Another vote for 2x! Back when I was racing we did testing, and almost no one pedals anything deeper than 1:1.25 (27t front/34t rear) faster than they can push and run. A two ring optimized everything except for a very few situations, and that's not even considering the huge mechanical improvement.
For me 11 speed is the sweet spot on gearing, with an XD hub I can have 10:42 or 10:46, for local rides I’m currently using 10:42 and a 32t up front and I bought used 30 and 28t rings (GXP direct mount) for longer/hillier rides.
Depending on the application actually most downhill bikes are specked with 7-speed. at the end of the day, it's your bike your rule. as long as you're happy and it suits your needs.
Nah! It's all comparable...it's a bike and bikes pedal to move forward....no matter what group the bike is in...just ride your bike and be happy like the original poster said...I swear some people like to argue or be objective for the sake of it...most trails and bike parks don't have a lift, or a means of getting up the hill...so you ride your bike up it....😂 All those gears are useless You're wasting your energy on all that pedaling and going nowhere ...
12 speed for my e bike is too much for me,im thinking about going to ten speed,i have never used the fist 3 gears,so going to a ten still leaves me another gear as an option,and going up steep climbs i still havent used 1,2 or 3 🤷♂️
10 speed here, and have to clarify I'm not staying "retro" with a 10 speed. I purposefully went from Shimano SLX 12 speed down to Microshift Advent X (10). Reasons: - tired of shifting 2-4 at a time with the 12 speed (ratios were too close) - tired of adjusting them. During any ride, the dirt, rocks, branches, even twigs would bring it slightly out of adjustment, enough that it would the chain start rubbing with the next cog. - since I snap chains often (even singe speed thick ones), I was too afraid to put any amount of torque in the system. - all of these reasons made me wince at paying top dollar when replacement time came. Definitely NOT worth the cost. In fact, if 10 speed was the same price or more, it probably would have been worth paying extra to have a system with less maintenance requirements, lighter, stronger and gears spaced wider apart so I didn't need to shift 2-4 at a time.
I ride in northern Utah, which means lots of climbing and some steep sections. I am currently on a 29er with SRAM Eagle 12 with 32 tooth chain ring up front. I find the big 51 tooth ring in the back is nice when I want to winch my way up things. But, I am rarely in that gear. I am also never in my 10 tooth. In the middle, I find myself shifting up or down more than 1 gear on almost all shifts. That tells me that I have too many gears. Shimano and SRAM 12 highly tuned tech and work great, but 12 speed also increased complexity and cost. I want a wide range 10 speed set up. My wife is on a bike with 27.5" wheels and AdventX 10 speed (11-48 with 30 tooth chainring) and that works great for her. When I have to replace my current drivetrain that is what I will put on. AdventX 10 speed is close enough on weight (same as GX and 100 g more than X01), way less money, shifts great, and so far, has been reliable.
10 speed with a 46t largest cog is fine if your ride up is typically a fire road, however if you want to get up something steep and technical you really need a larger cassette (especially with a 29" rear wheel). The 11 speed Deore cassette is 51t on the largest cog so is a really good option if you want to keep things on a budget and have a wide range cassette.
On my Hardtail it still run an 11-Speed drivetrain, because it hasn’t got a micro spline free hub body and I didn’t want to mess around with changing it. I fitted an Shimano M5100 cassette with 11-51 ratio and never felt like I missing something, compared to my 12speed bike.
yep, HTs don't need the 12 speed at all in my view. the M5100 is a great value proposition - it has the same high quality shifting as the 12 speed with less price, and weight (11 speed Deore v 12 speed Deore)
I've been running Microshift's Advent X for the last 2,5 years and I'm super happy with it. Before that, I kind struggled to find a drivetrain that fit my riding style. It turns out that Advent X was the answer. The 11-48 cassette together with a 30t chainring up front is the perfect combination for me.
@@joecavallio1293I have the same setup on my hard tail and it's nice. With the local desert terrain if I need more than 48t then the hill is too steep to climb sitting down anyway. I would want to be in 3rd or 4th to torque the front end up and get maximum traction and drive. A wider range 12 speed only opens up a bigger front sprocket and a little higher top speed going down the paved hills to and from the trails.
I made the exact same switch when I pulled the trigger on 1x drivetrain for the hardtail. The only time the 48t cassette didn't work great, I could just as easily blame my fitness.
After a few more or less successful attempts to go wide range 1x, I realised two things: 1. You really need a dedicated 1x drivetrain. Expanders, longer B screws don't really work properly in my experience. 2. I really need the same ratio that the granny 22t ring x whatever the largest cog was on the old cassette, can't remember now. You're not going to get fitter overnight by pushing harder gears. I got Box components prime 9 (9sp) drivetrain - 11x50 cassette, and I have 28t up front, which gives me that exact ratio. So far I haven't span out even on fast flowy stuff. So no, I don't think you need 520% range, and you certainly don't need 12sp.
I went from 12 & 11 to 9 on all of my bikes. 9spd chains are more durable, if your mech gets slapped by a rock there is more room for alignment errors and still function reliably and I live in relative flat ground where I don't need the lowest 51 and with plus tires the 10 is pointless too.
I've gone to a 34T chainring because I'm always spinning out on descents on 32. The 52T sprocket lets me climb just about anything. Never thought about effects on suspension performance and kick back I must say 🤓
I run the 12 speed 10 - 50 GX Eagle cassette since 2017. The best drivetrain I've had for sure. With the 32 sprocket it will get me almost anywhere, but if I go on a trip with long streep climbs, I can put a 30 tooth sprocket, lower gear ratio than 0,6 makes no sense, you go that slow that it's better to go walking instead.
I have been looking at changing out an old drivetrain, and found Sheldon's website was an intriguing and helpful tool. I could replace my 2x9 speed (29/44 front 11-34 rear) with 1x11 (38t, 11-46 and have the same range excluding the very top gear (running 26" wheels). Considering I normally stop pedalling and I am focussing on bike control by the time I reach speeds necessitating that gear, I doubt I would miss it.
i just bought a 10 speed. not bad. i ride an 8 speed pretty regularly. 40-11 w/ a 32 tooth front ring. really enjoy the range and ease of use for the riding that i do. yeah i have a few bikes....
I'd like to see a video covering the cost verses the durability of the 12 speed against the other systems. I ride in a lot of low speed tech and have removed all of my 12 speed drivetrains to go back to 11speed just for being tired of the weakness of the 12 speed parts and how easily they get knocked out of alignment, yep and the cost too.
I'll convert all drive trains to 8 speed once they wear out because it's cost effective and it's all you need. 11-46 tooth is all I need anyway. You can buy a 8 speed cassette, chain and sprocket for the price of one 12 speed cassette 😅
I used to run 3x9 drivetrain and later moved on to 1x12 sram gx. and omg the difference, it was massive. I could ride uphill and climb steep sections without breaking sweat and it is really difficult to get tired when you have so many gears.
I have been running 11-50 10 speed on a super cheap m5100 derailleur and only a M4100 shifter for my hard tail... Works great for blue trails, fire roads etc, So range on cheap 10 speed is not the issue you just get bigger gaps.
Yep, still riding my 3x9 Shimano XT. It runs great, shifts like a dream even when packed with mud. No need to follow the latest trend just because the bike manufacturers tell you to. Spending more $$$ on extra gears you may rarely ever use is a bad trend to follow. I ride with others who have the latest 12 speeds, and they are definitely NOT faster then me. I also have a road tandem with 3x10. We've been on tours where we used every gear on the cassette and every chainring. No way will I ever give up my front derailleur.
2x 9 speed is possible with 520% range. Get a Samox hollowtech style crankset and change the 28 tooth inner ring with a 26 XT. With the 18 tooth difference, (26- 44 )you've exceeded Shimano Sora recommendations. Then install an 11-36 cassette which also exceeds Shimano recommendations. This works fantastic on my road touring bike. I believe if you get the 175mm crank length the spindle length will be long enough with spacers to work with a hardtail mountain bike. Suspension would make this move risky as you're already pushing capacity. 12 speed has very large ratio jumps towards the small end of its cassettes.
When it comes down to it, most riders only use 3:1 anyway- easily covered by any ol' 1x9. Doing that, what you lose is pedaling smoothness between gears, so the real benefit of multiple gears is not 'absolute ability' or effort, but smoothness. 3x setups with close ratio cassettes were incredible for climbing and where you could keep in a given ring pedaling in cadence.
This exactly! I have a 1x9 32t in the front 11-42t in the back, and 65% of the time I'm in the lowest gear (11t), with 30% in the lower gears, and rarely I use the lare cogs. And even when I use them, the 42t is more than I need because Istrugle keeping the front wheel on the ground at that point.
