[Closed] Triple to double. Anyone not happy?

I've lost a couple of the top gears that I never used offroad. I won't be going back to a triple.

I've lost a couple of the top gears that I never used offroad. I won't be going back to a triple.

+1

What is it about a double that you see as an advantage - [i]for you[/i]?

i ended up taking more and more gears off, now singlespeed for the winter. might put a cassette back on in spring (making it 1X9) but chances are i'll be used to SS by then!

I just took my big ring off and put a bash ring on, only time I miss it are the odd road commute to the hills on a downhill section, and no more bashing the ring on stuff means its win for me at least.

22x32 goes up everything
36x11 is fast enough
Both my mtb running 2x9

Both my mtb running 2x9

+1

miss the double and go straight to single.

Both my mtb running 2x9

x2

druidh - Member
What is it about a double that you see as an advantage - for you?

More clearance, less weight, no disadvantage. For me, of course.

miss the double and go straight to single.

I wnet triple to double on my covert - so I could use a stinger to prevent annoying chain dropping when using the covert for what it was designed for, and a bash ring for obvious. Very happy. Never use the top ring. On the BFe I have a full on chain device and single ring. Haven't missed granny on that one yet..

Pimpmaster Jazz - Member

Both my mtb running 2x9

+1

x3

27*40 front, 11-34 at back - you only lose the granny gearing that you would hardly ever use anyway as you would have such little momentum you wouldn't be able to climb anything anyway as you would have toppled over. And if it is that steep it is likely you would be standing anyway to keep traction, and you couldn't use those granny gear standing.

Both my mtb running 2x9

Has anyone who's done the same noticed that they haven't now got the range of gears to get them up the steep stuff, or are the gears just a bit more spread out?

Presumably you are thinking of ditching the largest chainring?
How does the largest ring help you get up the steep stuff? 😕

I'm guessing he's on about dumping the fat man granny ring.....

you only lose the granny gearing that you would hardly ever use anyway as you would have such little momentum you wouldn't be able to climb anything anyway as you would have toppled over. And if it is that steep it is likely you would be standing anyway to keep traction, and you couldn't use those granny gear standing.

FAIL 😉

I would rather go single front as said above. If I'm going to be running shifters, cable and a front mech I can't see any point in not just having a triple set up. On my triple I added a 26 tooth granny and this made the triple a lot more usable as I use the granny a lot now. I never once used it in the past. I also run a 36 tooth middle ring which is fine with a 11-32 cassette or 34, but I'm running a 12-28 cassette in 9 speed as thats all I have in the spares bin. Once that wears out I'm going back to 11-34 cassette but keeping with the same size front rings

Be glad when it wears out to be honest!

Or both, like I did.

26/38 with an 11-32, it's perfect for everything.

I'm guessing he's on about dumping the fat man granny ring.....

As a fat man I prostate myself to the STW riding gods who don't need a granny 🙂

A 34 on the cassette is a good idea though .Doesn't 1 tooth on the back = 3 on the front or something?

ditched the granny years ago.

44/32 x 12/34 (9sp)

if you cant up something on a 32x34 then somethings wrong

(live in Pennines, not suffolk)

clubber +1 - Plenty of climbs where I am (Canadian Rockies) where no granny ring means lots of pushing.... 500m+ of climbing @ 2000m above sea level.. I live in the granny ring on the ups.

I ditched the big ring a while ago and didn't miss it until I started racing. Even then I only really used it on easy courses.

I am still on 9sp. I just took the outer ring off and replaced with a bash. I assume you are thinking of getting bigger chainrings not just keeping 22 and 32 at the front.

You should be fine, it depends on what kind of rider you are. I prefer to spin and stay seated so like lower gears. If you stand up a lot or prefer to push big gears then you'll want higher ones.

My knees say "Granny ring FTW"

22/36 here with 11-34 cassette.

Sometimes I spin out descending fireroads, which begs the question - why are you descending on a fireroad?

if you cant up something on a 32x34 then somethings wrong

That'll be a hill then. 😉

Didn't change anything on my heckler, just dropped the big ring in place of a bash. More ground clearance, and I never used the big ring anyhoo, except as a really grippy bash.
HT is 1 x 9 to encourage climbing technique and fitness, 36 up front.
I will never run a triple again.

I ride 1x9. 34 on the front and 11-34 on the back, 9speed. Love it, wouldn't go back, does all I ask and can't see a need for more except on roads going down steep.

