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I'm building up a Trance frame with Pikes currently and am wondering whether I actually need the third ring. Given I rarely get onto that on my HT, I have doubts about my ability to on a new bike either. That said, do I really need a bashguard at the expense of never actually being able to use it. Two options and I'm stumped, doesn't say a lot does it.
So yes, two or three for a Trance? Thoughts?
SLX bash-36-22T is about 1kg (with steel axle and pedal threads)
SLX triple 44-32-22T is 889g
If you only ever use the 32T on your HT, then the 36T on the double one should be enough of a range for you. Having a 36T instead of a 32T may annoy you though if you rarely use the inner ring either though, as you'll find middle ring-big rear sprocket harder to turn
The triple has a steel/composite middle ring (which will last a lot longer) than the double's aluminium 36T ring though
Depends what you're priorities are. It doesn't sound like you're going to be going wrong with either of them
i'm running 24 36 on my meta 5.5 but i don't like the spread of gears across the cassette in the 36 tooth ring, seem to be forever changing up front - whereas a 32T ring has a lovely spread for most 'trail' type stuff, up and down the cassette.
Bashring is a good thing though.
/ramble
I worked out that you really only loose your top gear by having a 36t 'big' ring rather than a 44. How often do you use top gear?
The comments about the bigger middle being a bit harder to turn are valid, but I don't think it'd be too bad on an 11-34 casette
Well that's it, I'm not at all sure how much it's relevant. If I have to coast a bit down some steep downhill road sections because I've run out of gears (never happened yet), then I'll live with it.
Trance's are not a bike you would buy for doing lots of serious DH stuff. Double and bash would therefore be like putting a huge dustbin exhaust and 20" wheels on a standard car
do you often bend big rings? then you need the bash. 22-36 is a bit of a step - i'd switch to 24-36 when you wear stuff out - but you'll not miss the one gear at the top end you lose.
if you don't bend stuff/get hooked up on things, why haul the extra c100g around?
As Peterpoddy says.
I built my new hardtail up recently with a triple SLX setup, but that was primarily as it was aimed at being more of an out and out XC bike, and possibly end up doing some road miles commuting too.
Having run a bike with a 24/36/bash setup before, and a couple of bikes with a single 36T ring only, you really don't notice the lack of a big ring unless you're doing a lot of road miles, or you really are a gear masher (in which case learn to spin!). The jump from 32T middle to 36T is noticable, but it's not that great. You do end up dropping to the granny quicker for a climb, but you should do anyway as keeping in the middle ring for a climb will be a nightmare when you come to shift down as the front chainrings don't shift anywhere near as well under load as the rear cogs do in general.
If you're building up a Trance frame with Pikes, sounds like you're going to use it as more of a fun bike than a serious mile muncher, in which case, definitely go for the bashring setup. Trance's have quite a low BB anyway, so come the time when you ride over your first trail obstacle and the bashring bashes into it, you'll be glad you didn't get the 3 ring setup!
If you rarely use your big ring, why bother with it? I fully intended to go double and bash with my build (but unfortunately the shop had a triple in stock and a double would have been £40 more with the price rise), and I'm not planning to do any serious DH stuff on it. 18 gears are all I find I need for off road and there's less to go wrong, and more protection for what you do need.
In fact I had no idea that double and bash setup was the sole domain of the Downhiller.
Oh, and regarding gear ratios, your new top gear of 36/11 would work out somewhere just a touch taller than 44/14 (ie. 7 out of 9 on the back) that you run currently. In other words, you'll effectively be missing 8th and 9th cogs on the back compared to running a 44T outer ring.
But how often do you use these? Can't say I ever use them offroad with a 44T ring fitted, and only on road on a decent descent.
I run a Shimano XT HT2 26/36 (just bought the M771 and swapped the BIG 48t ring for a 36t e.thirteen bash) and its fine for everything i have used it for so far.
just go 1x9, 32 up front, 11-34 cassette. Cover most stuff. Bashring and N-gear jumpstop.
Get the double as it's invaluable having steel pedal threads and washer if you have to take your pedal off now and again.
I run 26/36 and the standard bash with a 11-32 cassette on my hard tail.
The Trance has a low BB too, or at least my '08 does - so that bash may come in handy if you're riding technical stuff.
It's a 07 so chances are it's no different.