@@edymarin7781- I used to be able to climb 1:1.4 gearing (20t ring/28t low in the cassette) bitd, but it required bar ends and all my weight forward, as you say. Working up smoothly through those nine speeds on a long climb was a deeply satisfying experience.
I went down from almost 620% range in my 26” 3x9 to measly 360% 1x9 and I love it. If I were to buy a new one it definitely will be 1x10 with around 420% range, which would be like adding one sprocket to my current setup.
Good video! I’m a less is more kind of guy, so feel that for mountain biking you really don’t need more than 5 speeds. You can still have a big gear range, just bigger jumps between gears. When mountain biking the terrain changes so quickly that often by the time we get in the gear needed we are already past where we needed it. I believe that the future of mountain biking will be way less gears and adapting a little more of a single speed riding style with those gears……. but I have been wrong before lol!
Got 12 speed Shimano cassette with 32t chainring and that seems great for my riding style and where I live. I love long rides with lots of climbing, and being surrounded by Olympic mountains, there is a ton of climbing. With this setup I can manage just fine when I'm in shape or even when I am not. I can find cadence that works. With 10 speed I guess I could manage, but it would be harder without that largest sprocket and it would be harder to find cadence that I can sustain for a while
@@anonymou._- not really sure. About 12-15% I guess, maybe less. But my typical loop is like 22km with about 1.300m+ of elevation. Sometimes longer, often heart rate in red or close to it.
@@anonymou._- when I'm in shape, I don't use 11-12th gear much, almost never. But start of the season, when I'm riding for two hours, mostly uphill, and then hit steep, techy sections, I'm glad I have it. It's one of those things, I rather have it and never use it, than needed it, but don't have it. I know I'd be able to live smaller cogs, but If I don't have... And my front is 32. Was thinking to go to 34, two years ago. Last year, I was glad I didn't do that 😁 couple of months of the bike and legs are like a lead...
@@anonymou._- It depends. Sometimes it's single track, mostly hiking routes, sometimes are places with rock big as baby heads or bigger, on long-is sections, sometimes it's mud and roots, or big tractor tracks with deep ruts. Sometimes it's steep, with lose rock or just hard sections. I don't go up the big step ups, because terrain where I usually ride is mostly up-up-up. Couldn't generate enough speed even if I had skill set to hop on 40-50 cm high step ups 😁 plus, I'm 110kg on xc hardtail, so I have to perserve my bike more than someone on trail/enduro wouldn't have to pay same attention. Plus, live in city surrounded by Olympic mountains, hell, I live on rather steep hill as well, so where ever I go, It's always climb up :) mind you, I'm not some extra skilled rider. I just love to be out in the woods, explore new paths, enjoy long climbs... Not your average rider who loves to bomb don't the hill (as I said, 110kg,brakes don't like that), nor I can compete with most of 65kg kids. But most likely, when I get my legs back, I can out distance them 😁
@@anonymou._- nice wight loss man. Good for you. And as we get older, we are aware how longer it takes for our bodies to heal. Plus, time off work due to crash ain't fun. I'll be 45 year, with history of injuries from basketball, jujutsu etc, so I hear ya. Have fun out there :)
Hi, I'm forced to switch from 2x10 to 1x10 because of frame replacing due to warranty. I bought a 11x50 light Sunrace cassett and run a 32 front ring. I have all the gearing range I need on both ends and I'm not bothered by the slightly larger gap between the gears. So I find 1x10 practically equal 1x12.
Yep, still riding my 3x9 Shimano XT. It runs great, shifts like a dream even when packed with mud. No need to follow the latest trend just because the bike manufacturers tell you to. Spending more $$$ on extra gears you may rarely ever use is a bad trend to follow. I ride with others who have the latest 12 speeds, and they are definitely NOT faster then me. I also have a road tandem with 3x10. We've been on tours where we used every gear on the cassette and every chainring. No way will I ever give up my front derailleur.
10 speed for the win. Even running Microshift Advent X for a while but recently swapped the derailleur only for a Deore 11s and it works even better that way.
I have run 1x10 and 1x12, but my current bike is 1x11 and in the sweet spot. With cable derailleurs, I found 1x12 to require really precise tension which required constant tuning. 1x11 is more resilient and easier to maintain, with no downside.
3x9 spd 26" rider here, loving the range, but not loving the chain retention. I would like a 10 or a 9t cog on the casette to chase roadies on the streets. Used to have 44/32/22 chainrings with 11-34 casette which was awesome, but the biggest chainring would hit obstacles with trialsy moves so I replaced it with a 42/32/22 and 11-32 which gives a lil more room but I sure would like something that gives me high clearance with high top speed, a good climbing gear and a clutched derailleur...not impossible, just way too expensive, especially on my old 2010 era xc bike. If only classified made that front derailleur killer more affordable..
I have ran 9 to 12 speed , I think 12 speed is best for even trail and Enduro on regular bikes . I would think 10 speed would be just fine for e-bike though, I skip gears a lot on my e trail bike.
I changed from a triple crankset to a 1x system 11-42 and felt very compromised both up hill and downhill. On the new trail bike I got the 12s 10-52 cassete and it works great. On the XC/commuter 26" bike I will put a 46/30 crankset to replace the 42/32/22 triple and for the cassete 10speed is more than enough as I will have all the range necessary and cheap cassettes.
12 speed eagle on my gravel bike with 11-50 with a 46T front (sometimes 42t front). 10 speed deore 11-46 on my 26 mountian bike with 34t. 12 speed on the gravel thing as that has a wider speed range i use it in. i commute on it ride some off road on it mountain bike not much fussed on the range, it only needs to go up and go down, going up im in biggest gear, going down it doesn't really matter i'm likely not pedaling. oh and for chainrings, stick to sram cranks with 3bolt spider mount, that way you can get chainrings from 52t down to 24t for that mount as no spider.
Pretty sure that I use all 12 speeds of my SRAM drivetrain (10/52 cogs and 32T chainring) on my 2023 Specialized Levo SL Gen 2 e-bike for my climbing needs in the Sierra Nevada Mountain of the western US. And had similar gearing on my 2016 Santa Cruz Hightower before I went e-biking.
Must comment this. Have restored/upgraded several bikes to 1x10 with HG hub, with Shimano Deore or Ltwoo, then I often using 11 to 50/51 cassettes. Sunrace produce them and lot of Chinese brands like Sundance, Ztto, Zrace e.c.t. also. I normally use 32 or 34 chainring in front who are perfect for Norwegian condition. The 10 chain are thicker so it doesn’t stretch as fast as a 12 chain, it’s cheaper and its more space between the cogs at the cassette, so its less sensitive if your gear isn’t 100% adjusted correct or your hanger isn’t 100 straight. So for a very big segment I mean 1 by 10, 11 or even 9, is better than 1 by 12.
In the past 1-2 years I acquired a new everyday utility/commuting/backpacking mtn bike and a new enduro mtn bike and both came with 1x12spd drivetrains as do almost all new Mtn bikes. For the utility bike the Shimano Deore 12-spd is a pure waste of gears but good enough and I'm happy with it for its purpose. On my enduro I find the severe chain angle on the lowest gear cogs is hard on wear, less efficient and high maintenance despite a quality (SRAM XG) drivetrain with regular cleanup and chain lube after every ride. Aside from occasional bike park days I spend 6-8 hours a week pedaling my enduro on tech single-track primarily in 2nd to 3rd gear while 1st gear is unusable since any necessary quick backpedal to clear rocks or roots will cause the chain to derail down a few cogs risking destruction on the rapid recovery stroke. Sure I could run a smaller chainring to avoid the big cassette rings or move the chain-line inboard to favor the lower gears, essentially reducing the effective useable gears from 12 down to 11 or 10. The highest gear is occasionally nice after a ride is over to speed back home on the road (or race to the pub) but that's not what an enduro bike is for. So what's really the point of 1x12 beyond the bike industry convincing us of the need for ever more new gear and sales? I dearly miss my old, reliable, effective 11-spd drivetrain and will likely revert when the drivetrain needs premature replacing or I just get tired of frequent cassette and hub servicing to keep the creaking noises away. I've enjoyed >50 years riding and bike improvements but have to conclude 12-spd is one cog too many. Nice try though, and I notice the industry is now focused on resolving the low gear chain-line problem by adding a motor so I wouldn't be surprised to see a revival of 10 speed cassettes for e-bikes. After that who knows, perhaps computer simulations of biking while we sit on the coach which may be great when I can no longer move on my own power in old age.
