[Closed] 2x11 vs 1x11

Very personal question. I have 2x11 and I like it but I'm not really racing. Can you sustain the pace that 34x40 requires for 12 hours? Longer rides can be a bit tortoise and hare. Last year sweamrs and I did BC Bike race. We finished day 1 ~600th but by day 7 we were up to 400th as multi day stage racing took its toll on others.

Look after your knees.....

I know what you mean about lower ratios slowing you down: on a hill I'll drop to what I feel will be a suitable gear and start pedalling at a suitable cadence. if I drop down a gear I shortly drop down to the same cadence as before so I'm just going slower!

From what you've posted of your riding/racing, i'd have thought 1x11 (32t) will make most sense for you.

You do a lot of your training either on the Turbo or a road bike, so don't need the high end for keeping the power down on tarmac descents.

And your 12/24 events aren't epic climb-fests so no need for the very low range either.

For XCO/XCM they are both short enough to man up and push a slighly bigger gear when needed.

With the help of the gear ratio website you sent me a while back I have gone to 2x11 from 3x10 with the Di2 XT conversion on the Ghost. Has given me a great range and only lost a little on the top end. I would say knowing your style of riding a 1x11 set up would suit you best e.g. younger and more determined/faster than me and do more races. For my style of just-for-fun xc I think 2x11 is better - particularly if you go Di2 'cos it's awesome.

Given you were also on about weight before whats the penalty for a shimano 11sp over a 10sp? If 2x10 doesn't do the range you need I reckon your in trouble, if you want more gears go to the 42t cassette.

34-40 sounds like hard work. I've at best had 32-42 for the last few months of 1x10 but now got a 1x11 setopnof 30-42. Plenty of spin!

Yet the 30-10 still seems high enough for what I do. Really a 32t on the front would have retained my lowest gear and given me more top end - but I need the low more than the high with my (lack of) climbing stamina.

Thanks and good observations from fifeandy. I thought as much.

The issue then is both those bikes are 2x11 out of the shop at my price point. I'll have to factor in a 1x11 crank change if i cant swap the XT on the Anthem over before it sells.

For marathon racing I'd have thought 2x would be an advantage. It would certainly be cheaper to change to 1x if you weren't enjoying it than going the other way.

Didn't fully read your first post properly. If they come 2x11 and you do loads of long rides then keep it? Unless you do loads of rocky descents and lose chains regularly would real benefit would you get from going to 1x11?

Advantages of 1x in my mind are:

Chain retention
Lose the left shifter so a dropper fits nicer (especially a shifter style lever)
Maybe a tiny bit of weight loss but very marginal.

I ride trail centres mostly so 1x works better for me.

If you'd rather stay 1x, then you could go for a wider range cassette.

1x11 on my fat bike with a 30t up front. Being effectively a 29er I think that would equate to a 32t on a 26/27er? 30x42 is a proper low gear, even over long distance I can't ever see a situation that would require any lower. It's a gear that you might use for the first few 10s of metres over an extremely steep section of climb before changing up. Endurance stuff is generally less hilly because it's long and you would never find yourself riding 30-42 on anything remotely flat.

So in short 30/32x42 depending on wheelsize is as low as you would ever need.

John

The issue then is both those bikes are 2x11 out of the shop at my price point. I'll have to factor in a 1x11 crank change if i cant swap the XT on the Anthem over before it sells.

Why would you change the cranks? Just take the shifting rings off and put on a narrow-wide!

Because chainline is already crap, and critical in extremes on 1x systems?

For most single days rides /races I find 32x 10-42 is fine. Although for relentless went 30, it had a lot of ascent, I rode 9000m that day!

For multiday racing 30 every time. No matter how much light weight kit you have there'll still be 3-4kgs extra on the bike.

For something as long as the tour divide I'd go 2x or eagle as I think the extra range would be missed.

[quote=Kryton57 ]
The issue then is both those bikes are 2x11 out of the shop at my price point. I'll have to factor in a 1x11 crank change if i cant swap the XT on the Anthem over before it sells.

The Shimano XT 1x11 crank is the same as the 2x11 crank.