So to summarise the first hour so far
44/32 x 12/34 (9sp) is right
26/38 with an 11-32, it's perfect for everything.
22/36 here with 11-34 cassette
27*40 front, 11-34 at back
22x32 goes up everything
36x11 is fast enough
and use a granny ring if you value your knees.
Fat men need grannys
And still no wiser on type of bike or riding or terrain
Glad that's all cleared up. 🙂

since buying a new bike with 2x10.have no intention of going back to 3x9.you're only missing the biggest/smallest ratios.as you can use all the cassette with both front rings.also easier to clean 😉 as the saying goes "try it.you might like it!" 🙂

22/36 on both my main bikes... 1x9 with 32 on the XC whippet. I wouldn't go single ring on either of the bigger bikes, the granny's only really there for the longest and draggiest of long draggy climbs but that makes it worth having.

I just don't get doubles at all, like I said earlier you still have to set a ball ache of a front mech up and have a shifter and cable and front mech, also still a fairly long chain. Why not just have an even spread of front rings? I can totally see the point in a single front ring the benefits are obvious to me. I ride a bit on the road though so the top ring is used. I can't help but think this is another fashion thing! I have run them all too, double, triple, single,

I went from a triple to a double and didn't like it. I lost the big ring and changed the middle from a 32 to a 36 but found that I had to change down to the granny a lot more and for me the increased frequency of changing rings at the front versus staying on the middle 95% of the time was a definite downgrade.

Still liking triples. If you never see the need for 44/11 then your bike is either too heavy or you really are riding in Calderdale or similar all the time. If only for a few seconds I appreciate being able to sprint 44/11 on canal paths and well used forest path...

Tried a double and on a 29er found I missed the littler gears, so not the thing for me on bigger rides.

Sticking with 3*10 - not found the weight/clearance issues a problem, but accept it might not be for everyone. It doesn't look cool either.

1 X 9/10 unless your a girl.

Sticking with 3*10 - not found the weight/clearance issues a problem, but accept it might not be for everyone. It doesn't look cool either.

You mean we can forget 11 x 2 or 3?

Thank **** for that! Enough with the different milk and breads already!

I have both a 2x 10 on hardtail 29er and 3x9 on my 29er full suss however in races i find the 27x36 on the ht just not easier enough on long climbs for if i get to a step up my legs are often to tired to give that burst of speed needed but when using my granny on the full suss i can drop down 1 or 2 cogs and then give that burst needed. Maybe at 53 i have missed the 2x10 boat. I tend ride in middle of cassette in both granny and mid ring and just use granny on the long climbs or technical rocky climbs

[i]1 X 9/10 unless your a girl[/i]
Who rides round Norfolk.
I have 3 x 10, ride Yorkshire Dales, North York Moors, Pennines & Highlands & I find a use for every gear!

van cough cough - Member

Still liking triples. If you never see the need for 44/11 then your bike is either too heavy or you really are riding in Calderdale or similar all the time.

Rubbish, is my 25lb C456 too heavy? The only time I've ever thought I could use it has been descending on fireroads and tarmac, and in those situations who cares whether you could spin it 1mph faster?

I have 3 x 10, ride Yorkshire Dales, North York Moors, Pennines & Highlands & I find a use for every gear!

This may be entirely true, but you may be surprised to learn that it is entirely possible to do the riding you do without using all the gears you have aswell.

I learnt this when redundancy forced singlespeeding on me. Running 1x9 on my trail full-susser feels like I have too many at times.

IMO, the gear thing is more about what you're used to than what you think you need.

Who cares as long as you're having fun?

currently got a 40x26 and it is fine, i did have a 44x29 a few years ago and it was fine until i came to riding in the alps, just a smidge bigger than i would like for a long climb.

Rubbish, is my 25lb C456 too heavy? The only time I've ever thought I could use it has been descending on fireroads and tarmac, and in those situations who cares whether you could spin it 1mph faster?

An On-One? 456 at 25lb sounds nice. I'm not saying a double is a bad thing. I'd like one bike with 2 x 9, but I live in Berkshire, and on the abundance of grassy and mostly flat parkland trails, the 44/11 gets enough use on every other ride to make it worth it.

I've run 3x9, 2x9, 1x9 and now I'm back to 3x9....!
I also have a single fixed MTB with just a front brake so I guess I've used just about every combo there is!
Entirely depends on the type of riding the bike is for - if you have any on-road or fire-road type riding on your regular route, I reckon you should stick with a "big" ring!

