1x10 conversion may be a great and economical upgrade

 

Well, the Bad Boy isn't really a mountain bike per se. So what's considered mountain bike gearing now may not be ideal for you. What gears do you spend most of your time in? That'll help you figure out how you need to adjust gearing with new components. Because you WILL have to adjust some things.

If multiple chainrings suits you riding, especially if you spend decent time hauling on pavement, then a multiple chainring drivetrain might suit you better. Shimano still offers that up to 12spd. But 10 or 11 would be far more economical. Shimano 12spd would require a lot more than just the drivetrain.

If a wide range 1x drivetrain would suit your preferences and use, then there are options, even at 9spd.

 

I have the same bike, and have had a ton of problems also. I'm in Ann Arbor, Mi (not a lot of elevation) and I flipped to a 1x. It's been much better, but would love to upgrade the wheels and rest of the drivetrain. It's a good bike, but that bottom bracket is garbage. Haha

 

Hi there, I also have a Bad Boy 3 (2016) and I'm thinking of switching to a 1x setup as well. Could you share what set you ended up going with, and whether the replacement was a difficult process? Thanks!