So in short 30/32x42 depending on wheelsize is as low as you would ever need.

No, it's as low as you would ever need. I've just switched from a 28T to a 26T up front with 11-42 out back, because the 28T wasn't low enough for my tastes. We're all different. Doesn't mean you are wrong, but when I've been climbing for over half an hour and I'm faced with a steep loose ramp I like a stupid gear.

If you didn't already know you can customise Orbea's to some extent as a factory option. I'm getting an Oiz delivered next week (hopefully) and it's coming 1 by straight out of the box.

I didnt - presumably you / the shop have to order from Orbea though?

Yeah I think the shop does the customisation when they do the order.

Also thinking about it if you are seriously racing marathon and using the full range of 2x11 then you're probably not racing, you're just riding at that point!!
Can you go 10-42 or 11-46 on the 1x?

Mostly I'm happy with 1X but at Afan yesterday I can see why 2X makes sense, after all, apart from a very minor weight penalty, there's really no reason not to?

I didnt - presumably you / the shop have to order from Orbea though?

Nope, I ordered mine from cycle gear in Halifax. It's a bit cheaper if you get it 1 by as well!

I've just picked up my Oiz with 1x11 - there's a number of choices you can make when ordering and the shop (mine's from Performance Cycles in Gloucestershire) can take you through it.

So far (limited rides), I'm loving the simplicity of 1x11 after years of 3x9. From past racing, simpler is usually better for me when I can't quite think straight...

The Oiz is a fantastic bike BTW, it's going to get a lot of use over the next few months

There's marathon and there's racing XC loops over longer periods.

Former eg National Marathon Champs - IOM on Manx 100k course. Longest climb 345M, total ascent 3,250m over 100k or 4,968m over 100miles.

Latter eg Torq in your sleep - 100miles (12 laps) and a paltry 1,200m climbing

My experience was that I absolutely needed every ring of my 3x10 on the Manx 100 because the distance and climbing involved meant you couldn't 'go into the red' to overcome gearing deficiencies because the red might last 15minutes and happen again and again and again and... Gearing right down would compromise the road/fireroad sections

TIYS - A 2 minute hike into the red not so much of an issue and if it is it's no big deal walking up a short sharp ramp - I did from the get go - might have lost 10 seconds per lap max.

Real distance and real hills - 2x, racing 24:12, TIYS etc 1x11.

What advantage do you hope to gain by making this 'consolidation'? Is an Orbea noticeably lighter, stiffer, plusher, racier than your current 2 bikes. What will you do when the weathers shit and it's a mudfest.

Kryton57 - Member
Thanks and good observations from fifeandy. I thought as much.

The issue then is both those bikes are 2x11 out of the shop at my price point. I'll have to factor in a 1x11 crank change if i cant swap the XT on the Anthem over before it sells.

The M8000 crank is the same in double or single, the shimano single rings have a decreased off-set so when bolted to said double crank the ring moves in board and makes the chain line betterer.

What advantage do you hope to gain by making this 'consolidation'? Is an Orbea noticeably lighter, stiffer, plusher, racier than your current 2 bikes. What will you do when the weathers shit and it's a mudfest.

Ill have a lighter FS with remote lockout and particular to the KTM no rear triangle worse than an HT to clog. Also ill have one bike, which for a decision wrangler like me is perfect. I'll also have more room in the mancave.

With my current couple of days spent with Manflu and current leg issue on the sofa ive had plenty of time to think. I know i cant buy the speed or skill - I have to train that, but i can invest in a tool for the job that reduces my anxiety tendencies, increases somw flattery of technical courses or remain as is. I do happen to think that with a mind like mine this could be the right way to go for part of the solution, happy to hear the arguments. Even Nino uses two bikes, so one has to ask Why.

Adsh specifically for you - ive booked the Performance assesment and in doing so had a good enlightening chat. Part of that - a small part to be fair - was training on my race bike more over different terrain and condtions to be more familiar. Another was reducing mental anxiety during racing, which mechanicsl familiarity could also play a part. That might be specific to me and not others, it might not be an issue at all.