11 spd 1x deore on my hardtail, trailbike, ebike, and fatbike.. Cassettes are all 11-50. Chainrings are 30, 32, 36, and 30. Tires are 29x3.0, 29x2.6, 27.5x2.8, and 27.5x4.5. I have all the range I need, parts last longer and are cheaper to replace, and can be swamped between bikes in a pinch!
Really nice video! I have a 12s system now and it's very annoying for trail riding. I used to have a 2x11 without problems (27 wheels), but I didn't like the front derauleur. 1x11 seems ideal to me for trail riding.
I've only very recently gone to 12 speed deore. My old bike (which I still have) is 11 speed and for the terrain I ride which is mostly xc/trail it does the job very well.
I just got shimano 10s linkglide. perfect range, and very good how it shifts under load. 26" Cannondale with Lefty and 42 chinning. So 26" 42-11/42 10s, perfect.
Having built and worked on bikes for 45 years I'm sticking with 1x drive trains. Innovation allows for tighter tolerances so why not take advantage of that and so far I've had no issues with tuning my 1x12 for standard rides and the ratios cover all my rides, even light over night rides. Simplicity is key, as is keeping the drive train clean. What I am frustrated with is the few choices offered by Shimano for improving 1x12 chain line. I run a stock boost setup with a 55mm c/line which means a parallel chain is on the outer #4 cog. More than 0.25 back pedal and the chain drops from #11 and #12 cog, which is a pain on technical rock garden ascents. The only other Shimano crankset option is a 52mm c/line that still leaves #12 cog dropping. Direct fix Shimano chain rings do not offer offset, so that is not an option for tuning. For the cost, bike and component manufactures need to be delivering better rigs.
Hi :-) Excellent explanation of ratios and gear range !! Top video also, very nice to see 🙂 Also running a 10 speed MicroShift setup here with 11-48 sprocket. For my local rides, it's the best so far. And I went to Switzerland recently and didn't feel the need for a wider cog. More importantly for me, and big difference with Sram/Shimano, the gears are spread more widely so no need to shift 2 or 3 gears at once. I'm also super happy with the resistance and the durability of a 10 speed setup (wider and stronger chain) !!
I use an 8 speed Shimano system on my niner jet 9 rdo. Raceface next sl carbon cranks with a 26t chainring. Shimano 8 speed cassette on the rear. 11-32. Super light set up for xc racing and quick acceleration out of corners. Sometimes I run a 28t chainring for a faster course. I've got a 10,11 and 12 speed setups that I've tried. All 3 were overkill for what I need.
With the Shimano 11 speed drivetrains you get the best of the two worlds. It's much cheaper than 12 speed, you don't have to change the rear hub and the gear ratio is almost the same. I use an 11-51 M5100 cassette and M8000 SGS derailleur and it works fine.
I run the SRAM EX-1 8-speed (11-48) because I always had to shift 2-3 gears at a time with my previous 11-speed (10-42) where I ride. Now with a 34t chainring on 29" wheels I have the easiest gear that makes any kind of sense and still a harder gear than I can spin out downhill.
Never felt the need to step up to 12 speeds so I'm still on 11 speed drivetrains. Considering that Shimano CUES now offers 11-46 cassettes in 9 speeds, 11-48 in 10-speeds and 11-50 in 11-speeds (all Linkglide and using old 11-speed dimensions) I think that even Shimano realizes that 12 speeds isn't needed for most of us.
I haven't tried anything else than 12 speed since that's what I got on my Trek TF, I have however had quite a few older bikes with 3 gears up front and while I seen the benefits of not having it, I do miss it sometimes, the ability to go from a light to a heavy gear quickly is something the 1x10/11/12 systems can't match
I'll get the 1x12 sram with mullet setup so I can get up most of the climbs. It's important to have the correct gears when bikepacking especially as a heavier rider. On my 1x11 (40, 11-51) with my ebike switched off (roughly my future Bike with the bikepacking gear) I need around 350 watts in a lot of climbs already. That's too much above my ftp.
If your bike can handle it the most economical build in my view is a shimano 10 speed drivetrain with a 2x or 3x crank. Put a 30-34 narrow wide chainring on the big/middle part of the crank and a 11-46 cassette on the rear. Now put a small shimano steel chainring with 22/24 teeth on the innermost part of the crank. When you need that low a gear just put the chain on the small ring by hand. Adds no weight is super cheap and you get gearing that is way lower than you can with a 11-51 cassette. You also save a lot of weight if thats important for you. And 10 speed parts are cheaper...
So just when you need the smaller gear to climb a hill you lose all momentum as you have to stop and change to the smaller gear by hand. Can't see that catching on.
Put it into a gear calculator. Many people are fine with 32 cahinring on a 11/46 cassette. The 22 ring on a 46 is for extremely steep climbs or long uphills. With a 85 cadence you will have around 8 km/h on a 11-50 on 34 chainring. With a 46 cassette with the 22 ring you have 5.5 km/h with the same cadence. Thats a tremendous difference. @@TheGrowbag84
I'm not disagreeing with the ratio, I'm saying the fact you have to stop and move the chain by hand is bad. The last thing I want to do on a ride is get my hands or gloves covered in oil as I needed to change gear by hand. Also if most people are fine (Where did you find this info) with a 11/46 by 32 then they would be even better of with a 51/11 and no need for the 2 up front. @@marcelschultz4033
I just upgraded my road/gravel bike from an Shimano 11speed 11-42 cassette to an E13 9-46 (XD) and at least in the stand it shifts great. It's a Shimano GRX setup. Time to test this out :D
Have 12 speed on the trail full suss with 29 wheels and 11 speed on hard tail with 29 wheels. Like the close gear ratios on the 12 speed for the Highlands of Scotland where I live and ride. Feel the 11 speed has a noticeable jump down/up mid way down cassette on the Shimano 5100 I use. But 11 speed is cheaper and seems more durable in the lower end parts I can afford. If I could afford full xt or xtr I'd go 12 speed for both bikes. Never thought about wheel size having an effect on the gearing. Interesting to know that. A trip to Sheldon's gear ratio website I think 😊
At 0:46 the gear range with a single front chainring would be 455 percent approximately based on a small rear cog with 11 teeth and a large cog with 50 teeth .
Lots of errors with this video unfortunately. The Eagle did have a 500% ratio, because it already had a 10t cog, not sure why she mentioned that Shimano introduced a 10t since SRAM already had it.
I have a 12 speed Deore on my full sus and a 9 speed Advent on my hard tail. I'd change them both if i could. when I'm on trails, it's 2/3rds down and 1/3rd up in terms of time spent. Even when going down I'm usually somewhere near the middle of the gear range. I only find myself using the hardest 2 gears when I'm on pavement or boring flat stuff i very rarely ride on a MTB. I'd give up the hardest 2 gears on either bike for one more in the middle of the range and more gradual transition between the easiest and 2nd easiest. I could be wrong, but for PNW forest trails riding like i mostly do, i think that would be better.
I enjoy the GX Eagle 1x12 setup on my full squish trail bike. I enjoy the simplicity and ice resistance of 1x10 on my full carbon winter fat bike. The 11 and 12 speed cassettes tend to accumulate ice between the cogs quicker than 10 speed cassettes. Besides, going faster than 25mph on a fat bike on ice and snow is not a great idea.
10 speed 11-48 is plenty for me on my 26er. I use 9 speed 11-52 on my 29 hardtail, both with a 32 tooth chainring and don’t see me changing them. Uphill is a bit harder, but it means I get a better workout. All good as far as I’m concerned.
Pros and cons to each but, much lower cost and easier setup on 10 speed work for me. Advent X 10-48 on my gravel bike with 38t chain ring. I can get up anything where it wouldn't be quicker to walk and I'm fast enough on a road wheel set to do club group rides.
I've watch several episodes on Hardtail Party (TH-cam) where he rides his sedona trails on a single speed. I think with the usual gear ratio, 32t with 16t rear (2:1). I dont think i'd be able to do it especially on technical uphill climbs. Some people love the single speed. But not my cup of tea. I rarely go down to the last 2 or 3 smallest gears. For my riding style i wouldn't mind a 10 speed with a gear ratio: 16-20-24-28-32-36-40- 46-52T with a 30t chainring. For me, that would be optimal and very slight weight savings. Lol
Changed from 12 speed back to 11 speed a couple of years ago. I prefer it. Seems less finiky to me. Plus it's cheap to replace. I have 27.5 wheels & so the gear ratio is higher than it would be on a 29er. Also I can run medium cage mech which imo is a must for the smaller wheels to prevent mech damage. Most manufacturers of mullet bikes wrongly (imo) put long cage mechs on 27.5s. They're way too close to the ground.
