranks if you like too!) Mine's 1x9 using a triple crank and with a bog standard 32t chainring in the middle position to give a 51mm chainline, bashguard and [url= http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/blackspire-stinger-chain-tensioner-black/rp-prod111984 ]Blackspire Stinger chain guide[/url] (no need for N/W with a chain guide!) with an 11-34 cassette and it's brilliant. I don't know how well the bits will show in the pic-
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It works! It's also surprisingly easy to do once you've got all the bits to hand 😀
edit- dunno where you are but if you're in County Durham you're welcome to use our tools to do the jobs.
Thanks Kayla1, that's really helpful info. Sadly I'm in Bristol so it's a bit too far to come 🙂
to be honest, if you're buying new shifters and cassette I'd just go 1x10 and get a proper clutch rear mech. Assuming you have a triple crankset with a 104 BCD middle/outer ring then.... :-
Zee shifter due in a few days, 15 quid
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/shimano-zee-m640-1x10sp-trigger-shifter/rp-prod82432
Deore 10 speed clutch rear mech, 28 quid
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/shimano-deore-m615-shadow-10-speed-rear-mech/rp-prod108793
10 speed cassette, 11-36 £23
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/shimano-slx-hg81-10-speed-mtb-cassette/rp-prod52312
On one ringmaster single ring, £20
http://www.on-one.co.uk/i/q/CROOTHTH/on-one-ringmaster-chainring
Single ring chainring bolts, £5
http://www.evanscycles.com/products/id/single-chain-ring-bolts-ec006126
10 speed chain, £14
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/kmc-x10-93-10-speed-chain/rp-prod120676
No chainguide required.
CP, you're a star. Thanks for the advice!
Yeah, what cp said really. We've still got 9sp because [s]we[/s] I've hoarded loads of it 😆
Had this trouble recently on a 1x9 system. 40t chainring and 12x27 cassette. Ancient xt mech and pre shadow rear mech(both long cage) were the same. Sometimes went into the smallest sprocket but most of the time it didn't. Eventually bought a short cage sora mech and now it's fine.
If it's for commuting... Well, trouble is, what you want singlering on a commuter is pretty useless offroad. Mine is IIRC a 50T ring, 34'd be useless to me. Front mech makes a perfectly good chain device for this sort of use btw.