[i]but you may be surprised to learn that it is entirely possible[/i]
I expect I'd be surprised to learn lots of things & I've only been riding 22 years, but have you, yes you, ever ridden up (cleaned) Fremington Edge? Or Eastwards along the Moresdale Road with the wind behind you at 30mph?

[i]Who cares as long as you're having fun[/i] Pree f***ing cisely!

Put your hand bang down darling. No personal slight was intended and I was making a general point.

Back to 3x10 here too. Was 26/38 with 11/34 out back, just seemed to be changing gear more, top gear too low for fireroads. Tried 26/40 and hated the huge gap between the front chainrings.

[i]Put your hand bang down darling. No personal slight was intended and I was making a general point[/i]

Oh alright then, 😛

but you may be surprised to learn that it is entirely possible
I expect I'd be surprised to learn lots of things & I've only been riding 22 years, but have you, yes you, ever ridden up (cleaned) Fremington Edge? Or Eastwards along the Moresdale Road with the wind behind you at 30mph?

**swoon**

I've got 3x9 and 2x10 both XT and I way prefer the 2x10.
The ratios suit me better and I can run a nice bash ring, would consider 1x10 in the future!

2x9, never looked back, don't need tarmac gears so don't miss them

Bashguard has major advantages too imo

I wasn't happy going from triple to double.
Realised I'd wasted time and money and should have just gone strait from the triple to a single ring!

jam bo - Member

miss the double and go straight to single.

Man speaks sense...

if you can get up everything on a 32x34

what sort of riding do you do? That might give you the answer....

If lots of flat stuff, ditch the granny
If lots of hills, keep the triple, especially if you like going fast down.

How fast do you usually ride? Do you spin or push a big gear?

If you change your setup, you'll probably need to change how you ride/pedal

D0NK - Member

.... on those killer lakes climbs I'm wishing for a 34 or even a 36 at the back.

sorry but 22 x 36 would simply be ridiculous. would take you all day to go nowhere. You must spin the cranks about 8 times to go 3 feet.

anyway as you would have such little momentum you wouldn't be able to climb anything anyway as you would have toppled over. And if it is that steep it is likely you would be standing anyway to keep traction, and you couldn't use those granny gear standing.

Nope - its perfectly possible to sit and spin at a decent cadence at 2 -3 mph. I prefer to do that than walk. It comes to much the same thing in the end 2x9 for me 36 / 22 chainrings and 11/ 34 casette

2x9 22/36

Won't be going back to triple

The problem with triples is you spend 90% of the time in the middle ring, and just wear it down loads, so the whole systems wears quicker then a double.

Doubles you have one chain ring for climbing, and one for descending, so you shift up at the top, and down at the bottom. Rather then being in the middle almost all the time until you run out of steam 80% of the way to the top of the hill. Or shifting to a tiny granny ring then having to shift up whilst climbing when you run out of gears. So you end up shifting a lot less with a double.

Doubles also collect a lot less mud, weigh less and have better clearance. They look cooler too 😀

They also allow for a better use of the rear cassette, I'm pretty sure I can use all 9 cogs on both of my chainrings. Don't think you can do that with a triple.

I never miss having a triple, there's no advantages to it, and loads of disadvantages.

the thing i dont like about doubles is that you have to be flipping the chain around the rear cassette loads to find the right gear. with the triple if i get to a steep hill i'll just hit the leaver to flip it into the granny and then fine tune that cog with the rear cassette to get a good cadence. likewise for downhill except witht he big cog, and again along the flat with the middle ring.

as has been said. i enjoy the challenge of the ride so all this "there's no point in the 22/34 because you can walk faster" is null and void (for me). yes along the flat walking would be faster, but when you reach a climb where you're perched on the very tip of your saddle and the front end is still wandering, walking is both slower and less enjoyable. Also, you get less grip standing on a big gear than keeping a nice smooth cadence spinning while sat down.

for riding up steep hills and down steep hills, with flat bits in between, i believe a triple is still the way to go.

I've got a 3 x 10 set up on a full susser and on many rides will use the Granny ring and big ring. On some thing like the Garburn Pass in the Lakes I'd want the Granny for climbing up and then big ring for some of the fast sweeping decent sections.