I just rebuilt my hard tail earlier this year and I rebuilt it with the last year of the 10 speed deore and it’s perfect! I have ridden 12 speed and I don’t see it being that much of an advantage
I've found, if your an XC bumble then 10 speed is all you need. If your an enduro rider then you need the 12 speed. Racing, you'll want 12 as it gives you better climbing and sprinting ratios. Great thing about 12 speed, it allows you to run bigger chain rings, that dont compromise the climb, but gives you that better sprinting, especially if your an XC racer! That's my view, many others will differ 😁
Box is doing something right, cramming everything you need into 9 speeds, unfortunately its too costly. Shimano in the Deore range has 11s thats still compatible with HG Freehubs, which is a great option if you dont want to switch to a microspline yet, the 11s goes to 50t too! all you want and need for winching up the hill.
I thought Shimano doesn't make an 11 for HG frehubs. I'm on a deoere 11s with a sunrace 11-51 and would love a Shimano casset so that I can back peddle on the 51... is it possible?
I suggest microshift Advent X 10 speed. 11 - 48. Not costly, half price of box 9. not 50 tooth but gets close. Nephew went to it first i was impressed so i went away from shimano deore. They also have a ebike harden steel cassette option as well
Wow, once again, Anna simplifies what could've been a dreadfully boring, over complicated topic while still offering a wealth of usable info- Thanks! I do prefer a 12sp cassette w/30t chainring to help my under-powered legs up those tougher climbs. But I found SRAM's newer 520% 52t cog to be just too much of a physical chain jump for efficient shifting on the fly, especially under hill-climbing pressure. Even better is Shimano's SLX 10-51t cassette, which seems to have more useful 'steps' from gear to gear.😉
It depends on the bike. On my main bike i have a 12 speed deore and it feels amazing. Muddy or snowy rides often clogged up my 9 speed advent cassette, probably also because of frame clearance with quick release and thru axles so in winter I often wasn't able to use my 2 or even 3 highest gears until I made my old mtb a singlespeed for winter use but in general I don't think there's anything wrong in using 10 or 11 speed compared to 12 anymore today.
Bike rider and terrain dependent. But putting a 30-52 ratio on my winch and plummet bike has made it a lot better at winching up steeps and less exhausting to ride
Never cared for 12spd. Shimano XT 11spd with an E13 9-46 cassette and 34t oval ring is my preferred set up. Cheap, reliable, light, effective. When I tried 12spd with a small chainring (28 or 30) I walked faster and easier than I pedaled that gearing in the lowest gears and had no top end.
I feel 11 spd cassette is enough for most avid riders. I rarely use my 52t cog as it usually just ends up spinning and losing grip at the wheel. The local shop I go to also said a cassette with less cogs is less weight, if your a weight watcher, but also less costly. I'm not ready to hunt the smaller cassette down on the internet but I am thinking about it when the next cassette is needed.
I'm having a 3x8. But the back is a Shimano cs-hg400 11-40 cassette. The smallest front is 24 teeth, the biggest is 40 teeth and is pretty much the same as 52 teeth on a 30 front. Why you say. It was the cheapest conversion. Chain KMC 8 speed - 7€, cassette - 20€, derailleur - 23€. Total is 50€. I can put a 1x10 but with a Microshift 11-48 with a clutch derailleur on the same hub, but have to change the cranks too and as I'm pretty new I have decided to go for the cheap as it's pretty reliable too and I can change them every 6 months if I need them. But if I have the money I would prefer 1x11, 2x11 or 2x10.
Guess depends how much you use the ends of the gear range really, arguably for 10s a double does expand the range by a fair margin, as you end up with a narrow range of gears. Same broadly speaking with gravel bikes the tipping point for 1by and range is probably 11s?
Just installed a Box 3 Prime 9 on my bike. Same type of range, just bigger jumps on the lower gears. Haven't had a chance to ride my XC trail I've been using the get my legs back. I've heard good things though.
Depends really on how heavy your wheels and tyres are. Downhill casing on an enduro bike, definitely need a 12 speed, but light weight xc wheel sets you can do just fine with a 10 speed 10-42 and still win some races
Upgraded from a 9 speed to an 11 speed years ago and I miss having less gears to work with especially in climbs where U can shift quickly in the largest cog.
Got my first 12 speed bike about 6 months ago with a 38T on the front. I don't even use the 3 largest cogs and the 4th hardly ever gets use. That said, I prefer the 3x9 my old bike has!! The chain is simply more durable and everything is more forgiving to keep in adjustment.
I have both 1x12 and 2x10, I prefer the 2x10 for XC and Adventure becouse of it just works regardless if it is muddy, wet or icy. 12 speed has very small margain for error in mixed conditions
Good example is the video of all 4 different bikes the lad done explaining the different feel uphill with trial bike being the most all round then the enduro and XC and just died on his DH lol with bikes not having a fron mech now yeah can see this being useful especially if someone like myself wanting back on the saddle after a good few years away from DH i think I'd stuggle for a bit while got back in the way of things
I guess it all very much depends on the trails you are riding. Borrowed a 34T front with a 7 speed STAM. Bike was super light and fast as hell. I could ride my favorite trail rather well but know that anything steeper would have caused me problems. I am riding a 12 speed cassette with a 34T and 36T oval and never need the largest cog as the trails I am riding are not as steep.
Only if they made 9 speed for XD driver I’ll go for it! Box Components make 9 speed but only fits HG which only allows 11t small cog forcing me to run silly 40t chainring. Currently running 9-46t 11 speed cassette with 32/34t chainring. If someone made 9-46t 9 speed cassette I’ll be all in.
Still very happy with my 2x10 setup. It also gives me the option to have a 22t chainring.
2x11 I love the front derailleur you can drop when it suddenly gets really steep. Looks less clean but I have no complaints..
The front derailleur’s not so bad to live if it’s only a 2x, and the narrow steps are really nice
@@MehYam2112 I fully agree.
Another vote for 2x! Back when I was racing we did testing, and almost no one pedals anything deeper than 1:1.25 (27t front/34t rear) faster than they can push and run. A two ring optimized everything except for a very few situations, and that's not even considering the huge mechanical improvement.
Totally agree.
Better chainline. Ability to drop several gears at once. Cheaper, stronger chain. Wa-a-a-y cheaper cassette.
2 x 10 is my bike, love the granny wheel
For me 11 speed is the sweet spot on gearing, with an XD hub I can have 10:42 or 10:46, for local rides I’m currently using 10:42 and a 32t up front and I bought used 30 and 28t rings (GXP direct mount) for longer/hillier rides.
Depending on the application actually most downhill bikes are specked with 7-speed. at the end of the day, it's your bike your rule. as long as you're happy and it suits your needs.
Yes, but downhill bikes are not made for pedaling uphill, so it's incomparable to the situation.
Nah! It's all comparable...it's a bike and bikes pedal to move forward....no matter what group the bike is in...just ride your bike and be happy like the original poster said...I swear some people like to argue or be objective for the sake of it...most trails and bike parks don't have a lift, or a means of getting up the hill...so you ride your bike up it....😂 All those gears are useless You're wasting your energy on all that pedaling and going nowhere ...
12 speed for my e bike is too much for me,im thinking about going to ten speed,i have never used the fist 3 gears,so going to a ten still leaves me another gear as an option,and going up steep climbs i still havent used 1,2 or 3 🤷♂️
@anthonywarren1317 you can compare a cat and a potato if you want to. I swear, some people need to make a point, no matter how irrational they are.
@@camperp195you're better off changing your chainring and keeping the gear gaps you have
10 speed here, and have to clarify I'm not staying "retro" with a 10 speed. I purposefully went from Shimano SLX 12 speed down to Microshift Advent X (10).
Reasons:
- tired of shifting 2-4 at a time with the 12 speed (ratios were too close)
- tired of adjusting them. During any ride, the dirt, rocks, branches, even twigs would bring it slightly out of adjustment, enough that it would the chain start rubbing with the next cog.
- since I snap chains often (even singe speed thick ones), I was too afraid to put any amount of torque in the system.
- all of these reasons made me wince at paying top dollar when replacement time came.
Definitely NOT worth the cost. In fact, if 10 speed was the same price or more, it probably would have been worth paying extra to have a system with less maintenance requirements, lighter, stronger and gears spaced wider apart so I didn't need to shift 2-4 at a time.
