[Thatshowiroll]

Specifically for XC, how many teeth on the front?
How many teeth on your cog set?
Did you add one of those giant pie-plate granny gears?

 

[kreater]

all of my bikes are 1/10, bigger travel heavier ones 30 and 36 out back. my lighter racier bikes 32 and 36. for most trails here you can get away with either. and with the new Narrow wide rings and clutch shifters no chain guide really needed.

 

[machine4321]

I run a 30t and a 11-36 cassette on my xc bike. If you have good legs a 32 or 34 could easily be used . I went with a 30t as im not to sure if the legs can handle anything bigger during 3rd lap of ocups.

If I was a rec only rider I would have gone bigger.

 

[Slash5]

I run 1X9 and 1X10 with 36 rear cogs and 30 or 32 front. The 30T NW upgrade was at the end of last year and over the winter so looking forward to putting some miles on it. No clutch or chain device on all but one, no dropped chains even before the NW chainring.

 

[machine4321]

Should have added, I used a wolf tooth ring and have about 200km and not a hint of drop. I am also on a standard x9 RD not the clutch type.

 

[Enduramil]

You talking 26, 650b or 29 ER wheel size?

 

[Thatshowiroll]

I'm an old school 26er.

 

[Enduramil]

I'm an old school 26er.

From what I have read...26 inch wheels can get away with a larger chain ring size then a 29er can. No scientific data to show if that is correct or not. Could be like running shoes....industry driven pseudo science to simply sell more chain rings and 29er specific components.

Last year most of last year with a 38T chain ring and a custom modified MRP G2 with this cassette.

SunRace M60 8 Speed 11-32T Cassette - Mountain Equipment Co-op. Free Shipping Available

 

[msl0]

With a 29er I'm running 32 narrow-wide front and 11-36 rear, xtr w/clutch and no chain guide. I ran a 34 front last year and thought it was perfect, but I never spun-out so I figured I would go with a smaller one for when going slow. I thought it worked well for all the o-cups, dan's marathon series and canada cups.

I'm hesitant to try the big rear cogs on a shimano system because of the amount of b-tension required and how that may affect shifting. I know some people that are, so we'll see how it works out.

 

[Tim Mailloux]

I'm actually doing the conversion right now. Using a Wolftooth direct mount 28t chainring and an 11x36 cassette with a SRAM type 2 rear deraillure. Trails are still too soft to ride in MA, but I am hoping to get a ride in next weekend if the weather holds.

If it turns out I need more low range in the back I am planning on going with the new Hope 40T cog.

 

[mbco1975]

From what I have read...26 inch wheels can get away with a larger chain ring size then a 29er can. No scientific data to show if that is correct or not. Could be like running shoes....industry driven pseudo science to simply sell more chain rings and 29er specific components.

Wheel size and crank length are input variables needed to calculate a gear ratio /gear inch along with chain rings and cassette.

Here is a calculator you can play with to see the impact of both on your gearing if you want: Sheldon Brown's Bicycle Gear Calculator

 

[croft]

I run 1X9 and 1X10 with 36 rear cogs and 30 or 32 front. The 30T NW upgrade was at the end of last year and over the winter so looking forward to putting some miles on it. No clutch or chain device on all but one, no dropped chains even before the NW chainring.

How do you like the 1x9 , I would like to give it a try but thought it worked only with a 10 rear cog set? . I don't have a rear clutch type derailed will that be a problem?

 

[ol-crank]

am I the only guy that clicked on the clutch type link?

How do you like the 1x9 , I would like to give it a try but thought it worked only with a 10 rear cog set? . I don't have a rear clutch type derailed will that be a problem?

not that there's anything wrong with it,

 

[Slash5]

My 1X9 works fine without the clutch derailleur. Even worked fine with just a normal single speed chainring - ran two bikes all last season that way. I mostly went with the NW cause I wanted the 30T.

 

[Thatshowiroll]

Thanks for all the replies.
Currently I'm riding 27x42 front 32x11 rear. I'm very limited with chainring choice because of my FSA Afterburner 86bcd.
The only ring available at the moment is a 30t.
I'm worried about topping out in the 30x11 gear.

 

[maynard]

Cannodale SI crank 29t 9 speed 11 -32 650b carbon hardtail -- wifes bike -- shadow
wolftooth 30t 11-36 10 speed 29 pound 29er steel hardtail type 2
29t widget --- 11-34 26inch ---21 pounds scott spark -- wifes other bike -xtr regular

that being said my fat bike has a 2 speed up front and that 22 or what ever it is , is like a taco bell in the middle of hilton falls with the heavy snow

aside, with the 30t 11-36...i think im in the lowest 4 gears 80% of the time in southern ontario.

 

[Slash5]

A 30X11 will give you 34 kph at a cadence of 100. Good enough for me.
I've always figured that a 1X9 or 10 is for a pure trail bike. If you ride to the trail or it's a multi-use bike then you want 3X. I figure a racer would want at least a 2X or the big buck 11 speeds for that top end.
Good excuse for the n+1 bike purchase.

 

[jeffw-13]

Sram x9 crank with a 26t cog, 11/36 in back. Its pretty climby around here which is why I went 26t in front

 

[machine4321]

Thanks for all the replies.
Currently I'm riding 27x42 front 32x11 rear. I'm very limited with chainring choice because of my FSA Afterburner 86bcd.
The only ring available at the moment is a 30t.
I'm worried about topping out in the 30x11 gear.

From my short time on mine (1 week in North Carolina) I had lots of climbing gear, even with all the steep and long climbs in NC. As far as top end. I went on a ride to scope out some trails the other day and it turned into a 75km road ride. the 11cog was fine for the roads but only able to keep about 25kmh at a comfortable cadence. I think it will do fine for most of the trails in Ontario except for say a fast pack of riders at hardwood or something like that.

no clutch RD on my bike and I cant get the chain to drop!

To bad you have the FSA crank, I have a sram direct mount 30t I need to sell

 

[ol-crank]

went 1 x 9 today, that is, I just left it in the 27 chain ring with 11-34 cassett,

rode out to Dundas, up valley road, to Crooks Hollow and up to # 8 so there was some climbing, and until I rode at 35 KMH and over I didn't need the 42 chain ring. Coming home from Lynden, along Governors it was wind from the back and as I went faster to 45 or so, the 27 wasn't happening. Anyway I have a different attitude now for my 29"MTB, as it would be ok with just a 28 or 30 on the front, without changing out the 11-34.