[Closed] Cheapest 1x drivetrain with min 1.333 : 1 ratio.

I've paid less than that for equivalent cassette, mech and chain. Worth shopping around a bit more. German sites are often good but probably not right now! eBay and AliExpress often have some good deals too.

Zitto cassettes can be had on ebay for £17 odd, I fitted one to a colleagues commuter in December and it seems good.

Slightly cheaper chain too - https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Shimano-Deore-HG54-HG95-10-Speed-MTB-Mountain-Bike-HG-X-116-Links-Chain-NEW/363116997625?hash=item548b75abf9:g:YXYAAOSwzV5fa1kq

Microshift adventX?

Pretty cheap from China (no idea if it is any good, random search):
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SHIMANO-Deore-M5100-1X11-Speed-MTB-Groupset-42T-Shifters-Rear-Derailleur-Option/124423543057 Will need to add a chain ring

Or really cheap 2nd hand. Looks pretty well used but I've ridden much worse. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SRAM-Hope-1x10-Drivechain-1-42T-R-Der-CRing-Cas-Shifter-Chain-SEE-DESC/293935124865 Should get you through winter, then maybe a new chain and cassette in the summer

If the current rear mech and shifters are all in good working order I'd try keeping the existing rear mech and using a goat link or something to get the cassette capacity and a narrow wide chain ring. Not sure how good clutch mechs are I think narrow wide chainrings do most of the work of chain retention. Ive used a clutch mech with a non-narrow wide chainring and it wasn't much better at chain retention than a non-clutch mech but since using a narrow wide chainring iv'e had zero issues with chain retention. If there are issues with chain retention then you can alway spend the extra on new mech and shifter.

If you're buying all that new, then you could also do it in 11 speed SLX for very similar money and go with 11-46 or even 11-50 cassettes.

Also, keep your eye out on ebay for cheap new stuff, or stick an advert in classifieds here for barely used drivetrains from people going 12 speed or whatever 😉

Agree with Wobbliscott' I used a non clutch mech £29 , no problems with chain comming off.

Deore M6100 12 speed mech
Deore M6100 shifter
ZRACE 11-52T 12spd cassette or 11-50
ZRACE Chain
ZRACE 30/32/34T Chainring

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005001896212460.html

Under £120 delivered.

Go via QuidCo and get 7.7% back.

the shimano 11-42 hg500 cassette is around £40 - you might find it cheaper. they do an 11-46 as well (but £10 more)

Thanks for the links, lots of good ideas.
Has to be new, its a reward for personal achievement, just looking for best value. Existing drivetrain is knackered Sram 9 speed so don't want to spend any money on upgrading bits of it. Lots to chew on here, I appreciate each of your inputs, thank you.

Microshift AdventX looks good on paper but rarer than rocking horse poo, was trying to find for my daughters bike

Very cheap shifters on Bird for £9 https://www.bird.bike/product/shimano-deore-m610-10-speed-trigger-shifter/

when i went 1 x 10 on the al camino i found decathlon to be the cheapest - admittedly the shifter is there own brand - looks like a sunrace or something. it's quite clunky in operation but works fine.Shifter is £9.99
Btwin chain £9.99 (its actually a kmc)
SHIMANO CASSETTE 10-SPEED 11X42 DEORE HG500 £29.99
REAR DERAILLEUR 10-SPEED MEDIUM CAGE SHIMANO DEORE M6000 SHADOW RD+ £44.99
+ cross channel delivery fee -£2.99

I had to pick up my order from asda.

We are aiming for 1 x with a decent ratio

what speed is it running now?

get a 46tooth casette to match that number.

I for instance have a 1x8 set up. 17.99 cassette and a ss chainring off amazon.

less than thirty quid, sorted.

The deraileur is a pre 200 LX you don't need a clutch. the whole thing works perfectly round glentress and bumpy stuff.

I wouldn't worry about whether it's a clutch mech or not - IME it's using a NW chainring that makes most difference though if your chainring isn't NW then a clutch does make a difference. Not sure of the cost differential between clutch and non-clutch.

Can never remember if cable and outer comes packaged with the shifter, if it doesn't then budget for that.