I ride in northern Utah, which means lots of climbing and some steep sections. I am currently on a 29er with SRAM Eagle 12 with 32 tooth chain ring up front. I find the big 51 tooth ring in the back is nice when I want to winch my way up things. But, I am rarely in that gear. I am also never in my 10 tooth. In the middle, I find myself shifting up or down more than 1 gear on almost all shifts. That tells me that I have too many gears.
Shimano and SRAM 12 highly tuned tech and work great, but 12 speed also increased complexity and cost. I want a wide range 10 speed set up.
My wife is on a bike with 27.5" wheels and AdventX 10 speed (11-48 with 30 tooth chainring) and that works great for her. When I have to replace my current drivetrain that is what I will put on. AdventX 10 speed is close enough on weight (same as GX and 100 g more than X01), way less money, shifts great, and so far, has been reliable.
10 speed with a 46t largest cog is fine if your ride up is typically a fire road, however if you want to get up something steep and technical you really need a larger cassette (especially with a 29" rear wheel). The 11 speed Deore cassette is 51t on the largest cog so is a really good option if you want to keep things on a budget and have a wide range cassette.
there are also plenty of chinese ten Speed 11-50 cassettes
On my Hardtail it still run an 11-Speed drivetrain, because it hasn’t got a micro spline free hub body and I didn’t want to mess around with changing it.
I fitted an Shimano M5100 cassette with 11-51 ratio and never felt like I missing something, compared to my 12speed bike.
yep, HTs don't need the 12 speed at all in my view. the M5100 is a great value proposition - it has the same high quality shifting as the 12 speed with less price, and weight (11 speed Deore v 12 speed Deore)
I've been running Microshift's Advent X for the last 2,5 years and I'm super happy with it. Before that, I kind struggled to find a drivetrain that fit my riding style. It turns out that Advent X was the answer. The 11-48 cassette together with a 30t chainring up front is the perfect combination for me.
You do any big climbs with that set up? I was thinking of doing the exact same.
Yes, my local trails features some pretty damn steep climbs and this set up handles them perfectly. So I would say go for it! @@joecavallio1293
@@joecavallio1293I have the same setup on my hard tail and it's nice. With the local desert terrain if I need more than 48t then the hill is too steep to climb sitting down anyway. I would want to be in 3rd or 4th to torque the front end up and get maximum traction and drive.
A wider range 12 speed only opens up a bigger front sprocket and a little higher top speed going down the paved hills to and from the trails.
I made the exact same switch when I pulled the trigger on 1x drivetrain for the hardtail. The only time the 48t cassette didn't work great, I could just as easily blame my fitness.
After a few more or less successful attempts to go wide range 1x, I realised two things:
1. You really need a dedicated 1x drivetrain. Expanders, longer B screws don't really work properly in my experience.
2. I really need the same ratio that the granny 22t ring x whatever the largest cog was on the old cassette, can't remember now. You're not going to get fitter overnight by pushing harder gears. I got Box components prime 9 (9sp) drivetrain - 11x50 cassette, and I have 28t up front, which gives me that exact ratio. So far I haven't span out even on fast flowy stuff. So no, I don't think you need 520% range, and you certainly don't need 12sp.
I went from 12 & 11 to 9 on all of my bikes. 9spd chains are more durable, if your mech gets slapped by a rock there is more room for alignment errors and still function reliably and I live in relative flat ground where I don't need the lowest 51 and with plus tires the 10 is pointless too.
10 speed you can get a derailleur with a clutch for super cheap. ( Also enough hills round here that 11-50 actually does get used....)
Shimano does make a XT 28t chainring. It will fit on any of their new direct mount cranks (FC-M7100, FC-M8100 and FC-M9100).
even xtr 28t like mine has. bcd 96
Raceface also makes them.
I've gone to a 34T chainring because I'm always spinning out on descents on 32. The 52T sprocket lets me climb just about anything. Never thought about effects on suspension performance and kick back I must say 🤓
I run the 12 speed 10 - 50 GX Eagle cassette since 2017. The best drivetrain I've had for sure. With the 32 sprocket it will get me almost anywhere, but if I go on a trip with long streep climbs, I can put a 30 tooth sprocket, lower gear ratio than 0,6 makes no sense, you go that slow that it's better to go walking instead.
I have been looking at changing out an old drivetrain, and found Sheldon's website was an intriguing and helpful tool. I could replace my 2x9 speed (29/44 front 11-34 rear) with 1x11 (38t, 11-46 and have the same range excluding the very top gear (running 26" wheels). Considering I normally stop pedalling and I am focussing on bike control by the time I reach speeds necessitating that gear, I doubt I would miss it.
i just bought a 10 speed. not bad. i ride an 8 speed pretty regularly. 40-11 w/ a 32 tooth front ring. really enjoy the range and ease of use for the riding that i do. yeah i have a few bikes....
I'd like to see a video covering the cost verses the durability of the 12 speed against the other systems. I ride in a lot of low speed tech and have removed all of my 12 speed drivetrains to go back to 11speed just for being tired of the weakness of the 12 speed parts and how easily they get knocked out of alignment, yep and the cost too.
I'll convert all drive trains to 8 speed once they wear out because it's cost effective and it's all you need. 11-46 tooth is all I need anyway. You can buy a 8 speed cassette, chain and sprocket for the price of one 12 speed cassette 😅
3x8 is favourite of mine on town bikes
“Need” is never a word to be used when talking about hobbies. I don’t “need” 29” wheels, 170mm travel, or for that matter, a mountain bike.
I used to run 3x9 drivetrain and later moved on to 1x12 sram gx. and omg the difference, it was massive. I could ride uphill and climb steep sections without breaking sweat and it is really difficult to get tired when you have so many gears.
I have been running 11-50 10 speed on a super cheap m5100 derailleur and only a M4100 shifter for my hard tail... Works great for blue trails, fire roads etc,
So range on cheap 10 speed is not the issue you just get bigger gaps.
12 speed's are all bunched down low in the range anyway.
because loW gearing has bigger jumps proportionally. 11 to 13 is like 36 to 42@@Wireman134
I was very happy with 2x9 for road and 3x9 for my very non-racing off-road pedaling. I was VERY happy with $50 cassettes instead of $250.
I bet that front derailleur will be back. They certainly sold bicycles with front derailleurs for many years.
@@daniellarson3068 it 100% will not come back for mtb.
Yep, still riding my 3x9 Shimano XT. It runs great, shifts like a dream even when packed with mud. No need to follow the latest trend just because the bike manufacturers tell you to. Spending more $$$ on extra gears you may rarely ever use is a bad trend to follow. I ride with others who have the latest 12 speeds, and they are definitely NOT faster then me. I also have a road tandem with 3x10. We've been on tours where we used every gear on the cassette and every chainring. No way will I ever give up my front derailleur.
2x 9 speed is possible with 520% range. Get a Samox hollowtech style crankset and change the 28 tooth inner ring with a 26 XT. With the 18 tooth difference, (26- 44 )you've exceeded Shimano Sora recommendations. Then install an 11-36 cassette which also exceeds Shimano recommendations. This works fantastic on my road touring bike. I believe if you get the 175mm crank length the spindle length will be long enough with spacers to work with a hardtail mountain bike. Suspension would make this move risky as you're already pushing capacity. 12 speed has very large ratio jumps towards the small end of its cassettes.
Lies! Deore 12 speed cassette is around $80
When it comes down to it, most riders only use 3:1 anyway- easily covered by any ol' 1x9.
Doing that, what you lose is pedaling smoothness between gears, so the real benefit of multiple gears is not 'absolute ability' or effort, but smoothness. 3x setups with close ratio cassettes were incredible for climbing and where you could keep in a given ring pedaling in cadence.
your answer its what she missed to say
This exactly! I have a 1x9 32t in the front 11-42t in the back, and 65% of the time I'm in the lowest gear (11t), with 30% in the lower gears, and rarely I use the lare cogs. And even when I use them, the 42t is more than I need because Istrugle keeping the front wheel on the ground at that point.
@@edymarin7781- I used to be able to climb 1:1.4 gearing (20t ring/28t low in the cassette) bitd, but it required bar ends and all my weight forward, as you say. Working up smoothly through those nine speeds on a long climb was a deeply satisfying experience.
My gravel bike has a Micro Shift Advent X 10spd with a Sunrace 11-50T cassette and i love it
LOL do you need that on a gravel bike?
@vijayanchomatil8413 no, it just came with it.
I went down from almost 620% range in my 26” 3x9 to measly 360% 1x9 and I love it.
If I were to buy a new one it definitely will be 1x10 with around 420% range, which would be like adding one sprocket to my current setup.
