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Sorry, I know there's endless there about this sort of thing.
Current set up is 1x10. I have sunrace 11-42 cassette, raceface NW and raceface aeffect cranks, SRAM X7 shifter and X9 clutch mech, Hope pro evo 2 hub.
I've had this setup for a long time, the shifter and mech in particular, it all feels a bit tired and I think it's time to spruce it up a bit.
I'd like to keep the cranks, unless there's an unbeatable bargain/huge weight saving to had.
What's the go to set up? I don't want to spend a fortune, Just get good vfm, reliability, functionality.
Should I go 1x12?
Do I need one of them driver things!?
To go Eagle 1x12 or SRAM GX and above 1x11 you will need a XD driver freehub, so just factor that in when pricing up the options.
SRAM NX and Shimano 1x11 use a Shimano freehub. One consideration is how much it costs to replace the parts that wear out, so chain, chainring and cassette.
To quote wittertainment how do you go 1x11,you just go 1x11.
Mech, shifter and cassette and off you go. Xd for sram or carry the weight shimano forgot to machine off.
Another option is to go with a sunrace 11 speed 50 cassette. To match the top end of 12 speed but you can keep your current wheels with the Shimano freehub.
What’s the go to set up? I don’t want to spend a fortune, Just get good vfm, reliability, functionality.
What do you need ??? (Where you ride)
VFM is stick with 10sp (YMMV as usual) but if you don't NEED a 50T and you aren't racing and absolutely need certain ratio's and top end then what does 11,12 give you?
I personally found 1x10-1x11 the most underwhelming high cost upgrade. I went from 12-40 to 11-42 on a 27.5 wheel... EVERYTHING became considerably more expensive including stuff like chains and split links so the expense carries on.. the 40T was always more or less enough anyway ... (using a 32T and could have dropped to 30T on front) and I can go slightly faster without spinning out on fire roads.
Since you are more or less in need of replacing the tired mech and shifter you might consider 11 speed anyway then you have to choose SRAM and XD (unless you go NX) or Shimano.
If you go SRAM XD then the options are pretty much obvious... its basically choose the price and get the XD driver?
NX is budget materials so you get a steel rear mech.... the cassette might be lighter but offset by the rear mech and budget shifters. It's not something I reckon I'd buy into... compared to say the new Shimano Deore .. its a bit of a dead-end offshoot rather than trickle down.. ???? With the Deore you can mix and match with the last gen XT/SLX... so I'd probably skip that option.
Shimano wise I think the options are wider ... 10sp SLX (68x) was a sweet spot IMHO... possibly with some mix and match using the lighter XT cassette and 3rd party expander.. but the Deore M6000 is looking very capable and like they did on SLX M7000 I expect a 11sp version might be available soon. Right now £100 (ebay) gets you new shifter, rear mech, 11-42 and a chain.
With a bit of messing about you can get a M6000 shifter and rear mech for £60... but you can get 11sp SLX for only slightly more .. but then you need the cassette....
I did the conversion from 1x10 to 1x11 earlier this year. Was on 11-36, 34T (26" wheels, oh yes) and wanted greater range.
The main thing I noticed when setting up was the extra finicketiness of 11 speed. It turned out my mech hanger was slightly bent (though I didn't know it). 10 speed shrugged it off and carried on shifting quite happily, but 11 speed just refused to shift up/down the range until I had fixed the hanger. I now carry a spare mech hanger with me in my pack just in case.
If 12 speed was even more finickety I'd be less inclined to go 12 speed.
It depends on your trails of course but for me the range 1x11 gives me (11-46) is perfectly adequate.
It depends on your trails of course but for me the range 1×11 gives me (11-46) is perfectly adequate.
I had the 40T expander on 1st.... and to be honest I'm glad I didn't get the 46T...
I barely use the 42T... and indeed a lot less than I used the 40T. (Which in retrospect was probably about right on a 27.5 with a 32T front)
However you reminded me ... I did end up changing the mech hanger as well as it sounded like gravel... which I'd not specifically connected before. All-round I like the 11sp.... but it wasn't worth the money to me but it was XMAS.
However the negatives are ... I used to be able to replace the expander ring pretty cheap with out the rest of the steel cassette. Not possible on the new 11sp.... and the triple top 3 replacement costs as much as a new cassette... and chains are more expensive and split pins "only work once" (they certainly don't work as many times as the 10sp ones) ... chains need replacing more often at lower wear and because of the split pin thing taking them off to "really clean them" is less frequent.. just leading to more wear.
I don't think I'd convert from 1x10 to 1x11 or 1x12, as noted above you are moving out of the sweet zone of price-performance. If everything's knackered then usually you are replacing chain, cassette and mech, so moving to 1x11/12 just has the extra cost of the shifter on top of the difference between the 10spd and 11/12spd parts. I've three bikes on 1x10.
A new build is different, I fitted 1x11 to my Spearfish, 30T direct mount* chainring with Shimano 11-42T at the back. Not had need to use the 42T yet though this weekend's JennRide might change that 🙂 The comment about the hanger alignment is worth noting - I had to straighten mine as it had been bent in transit (I bought the frame second hand). Then again I remember the same sort of comments when 10spd appeared so maybe things settle down.
*Direct mount is a good option to take IMO as it lets you use smaller chainrings than 104BCD - I've a 28T oval chainring on the fat bike for example.