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The purpose of 1X drivetrain

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#244 · (Edited)
dowsett2012 said:
You're young/ really naive, and a victim of the marketing.
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Just gonna point out that the user you are calling "young and naive" has been a member since 2005. That's twenty years ago, pretty good for someone so young
 
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#245 ·
dowsett2012 said:
For the sake of argument, maybe I am the ignorant child, but what if it was actually the other way around? How would you know? I've already ascertained that there is a bit of a forum-clique going on. An echo-chamber of like minded people. There is no conflict of ideas until: "The new guy comes" and then everyone bets for how long they will last rather than question their own perspective. The longer it goes on, the harder it becomes to change.
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Absolutely untrue. I have been here for 6 years, don't think I'm new anymore, and theres conflict almost every time I post. Your being countered here has nothing to do with being new. However, the attitude you bring comes off as arrogant and hard headed, which provokes a stronger response. It is not because you are the new guy, it's because you are the new guy who is acting like you are the boss.
 
#251 · (Edited)
TylerVernon said:
I need a single front ring that houses a series of mechanisms that can increase its virtual tooth count on demand.
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Actually Truvativ Hammerschmidt 2 speed single ring cranks. I think they came in overdrive and underdrive versions. Nope that was Shlumpf.
www.bikeradar.com

Truvativ HammerSchmidt AM chainset

Trick two-speed crankset
www.bikeradar.com www.bikeradar.com
These things include Front Freewheel feature. But that's secret stuff.
search.brave.com

2 Speed Crankset

A 2 speed geared crankset is a type of bicycle component that allows for two different gear ratios within the crankset itself, eliminating the need for a front derailleur. This design is particularly useful for commuters and riders looking for a simpler, more reliable drivetrain setup. Here are...
search.brave.com search.brave.com
Or maybe this one? Retro Direct.
 
#252 · (Edited)
Is calling someone a Muppet insulting?

Asking for a friend.

Comes outta nowhere, effectively calls us a bunch of chumps and tells us we're doing it wrong and we're not "real" cyclists. Claims that we're victims of marketing and then plays the victim.

Super Troll vibes.

Wow, you can do centuries. On a road bike. Congratulations!
😐
you want to post bonafides?
I'm a sucker for the humble (or not so humble) brag.

*I've been Cycling for 35 years. *professional bike mechanic for 20.
Yes, people paid me good money to fix bikes.
*professional bike messenger Washington DC '89-94 Chicago '94-'96 Yes, people paid me good money to ride bikes like a hooligan. *I've done countless centuries on a road bike.
Not that hard. *yes I'm surrounded by mountains which definitely, obviously makes me a better cyclist.
Image
 
#255 ·
@Wabatuckian

You asked for a summary of the arguments against 1x drivetrains in this thread, which have been championed by @Caspian, and for a counter-perspective. It's a classic debate, almost as old as the dropper post lever that needed a place to live. At its core, the case for keeping 3x systems boils down to a few key points: they offer a wider total gear range for both high-speed pedaling and steep climbs, the industry is forcing a solution (1x) that creates compromised chainlines and faster wear, and that simplifying the cockpit is an unnecessary concession for any rider who can rub their stomach and pat their head at the same time.

However, the general consensus in the thread, and the reason for the industry's shift, paints a different picture. The "lost" high-end gear range is often seen as theoretical for most mountain biking, where terrain and traction are the limiting factors, not the ability to spin out a 44-tooth ring. On the other end, modern wide-range cassettes provide a low gear that's more than sufficient for most climbs. More importantly, eliminating the front derailleur solved several persistent problems: it drastically improved chain retention, simplified shifting under pressure (especially for beginners who are already juggling a dozen other new skills), and, crucially, it freed up physical space around the bottom bracket. This allowed frame designers to create more sophisticated suspension kinematics and fit wider tires, which are benefits that affect every moment of the ride, not just the rare times you might spin out on a fire road. So while it may feel like a solution in search of a problem, for many, it solved problems they had stopped even noticing.
 
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#257 ·
@Wabatuckian Understood. Here is the rock-and-stick version.

One shifter is simpler than two. Less thinking, more riding. The front derailleur was always the fussy, complicated part of the system. It dropped chains on bumpy trails, got clogged with mud, and made you ease up on the power to shift. Getting rid of it is like firing the one employee who always showed up late and complained a lot. Your handlebars also have more room for a dropper post lever, which is far more useful on a modern trail.