Good video! I’m a less is more kind of guy, so feel that for mountain biking you really don’t need more than 5 speeds. You can still have a big gear range, just bigger jumps between gears. When mountain biking the terrain changes so quickly that often by the time we get in the gear needed we are already past where we needed it. I believe that the future of mountain biking will be way less gears and adapting a little more of a single speed riding style with those gears……. but I have been wrong before lol!
Ive got 10s with a saint shifter, does everything it needs to
Still running 3 x 9 lol 🙈🙈 I love my 22-32 climbing gear!
Got 12 speed Shimano cassette with 32t chainring and that seems great for my riding style and where I live. I love long rides with lots of climbing, and being surrounded by Olympic mountains, there is a ton of climbing. With this setup I can manage just fine when I'm in shape or even when I am not. I can find cadence that works. With 10 speed I guess I could manage, but it would be harder without that largest sprocket and it would be harder to find cadence that I can sustain for a while
@@anonymou._- not really sure. About 12-15% I guess, maybe less. But my typical loop is like 22km with about 1.300m+ of elevation. Sometimes longer, often heart rate in red or close to it.
@@anonymou._- when I'm in shape, I don't use 11-12th gear much, almost never. But start of the season, when I'm riding for two hours, mostly uphill, and then hit steep, techy sections, I'm glad I have it. It's one of those things, I rather have it and never use it, than needed it, but don't have it. I know I'd be able to live smaller cogs, but If I don't have... And my front is 32. Was thinking to go to 34, two years ago. Last year, I was glad I didn't do that 😁 couple of months of the bike and legs are like a lead...
@@anonymou._- It depends. Sometimes it's single track, mostly hiking routes, sometimes are places with rock big as baby heads or bigger, on long-is sections, sometimes it's mud and roots, or big tractor tracks with deep ruts. Sometimes it's steep, with lose rock or just hard sections. I don't go up the big step ups, because terrain where I usually ride is mostly up-up-up. Couldn't generate enough speed even if I had skill set to hop on 40-50 cm high step ups 😁 plus, I'm 110kg on xc hardtail, so I have to perserve my bike more than someone on trail/enduro wouldn't have to pay same attention. Plus, live in city surrounded by Olympic mountains, hell, I live on rather steep hill as well, so where ever I go, It's always climb up :) mind you, I'm not some extra skilled rider. I just love to be out in the woods, explore new paths, enjoy long climbs... Not your average rider who loves to bomb don't the hill (as I said, 110kg,brakes don't like that), nor I can compete with most of 65kg kids. But most likely, when I get my legs back, I can out distance them 😁
@@anonymou._- nice wight loss man. Good for you. And as we get older, we are aware how longer it takes for our bodies to heal. Plus, time off work due to crash ain't fun. I'll be 45 year, with history of injuries from basketball, jujutsu etc, so I hear ya. Have fun out there :)
Hi, I'm forced to switch from 2x10 to 1x10 because of frame replacing due to warranty. I bought a 11x50 light Sunrace cassett and run a 32 front ring. I have all the gearing range I need on both ends and I'm not bothered by the slightly larger gap between the gears. So I find 1x10 practically equal 1x12.
What derailleur are u using for the sunrace
Yep, still riding my 3x9 Shimano XT. It runs great, shifts like a dream even when packed with mud. No need to follow the latest trend just because the bike manufacturers tell you to. Spending more $$$ on extra gears you may rarely ever use is a bad trend to follow. I ride with others who have the latest 12 speeds, and they are definitely NOT faster then me. I also have a road tandem with 3x10. We've been on tours where we used every gear on the cassette and every chainring. No way will I ever give up my front derailleur.
10 speed for the win. Even running Microshift Advent X for a while but recently swapped the derailleur only for a Deore 11s and it works even better that way.
I love my 12 speed, it helps me climb the steep and chunky mountains here in the Phoenix area.
WOW! This was so clear on gear ratios!! I was having a very hard time understanding which gears I needed for hills until I watched this video, Thanks
I have run 1x10 and 1x12, but my current bike is 1x11 and in the sweet spot. With cable derailleurs, I found 1x12 to require really precise tension which required constant tuning. 1x11 is more resilient and easier to maintain, with no downside.
3x9 spd 26" rider here, loving the range, but not loving the chain retention. I would like a 10 or a 9t cog on the casette to chase roadies on the streets. Used to have 44/32/22 chainrings with 11-34 casette which was awesome, but the biggest chainring would hit obstacles with trialsy moves so I replaced it with a 42/32/22 and 11-32 which gives a lil more room but I sure would like something that gives me high clearance with high top speed, a good climbing gear and a clutched derailleur...not impossible, just way too expensive, especially on my old 2010 era xc bike. If only classified made that front derailleur killer more affordable..
I think 12 speed is designed for XC. It's nice that we have quite wide range 11 or 10 speed nowadays.
I have ran 9 to 12 speed , I think 12 speed is best for even trail and Enduro on regular bikes . I would think 10 speed would be just fine for e-bike though, I skip gears a lot on my e trail bike.
12 speed for Xc trails
10-11 speed for enduro
💯 for the Sheldon Brown reference. His writings on the front brake made me a convert to front brake on the right if you’re right handed.
I changed from a triple crankset to a 1x system 11-42 and felt very compromised both up hill and downhill. On the new trail bike I got the 12s 10-52 cassete and it works great. On the XC/commuter 26" bike I will put a 46/30 crankset to replace the 42/32/22 triple and for the cassete 10speed is more than enough as I will have all the range necessary and cheap cassettes.
12 speed eagle on my gravel bike with 11-50 with a 46T front (sometimes 42t front). 10 speed deore 11-46 on my 26 mountian bike with 34t.
12 speed on the gravel thing as that has a wider speed range i use it in. i commute on it ride some off road on it
mountain bike not much fussed on the range, it only needs to go up and go down, going up im in biggest gear, going down it doesn't really matter i'm likely not pedaling.
oh and for chainrings, stick to sram cranks with 3bolt spider mount, that way you can get chainrings from 52t down to 24t for that mount as no spider.
Singlespeed 26er here 🙈. I love how this offers always knowing how the bike is going to react.
Pretty sure that I use all 12 speeds of my SRAM drivetrain (10/52 cogs and 32T chainring) on my 2023 Specialized Levo SL Gen 2 e-bike for my climbing needs in the Sierra Nevada Mountain of the western US. And had similar gearing on my 2016 Santa Cruz Hightower before I went e-biking.
Afew years ago i changed from 3by10 to 1by12 on my 26erMTB and its fine. Less gear ratio now , but i use the MTB only in the woods.
Must comment this. Have restored/upgraded several bikes to 1x10 with HG hub, with Shimano Deore or Ltwoo, then I often using 11 to 50/51 cassettes. Sunrace produce them and lot of Chinese brands like Sundance, Ztto, Zrace e.c.t. also. I normally use 32 or 34 chainring in front who are perfect for Norwegian condition. The 10 chain are thicker so it doesn’t stretch as fast as a 12 chain, it’s cheaper and its more space between the cogs at the cassette, so its less sensitive if your gear isn’t 100% adjusted correct or your hanger isn’t 100 straight. So for a very big segment I mean 1 by 10, 11 or even 9, is better than 1 by 12.
In the past 1-2 years I acquired a new everyday utility/commuting/backpacking mtn bike and a new enduro mtn bike and both came with 1x12spd drivetrains as do almost all new Mtn bikes. For the utility bike the Shimano Deore 12-spd is a pure waste of gears but good enough and I'm happy with it for its purpose. On my enduro I find the severe chain angle on the lowest gear cogs is hard on wear, less efficient and high maintenance despite a quality (SRAM XG) drivetrain with regular cleanup and chain lube after every ride. Aside from occasional bike park days I spend 6-8 hours a week pedaling my enduro on tech single-track primarily in 2nd to 3rd gear while 1st gear is unusable since any necessary quick backpedal to clear rocks or roots will cause the chain to derail down a few cogs risking destruction on the rapid recovery stroke. Sure I could run a smaller chainring to avoid the big cassette rings or move the chain-line inboard to favor the lower gears, essentially reducing the effective useable gears from 12 down to 11 or 10. The highest gear is occasionally nice after a ride is over to speed back home on the road (or race to the pub) but that's not what an enduro bike is for. So what's really the point of 1x12 beyond the bike industry convincing us of the need for ever more new gear and sales? I dearly miss my old, reliable, effective 11-spd drivetrain and will likely revert when the drivetrain needs premature replacing or I just get tired of frequent cassette and hub servicing to keep the creaking noises away. I've enjoyed >50 years riding and bike improvements but have to conclude 12-spd is one cog too many. Nice try though, and I notice the industry is now focused on resolving the low gear chain-line problem by adding a motor so I wouldn't be surprised to see a revival of 10 speed cassettes for e-bikes. After that who knows, perhaps computer simulations of biking while we sit on the coach which may be great when I can no longer move on my own power in old age.