Those ispec b shifters are cheap, where can I get the bits I need to clamp them to his bars?

Just a thought but I don’t think 30/40 gives you the gear ratio you’re after unless you’re using something different to the Sheldon Brown gain ratio calculator. I did the below table in the last week with multiple chainrings and cassette cogs.

This was to compare a 22/36 double chainset and 11-36 cassette with a 1x using a 30t cog and various 11-XX cassettes.

If you can track down a deore m5100 11 speed mech it allows for cassettes up to 11-51 and the mech / shifter are both pretty cheap. I used this combo with a Sunrace 11-46 for my nephews bike - with a Sram 11 speed chain I picked up for about £10. It’s the cranks that I struggled to find cheap anywhere.

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TBH I don't know anything about cycling conventions, I'm using basic maths. I can't see in that table how the numbers are derived?
40/30=1.3333
Which means every 1.333 revolutions of the cranks gives me one revolution of the wheel. Or a ratio of 1.3333:1

you can get the same with (round up or down):
28 37.33333333
30 40
32 42.66666667
34 45.33333333
36 48

I think he might like 42/30 which gives a higher ratio of 1.4:1

Not sure how gain ratios are worked out if I’m honest - it just gives a comparison between drivetrains for me.

What’s his current lowest gear on the 9 speed he has? If that’s low enough then try to match that with the new drivetrain maybe?

Existing drivetrain is knackered Sram 9 speed so don’t want to spend any money on upgrading bits of it.

Could go 1x9, keep the existing shifter, buy a cheap 11-40 or 11-42, 9spd cassette and chainring from eBay/Ali express, I find using a 10spd improves N/W retention...

If the mech is really knackered beyond use a clutchless, 9spd x4/X5/x7 should be available for a reasonable price with some shopping about, choose spend level to suit budget, not needing a new shifter for an extra sprocket helps keep spend way down and future replacement parts will remain cheap, but you can still get some 1x range out of 9 speed.

Sheldon Brown liked gain ratios, I think they factored in crank length.

If you are comparing gearing on the same bike then just stick with ratios, I do the division the other way round so 30T front with 40T rear is 30/40 = 0.75. I.e. one revolution of the cranks is 0.75 of the wheel. Multiply by wheel diameter and you get gear inches which is the traditional method.

If you're not changing wheel size then there's not a massive benefit to working out gain ratios or roll out, just work out the gearing ratios and compare:

If current easiest gear (assuming 3x9 - 22/32/42 with 11-32 cassette) is 22F/32R (22/32) that's a gear ratio of 0.6875:1

To reproduce a similar gear On the same bike (assuming 104mm BCD cranks) using 1x you'd need 30F/46R (30/46) producing a 0.652:1 ratio.

If he can live with a less spinny bottom gear an 11-42 cassette would give 0.714:1 which is a basically going to be like his current 2nd gear(ish)... Could he live with that?

Everyone is imagining the question!!
We are good with 40/30, cookeaa is nearly correct, he is currently 2x9 with 24 and 32 chainrings on 11-32 cassette, we got to 1.333 as his lowest was32/24=1.3333, or to do it your way its 0.75.
Wheels and cranks staying the same.
So he is reasonably fit so 40/30 seemed fine but 42/30 is better!

However, whilst we appreciate the efforts, we didn't need or ask for any guidance on gear ratios, this about sourcing, and we have had an incredible amount of helpful info, thanks all.

"Could go 1×9, keep the existing shifter, buy a cheap 11-40 or 11-42, 9spd cassette" tried this on the camino" couldn't get the indexing right - could only get 8 gears, despite hours of fettling. Bought the 1x10 kit from decathlon as above which was the cheapest i could find and it indexed first time. Even tried the free goatlink copy that came with the cassette - made no difference. If anyone wants a 9 speed 11-40 cassette without waiting for delivery from china i've a barely used one and a brand new one sitting doing nothing.

I do the division the other way round so 30T front with 40T rear is 30/40 = 0.75

Which I think is the correct way isn't it?

Which I think is the correct way isn’t it?

Makes sense.