I'd be too knackered not having Granny on the way up and pissed off spinning out on the decents. Am I missing some thing?

2x10 here.

22/36 up front and 11/36 cassette.

Will probably change the 22 tooth chainring for a 24 or 26 tooth item as I rarely go for the lowest 22-36 ratio any more.
As others have said, ditched the big cog as I wasn't using if off road and fitted a bash guard instead. In my opinion I now have the perfect spread of off road gears.

Also agree massively with the people saying they enjoy a bastard of a hill and would rather stay on the bike than get off and walk....even when the front is wandering and the rear is losing traction. There is a certain masochistic pleasure to be gained in getting up something that looked impossible at the bottom and I need the 22 for that!

Still on triple. 3x10 + 3x9. I couldnt justify spending more to lose 1 ring?! I would change front ring sizes if I went 2x10/9. Inevitably you'll add a bash guard too, so wont save any weight. Although It rare for me to use the granny ring, I do occasionally on long climbs that I'd rather be social and take it easy, or on 50+miles rides with long or steep climbs - it does save the knees!

Save money and keep your triple IMO (unless all 3 rings are worn?!)

Stupid question time:

If some people are taking off the big ring because it gives more clearance & saves a small amount of weight then why are they then fitting a bash guard?

I made the change ages ago and haven't missed the triple at all. The only time I used the big ring was on roads. Probably gonna replace my 32t with a 34 or 36 though. I used to be fine with 32-16 for most trails but I'm now down on the smallest cassette ring for the majority of them now.

I'm happier with a double, because it looks neater and is more fashionable. Way more fashionable.

As above it depends on the riding, surely? It's relatively flat round my way, I'm not very fit but I still reckon a good proportion of any ride is in big ring. When I go to the big hills then that's not the case - it's the granny.

I tried a 2x10 on a test bike at Swinley and just didn't get on with it personally, obviously different bike and all that but I seemed to be constantly mashing between big and little ring at every section.

But that's just me. And obviously not necessarily you.

If some people are taking off the big ring because it gives more clearance & saves a small amount of weight then why are they then fitting a bash guard?

Fashion innit 😉

No bash ring on my double,

Still liking triples. If you never see the need for 44/11 then your bike is either too heavy or you really are riding in Calderdale or similar all the time.

but I live in Berkshire

😆

FWIW I went to double and bash when I did the Kielder Avalanche thing and scraped the big ring across some rocks nearly causing a nasty crash. Never looked back.

If some people are taking off the big ring because it gives more clearance & saves a small amount of weight then why are they then fitting a bash guard?

Remember that thread started I think by alexxx, where his friend caught their leg on the outer ring resulting in a deep and bloody gash ( 😛 )? I'd rather not do that. Also you can get 32t sized bashguards so clearance is better. Oh and the bash stops the chain from falling off.

Horses for courses, double and bash on my all mountain bike with a stinger. Brilliant set up, more clearance, still got the granny for the long steep stuff, chain NEVER comes off, and by the time I'm going fast enough to start spinning out I'm normally bricking myself. If I didn't live in the mountains I'd drop the granny too.

So how often do people have to resort to the 22x34 granny rings for climbing stuff - it has to be bloody steep to need that?

FunkyDunc - Member
I've got a 3 x 10 set up on a full susser and on many rides will use the Granny ring and big ring. On some thing like the Garburn Pass in the Lakes I'd want the Granny for climbing up and then big ring for some of the fast sweeping decent sections.
I'd be too knackered not having Granny on the way up and pissed off spinning out on the decents. Am I missing some thing?

After 90 miles, the 22 is really welcome!

TurnerGuy - Member
So how often do people have to resort to the 22x34 granny rings for climbing stuff - it has to be bloody steep to need that?

Depends how fit/tired/racy you are really, doesn't it...

After 90 miles, the 22 is really welcome!

This. I'd rather have it and not use it 80% of the time than not have it and suffer the indignity of pushing.

That's for the ss 🙂

I wasn't meaning down the otherside of Garburn but part of a loop that brings you back to the start there are plenty of sections where you can push the big ring

You mean the road 😉 You roadie! 😉

I am not great athelete but I do like to spin the pedals. 25 mph is easy on a 36/11 top gear - and 30+ mph quite possible. Thats enough for me offroad. Any faster and I am going to be freewheeling / on the brakes

I think I spin out at about 35mph. At those speeds I usually stop bothering to pedal even on the road bike.