I swapped from a nx 12 speed to a box one 9 speed and absolutely love it. Eagle nx has such bad feeling shifting
11 spd 1x deore on my hardtail, trailbike, ebike, and fatbike.. Cassettes are all 11-50. Chainrings are 30, 32, 36, and 30. Tires are 29x3.0, 29x2.6, 27.5x2.8, and 27.5x4.5. I have all the range I need, parts last longer and are cheaper to replace, and can be swamped between bikes in a pinch!
Really nice video! I have a 12s system now and it's very annoying for trail riding. I used to have a 2x11 without problems (27 wheels), but I didn't like the front derauleur. 1x11 seems ideal to me for trail riding.
I've only very recently gone to 12 speed deore. My old bike (which I still have) is 11 speed and for the terrain I ride which is mostly xc/trail it does the job very well.
I just got shimano 10s linkglide. perfect range, and very good how it shifts under load. 26" Cannondale with Lefty and 42 chinning. So 26" 42-11/42 10s, perfect.
Is linkglide only available with CUES right now?
6:24 love that chain slap on carbon chainstays. Thanks canyon
Having built and worked on bikes for 45 years I'm sticking with 1x drive trains. Innovation allows for tighter tolerances so why not take advantage of that and so far I've had no issues with tuning my 1x12 for standard rides and the ratios cover all my rides, even light over night rides. Simplicity is key, as is keeping the drive train clean. What I am frustrated with is the few choices offered by Shimano for improving 1x12 chain line. I run a stock boost setup with a 55mm c/line which means a parallel chain is on the outer #4 cog. More than 0.25 back pedal and the chain drops from #11 and #12 cog, which is a pain on technical rock garden ascents. The only other Shimano crankset option is a 52mm c/line that still leaves #12 cog dropping. Direct fix Shimano chain rings do not offer offset, so that is not an option for tuning. For the cost, bike and component manufactures need to be delivering better rigs.
Hi :-) Excellent explanation of ratios and gear range !! Top video also, very nice to see 🙂
Also running a 10 speed MicroShift setup here with 11-48 sprocket. For my local rides, it's the best so far. And I went to Switzerland recently and didn't feel the need for a wider cog.
More importantly for me, and big difference with Sram/Shimano, the gears are spread more widely so no need to shift 2 or 3 gears at once.
I'm also super happy with the resistance and the durability of a 10 speed setup (wider and stronger chain) !!
I use an 8 speed Shimano system on my niner jet 9 rdo. Raceface next sl carbon cranks with a 26t chainring. Shimano 8 speed cassette on the rear. 11-32. Super light set up for xc racing and quick acceleration out of corners. Sometimes I run a 28t chainring for a faster course. I've got a 10,11 and 12 speed setups that I've tried. All 3 were overkill for what I need.
With the Shimano 11 speed drivetrains you get the best of the two worlds. It's much cheaper than 12 speed, you don't have to change the rear hub and the gear ratio is almost the same. I use an 11-51 M5100 cassette and M8000 SGS derailleur and it works fine.
Cues 9speed cogs 11-46t chainring 36t is good enough for me to ride at any roads. Love from the Philippines 😊
I run the SRAM EX-1 8-speed (11-48) because I always had to shift 2-3 gears at a time with my previous 11-speed (10-42) where I ride.
Now with a 34t chainring on 29" wheels I have the easiest gear that makes any kind of sense and still a harder gear than I can spin out downhill.
I run Advent X 11-48 with 32t chainring and for what I ride it's perfect.
Never felt the need to step up to 12 speeds so I'm still on 11 speed drivetrains. Considering that Shimano CUES now offers 11-46 cassettes in 9 speeds, 11-48 in 10-speeds and 11-50 in 11-speeds (all Linkglide and using old 11-speed dimensions) I think that even Shimano realizes that 12 speeds isn't needed for most of us.
They even have 11-51 Deore 11 speed
I haven't tried anything else than 12 speed since that's what I got on my Trek TF, I have however had quite a few older bikes with 3 gears up front and while I seen the benefits of not having it, I do miss it sometimes, the ability to go from a light to a heavy gear quickly is something the 1x10/11/12 systems can't match
I went back to an old hardtail with 3x8 speed after riding full sus for a while. Actually it’s awesome loads of range for XC
I'll get the 1x12 sram with mullet setup so I can get up most of the climbs. It's important to have the correct gears when bikepacking especially as a heavier rider. On my 1x11 (40, 11-51) with my ebike switched off (roughly my future Bike with the bikepacking gear) I need around 350 watts in a lot of climbs already. That's too much above my ftp.
@Anna, I still use my 9 speed cassette (10T-50T) matched with my 36T chain ring still on my 26" wheelset on my Ghost AMR Plus (2013).
I run Advant-X 10 speed on one of my bikes and I love it. All of my other bikes have 12 speed.
If your bike can handle it the most economical build in my view is a shimano 10 speed drivetrain with a 2x or 3x crank. Put a 30-34 narrow wide chainring on the big/middle part of the crank and a 11-46 cassette on the rear. Now put a small shimano steel chainring with 22/24 teeth on the innermost part of the crank. When you need that low a gear just put the chain on the small ring by hand. Adds no weight is super cheap and you get gearing that is way lower than you can with a 11-51 cassette. You also save a lot of weight if thats important for you. And 10 speed parts are cheaper...
So just when you need the smaller gear to climb a hill you lose all momentum as you have to stop and change to the smaller gear by hand. Can't see that catching on.
Put it into a gear calculator. Many people are fine with 32 cahinring on a 11/46 cassette. The 22 ring on a 46 is for extremely steep climbs or long uphills. With a 85 cadence you will have around 8 km/h on a 11-50 on 34 chainring. With a 46 cassette with the 22 ring you have 5.5 km/h with the same cadence. Thats a tremendous difference.
@@TheGrowbag84
I'm not disagreeing with the ratio, I'm saying the fact you have to stop and move the chain by hand is bad. The last thing I want to do on a ride is get my hands or gloves covered in oil as I needed to change gear by hand. Also if most people are fine (Where did you find this info) with a 11/46 by 32 then they would be even better of with a 51/11 and no need for the 2 up front. @@marcelschultz4033
For trails in my area, 10 speed 11-36 with 32 chainring, saint mech on a Madonna v2.2 works perfect.
I’m on a Box Prime 9 (9 speed). Has a 11-50t range. 9 speed is more than enough.
I'm on a microSHIFT ADVENT CS-H093 9 speed with 11-42t and I can't agree more with you. The largest cog is more than I need for 99% of situations
I just upgraded my road/gravel bike from an Shimano 11speed 11-42 cassette to an E13 9-46 (XD) and at least in the stand it shifts great. It's a Shimano GRX setup. Time to test this out :D
Have 12 speed on the trail full suss with 29 wheels and 11 speed on hard tail with 29 wheels. Like the close gear ratios on the 12 speed for the Highlands of Scotland where I live and ride. Feel the 11 speed has a noticeable jump down/up mid way down cassette on the Shimano 5100 I use. But 11 speed is cheaper and seems more durable in the lower end parts I can afford. If I could afford full xt or xtr I'd go 12 speed for both bikes. Never thought about wheel size having an effect on the gearing. Interesting to know that. A trip to Sheldon's gear ratio website I think 😊
At 0:46 the gear range with a single front chainring would be 455 percent approximately based on a small rear cog with 11 teeth and a large cog with 50 teeth .
Lots of errors with this video unfortunately. The Eagle did have a 500% ratio, because it already had a 10t cog, not sure why she mentioned that Shimano introduced a 10t since SRAM already had it.
I have a 12 speed Deore on my full sus and a 9 speed Advent on my hard tail. I'd change them both if i could. when I'm on trails, it's 2/3rds down and 1/3rd up in terms of time spent. Even when going down I'm usually somewhere near the middle of the gear range. I only find myself using the hardest 2 gears when I'm on pavement or boring flat stuff i very rarely ride on a MTB. I'd give up the hardest 2 gears on either bike for one more in the middle of the range and more gradual transition between the easiest and 2nd easiest. I could be wrong, but for PNW forest trails riding like i mostly do, i think that would be better.