Removing the front derailleur also lets engineers design better bikes. Without needing to make space for multiple chainrings and a shifter, they can create more effective rear suspension designs with shorter chainstays for better handling. So, it's not just about losing parts; it's about what the rest of the bike gains. Fewer broken parts, better chain retention, and improved suspension performance. Ugh good.
 
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#258 ·
Somewhat ironically given the talk of nine speed in this thread recently, I'm building up an old bike at the moment. It's got a gorgeous SRAM XO nine speed groupset (when XO was still top as XX1 hadn't been created), however the deraileur main spring is broken (Ti) but I have a spare, jockey wheels worn and I need a chain and cassette. My normal modus operandi is to put M8000 on and 1x it as most of our spare bikes are that groupset. However it's harder and harder to find.
But finding nine speed stuff is even worse. I'm tempted just to change it all to 1x Linkglide and have it 11 speed.

Image

Image
 
#259 ·
Wabatuckian said:
Dude, I'm the resident outsider; a flatlander who rides a bike I built to what I need here. It's a purpose-built all-purpose exploration bike, basically a heavy cross-country bike designed to support me on longish trips. I have a fishing rod dedicated to it, a collapsible trekking stick, and I'm working on the best way to carry a rifle. It's built on a Walmart Schwinn.

The last time I did serious bike work -- or had anything to do with bikes -- was in the early-1990s. Then I discovered Jeeps, and only got back into biking in 2022.

The people here are knowledgeable. They helped bring me up to speed on modern bikes, and the majority of it makes sense.

What everyone is dancing around is this: Bikes are much more purpose-built than they were even 25 years ago. You're coming here and telling people who mostly ride up and down mountains that what they ride doesn't make sense -- and it doesn't, for me. Or for you, from what you've said.

It makes perfect sense for them.

My first mountain bike was a 2x5 26er. It, too, was Schwinn, and a bike I used for exploring, as well, over long distances of farmland. I almost always kept it in low range, but I did appreciate the big chairing for riding on the roads.

I sometimes miss the ability to quickly drop into low range, but the 1x9 -- all that I need here -- does really well, to the point that it doesn't really complain if I force it to the 50 tooth on a hill, as long as I show it a little love.

For me, the simplicity of the 1x trumps that old 2x. The chainring is a 32t oval, my small cog is 12t or 13t, and I go over 20mph on a regular basis. I do not run out of gear.

As far as the wheels, I dunno what to tell you. It's pretty simple to mathematically prove that 29" tires will roll over obstacles easier than 26" tires. They provide for a smoother ride as an side benefit.

What I'm trying to say is, there are reasons other than advertising that people here choose what they do, and you're coming across as a kinda know-it-all dickbag.

Chill and get to know folks before you get up on your soapbox. It'll work out better.
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With regard to wheel-sizes: I am pretty sure that I never refuted the fact that larger-wheels could: Roll better, over: "The rough-stuff". My point was that if this ability was not needed, then the negative attributes should be considered.

There are definitely reasons other than advertising for people buying/choosing what they do. However, advertising has a greater-affect than most people realise. Most of the bike-related media on the internet is marketing-material! All the videos you watch. How many people here question the capacity in which they are made?!
"Muc-Off" is just a marketing-company! How many people on here are guilty of buying their re-branded products?!

As far as I am aware, all I was doing was writing statements that were factually accurate. The responses did nothing to disprove those statements. Most of the people on this forum can't even read properly. As illustrated by taking things out of context and all the misquoted-comments that I supposedly wrote.
I made statements that then got passively-aggressively ridiculed by ignorant people. I backed them up, or at least tried to. Then people started throwing their toys out of the pram and making foolish comments presuming to know how I was feeling. I'm not the one that is upset/playing a victim (I know it wasn't you that wrote this)

I don't know how to deal with sensitive-people that get "Butt hurt" when a negative-attribute relating to their pride-and-joy is pointed out to them.
People have unashamedly admitted to essentially "Living" in this forum and that isn't healthy. Perception and comprehension etc are not absolute, but people here are so sure that they have interpreted my comments accurately and yet, they can't even quote them properly despite them being written down in front of them.

I never claimed to be or acted like a "Know-it-all". I made comments that were based on fact. No one here proved what I wrote wrong.
There is no intelligent debate.
 
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