[Igotsoul4u]

Hey. I recently bought 2018 Pivot Mach 4 carbon. It has an 11 speed xtr rear derailleur. I find that I can get through the gears very quickly and wish I had one more for higher speeds. Is that something I can swap out or will I run into issues with the hub and shifter?

I'm still a bit confused on why front derailleurs are such a terrible thing. I remember when triples came out and we were all like whoa!! I kind of wish I had two chain rings up front. Anyway...

 

[d365]

a bigger chainring would be cheaper. do you find yourself wishing you had more granny gear often?

 

[Harold]

Hey. I recently bought 2018 Pivot Mach 4 carbon. It has an 11 speed xtr rear derailleur. I find that I can get through the gears very quickly and wish I had one more for higher speeds. Is that something I can swap out or will I run into issues with the hub and shifter?

I'm still a bit confused on why front derailleurs are such a terrible thing. I remember when triples came out and we were all like whoa!! I kind of wish I had two chain rings up front. Anyway...

If you really want it, 11spd shimano offers a 2x option (assuming your frame can fit a front derailleur...many do not anymore). Also, if you want higher speeds, it's easier to just move up a chainring size.

It's also worth asking what cassette you have. Not so easy to get an extra cog for higher speeds, but if you increase your chainring size and then wind up wanting your low gear back, you might be able to increase the range of your cassette. Say, for example, an 11-46 or so, if you currently have an 11-42. You CAN find 9-46 cassettes, but those require a different freehub body for your rear hub, which may or may not be an option depending on what your hubs are.

 

[Battery]

I'm still a bit confused on why front derailleurs are such a terrible thing. I remember when triples came out and we were all like whoa!! I kind of wish I had two chain rings up front. Anyway...

Depends on who you are talking to! Personally, I think it's a great thing for those who want the extra gearing while on a long adventure. Personally, my bike's SRAM Eagle gives me more than enough range to climb and ride over just about anything. Plus, not having a front mech makes my life easier because I don't need to have that shifter on the handlebar which gives me ample room for a dropper post remote.

 

[Shredmonkey]

I'm still a bit confused on why front derailleurs are such a terrible thing. I remember when triples came out and we were all like whoa!! I kind of wish I had two chain rings up front. Anyway...

Dropping the front derailleur saves weight, simplifies the cockpit, less parts to replace, Eagle has basically same range as a triple without redundant gears, allows for an oval chainring, and most importantly my chain doesn't go flying off every other ride on rowdy downhills anymore. Haven't had a dropped chain in years since going 1x.

Also, +1 to just get a bigger chainring.

 

[fredcook]

Igotsoul4u, have you considered e*thirteens TRS 11 speed cassette? It has more gear range (510%, I believe) that Sram's 12 speed (500%). 9-46 cogs. Using the TRS along with adjusting the front ring size may be the trick for you. The only possible gotcha is I think the TRS cassette is still only available in XD driver. So, if you're not already XD, you'll need to convert your existing freehub, if your current wheel allows it.

 

[Rod]

The easiest way for you to get more range is to put a bigger chainring on the front. It appears your bike probably has a 30 tooth ring. Put a 34 on the front and you won't have a problem with top speed.

 

[J.B. Weld]

The easiest way for you to get more range is to put a bigger chainring on the front. It appears your bike probably has a 30 tooth ring. Put a 34 on the front and you won't have a problem with top speed.

That's not more range though, just a higher top end. OP is Mia but if he or she doesn't use the lowest gear a bigger chainring would be a good move.

 

[Igotsoul4u]

Hey. Thanks for all the replies. I understand the redundancy of gears with the front derailleur. Thanks for clearing it up. From what I can tell the larger chainring might be what I need. My bike has an XT cassette M8000 11-46t.

The biggest cog is not something I have really needed in the first few weeks of owning the bike. It spins a little too easy for me but who knows if I would regret not having it. Thanks gain.

 

[Harold]

Hey. Thanks for all the replies. I understand the redundancy of gears with the front derailleur. Thanks for clearing it up. From what I can tell the larger chainring might be what I need. My bike has an XT cassette M8000 11-46t.

The biggest cog is not something I have really needed in the first few weeks of owning the bike. It spins a little too easy for me but who knows if I would regret not having it. Thanks gain.

I don't like that cassette. The gap between the biggest cog and the next size smaller is way bigger than I like. It's a single bailout gear and nothing more. I tend to prefer the Sunrace 11-46 cassettes, which have more even spacing.

In your case, for a single purchase, I think a bigger chainring would be a good choice. If you feel pretty close to the gearing you want, then 2t bigger will probably be good. But if you feel like it's way off, then maybe you should consider 4t bigger.