I enjoy the GX Eagle 1x12 setup on my full squish trail bike. I enjoy the simplicity and ice resistance of 1x10 on my full carbon winter fat bike. The 11 and 12 speed cassettes tend to accumulate ice between the cogs quicker than 10 speed cassettes. Besides, going faster than 25mph on a fat bike on ice and snow is not a great idea.
Still love my 8 year old hardtail with 2x10 (42/28 front and 11-36rear). Rarely use the 28 ring, it’s a handy bailout though
Perhaps not necessary, but nice to have. Combined with larger chain ring, you get lot more versatility.
10 speed 11-48 is plenty for me on my 26er. I use 9 speed 11-52 on my 29 hardtail, both with a 32 tooth chainring and don’t see me changing them. Uphill is a bit harder, but it means I get a better workout. All good as far as I’m concerned.
Pros and cons to each but, much lower cost and easier setup on 10 speed work for me. Advent X 10-48 on my gravel bike with 38t chain ring. I can get up anything where it wouldn't be quicker to walk and I'm fast enough on a road wheel set to do club group rides.
I've watch several episodes on Hardtail Party (TH-cam) where he rides his sedona trails on a single speed. I think with the usual gear ratio, 32t with 16t rear (2:1).
I dont think i'd be able to do it especially on technical uphill climbs.
Some people love the single speed. But not my cup of tea.
I rarely go down to the last 2 or 3 smallest gears. For my riding style i wouldn't mind a 10 speed with a gear ratio: 16-20-24-28-32-36-40- 46-52T with a 30t chainring.
For me, that would be optimal and very slight weight savings. Lol
Changed from 12 speed back to 11 speed a couple of years ago. I prefer it. Seems less finiky to me. Plus it's cheap to replace. I have 27.5 wheels & so the gear ratio is higher than it would be on a 29er. Also I can run medium cage mech which imo is a must for the smaller wheels to prevent mech damage. Most manufacturers of mullet bikes wrongly (imo) put long cage mechs on 27.5s. They're way too close to the ground.
I just rebuilt my hard tail earlier this year and I rebuilt it with the last year of the 10 speed deore and it’s perfect! I have ridden 12 speed and I don’t see it being that much of an advantage
I've found, if your an XC bumble then 10 speed is all you need. If your an enduro rider then you need the 12 speed. Racing, you'll want 12 as it gives you better climbing and sprinting ratios. Great thing about 12 speed, it allows you to run bigger chain rings, that dont compromise the climb, but gives you that better sprinting, especially if your an XC racer! That's my view, many others will differ 😁
Box is doing something right, cramming everything you need into 9 speeds, unfortunately its too costly. Shimano in the Deore range has 11s thats still compatible with HG Freehubs, which is a great option if you dont want to switch to a microspline yet, the 11s goes to 50t too! all you want and need for winching up the hill.
I thought Shimano doesn't make an 11 for HG frehubs. I'm on a deoere 11s with a sunrace 11-51 and would love a Shimano casset so that I can back peddle on the 51... is it possible?
@@erikd6124 They do, the cassette you're looking for is the CS-5100-11, not sure about availability but in my case its easy to find as I live in Asia.
I suggest microshift Advent X 10 speed. 11 - 48. Not costly, half price of box 9. not 50 tooth but gets close. Nephew went to it first i was impressed so i went away from shimano deore. They also have a ebike harden steel cassette option as well
@@erikd6124Yup, shimano's m5100 is 11 speed using the HG hub. It came out a couple years ago, so it's kind of recent.
Wow, once again, Anna simplifies what could've been a dreadfully boring, over complicated topic while still offering a wealth of usable info- Thanks!
I do prefer a 12sp cassette w/30t chainring to help my under-powered legs up those tougher climbs. But I found SRAM's newer 520% 52t cog to be just too much of a physical chain jump for efficient shifting on the fly, especially under hill-climbing pressure. Even better is Shimano's SLX 10-51t cassette, which seems to have more useful 'steps' from gear to gear.😉
Comments like this make all the effort worth it. Thanks! - Anna :)
Holy crap! I think I understand! Awesome explanation, thank you!
It depends on the bike. On my main bike i have a 12 speed deore and it feels amazing. Muddy or snowy rides often clogged up my 9 speed advent cassette, probably also because of frame clearance with quick release and thru axles so in winter I often wasn't able to use my 2 or even 3 highest gears until I made my old mtb a singlespeed for winter use but in general I don't think there's anything wrong in using 10 or 11 speed compared to 12 anymore today.
I have a 26" bike with 11-42 10s with 32t compared to my 12s 29" also with 32t bike, it climbs the same. Only top speed is highly lower on 26" bike
Bike rider and terrain dependent. But putting a 30-52 ratio on my winch and plummet bike has made it a lot better at winching up steeps and less exhausting to ride
Never cared for 12spd. Shimano XT 11spd with an E13 9-46 cassette and 34t oval ring is my preferred set up. Cheap, reliable, light, effective. When I tried 12spd with a small chainring (28 or 30) I walked faster and easier than I pedaled that gearing in the lowest gears and had no top end.
I feel 11 spd cassette is enough for most avid riders. I rarely use my 52t cog as it usually just ends up spinning and losing grip at the wheel. The local shop I go to also said a cassette with less cogs is less weight, if your a weight watcher, but also less costly. I'm not ready to hunt the smaller cassette down on the internet but I am thinking about it when the next cassette is needed.
11-51t 9 speed sunrace derallieur with 34t chainring works great big ish jumps between gears but no need to double shift
I have a set of sunrace M9, 9 speed groupset, the cassette is 11-50T.
I'm having a 3x8. But the back is a Shimano cs-hg400 11-40 cassette. The smallest front is 24 teeth, the biggest is 40 teeth and is pretty much the same as 52 teeth on a 30 front. Why you say. It was the cheapest conversion. Chain KMC 8 speed - 7€, cassette - 20€, derailleur - 23€. Total is 50€. I can put a 1x10 but with a Microshift 11-48 with a clutch derailleur on the same hub, but have to change the cranks too and as I'm pretty new I have decided to go for the cheap as it's pretty reliable too and I can change them every 6 months if I need them.
But if I have the money I would prefer 1x11, 2x11 or 2x10.
Love my 32 x E.13 9-46t gearing!
Guess depends how much you use the ends of the gear range really, arguably for 10s a double does expand the range by a fair margin, as you end up with a narrow range of gears. Same broadly speaking with gravel bikes the tipping point for 1by and range is probably 11s?
Just installed a Box 3 Prime 9 on my bike. Same type of range, just bigger jumps on the lower gears. Haven't had a chance to ride my XC trail I've been using the get my legs back. I've heard good things though.
Depends really on how heavy your wheels and tyres are. Downhill casing on an enduro bike, definitely need a 12 speed, but light weight xc wheel sets you can do just fine with a 10 speed 10-42 and still win some races
Upgraded from a 9 speed to an 11 speed years ago and I miss having less gears to work with especially in climbs where U can shift quickly in the largest cog.
Got my first 12 speed bike about 6 months ago with a 38T on the front. I don't even use the 3 largest cogs and the 4th hardly ever gets use. That said, I prefer the 3x9 my old bike has!! The chain is simply more durable and everything is more forgiving to keep in adjustment.
What size cassette?
I have both 1x12 and 2x10, I prefer the 2x10 for XC and Adventure becouse of it just works regardless if it is muddy, wet or icy. 12 speed has very small margain for error in mixed conditions
I’m still on 3 x 9!
2x8 here
2x9 on my main XC bike.
22-36 F and 11-36 R, wheels 27,5.
For extremely steep climbs a 40t cassette may be better, but the 36 one is fine for most
Good example is the video of all 4 different bikes the lad done explaining the different feel uphill with trial bike being the most all round then the enduro and XC and just died on his DH lol with bikes not having a fron mech now yeah can see this being useful especially if someone like myself wanting back on the saddle after a good few years away from DH i think I'd stuggle for a bit while got back in the way of things
I guess it all very much depends on the trails you are riding. Borrowed a 34T front with a 7 speed STAM. Bike was super light and fast as hell. I could ride my favorite trail rather well but know that anything steeper would have caused me problems. I am riding a 12 speed cassette with a 34T and 36T oval and never need the largest cog as the trails I am riding are not as steep.
Only if they made 9 speed for XD driver I’ll go for it! Box Components make 9 speed but only fits HG which only allows 11t small cog forcing me to run silly 40t chainring. Currently running 9-46t 11 speed cassette with 32/34t chainring. If someone made 9-46t 9 speed cassette I’ll be all in.