[blammo585]

I used to think that having one chainring in the front and only having to worry with one shifter would simplify things and would be "better". I've thought about switching my bike up to 1x. But occasionally I see the question asked about changing and I'll see replies like it's not really worth due to cost of changing all the parts needed to do it.

But regardless, is 1x really better than a 3x system? I've thought about this lately as I ride, and I go back and forth. Today I rode my bike from my house into town, which is about 2 miles there and 2 miles back. On the way back just as I'm leaving town and getting back to what I consider the main road, I have a downhill but when you get to the bottom it immediately goes into an uphill. I've had the same thing happen on actual trails, too. Now going down I'm able to be on the large chainring but as soon as I start losing speed I drop down to the middle chainring and as I get closer to the top of the hill I can drop it into the smallest if needed. So I drop a big range of gears with one click rather than having to cycle all the way from the smallest in the back to the largest.

What do you think about being able to drop quickly, or even go up quickly, vs having to cycle all the way through in some cases?

 

[Jayem]

It’s 3x better.

 

[Cleared2land]

I'm not going back to a front derailleur.

 

[Curveball]

Better is always a subjective thing. Doing big shifts with a front ring can be an advantage in some situations. However, a 1x system allows frame designers to make better bikes without that front derailleur in the way. Also makes dropper post operations easier.

 

[dietz31684]

I find shifts are so precise with 1x drivetrain so it's simple to drop or gain several gears quickly without any problems. I could see keeping a FD if riding on paved trail but that's a different story and not MTB.

 

[Nat]

Of course it's better, jeez.

Have you dropped your chain off the front rings when dumping gears from big ring to small ring yet?

 

[OldMike]

I was skeptical at first, but I've road more this yr than any other and haven't has to touch the rear derailler or shifter......something I used to do weekly with a 3X9

 

[Jayem]

With multiple front rings when you drop or move up a ring the gear combo never ends up close to where I want it. I want to gradually change my gearing as the grade gradually changes. Its way too big of a change at once IME and you get to deal with the age old problems if either not shifting down to the granny or it dropping off. People think they need mega high gears to go fast, but they don’t spin a 30/32t front at the rpms where this would even make sense, they aren’t topped out.

 

[Catmandoo]

Of course it's better, jeez.

Have you dropped your chain off the front rings when dumping gears from big ring to small ring yet?

Never. Been mt. biking 31 years.

Its not like front shifting suddenly started to suck, its just that 1X 11 and 12 spd. systems can give you the range you need, just not the in-between gears. Curveball makes good points about it helps with frame design and you can do different things with larger tires without worrying about front derailer hitting the tire. As well it frees you from needing to think about what gearing to move to front AND rear. With 1X its just bam-bam up and down. Works very well.

 

[Nat]

Never. Been mt. biking 31 years.

Its not like front shifting suddenly started to suck, its just that 1X 11 and 12 spd. systems can give you the range you need, just not the in-between gears. Curveball makes good points about it helps with frame design and you can do different things with larger tires without worrying about front derailer hitting the tire. As well it frees you from needing to think about what gearing to move to front AND rear. With 1X its just bam-bam up and down. Works very well.

Wait -- are you still on a triple crank setup?

 

[Jayem]

Never. Been mt. biking 31 years.

Its not like front shifting suddenly started to suck

True, it always sucked.

 

[Tall BMX'r]

I like my 1x on my MTB, buy my wife likes her 2x on her MTB still. She uses her front derailleur a lot. It's basically the same ratio as me shifting from 1st to 3rd, when she shifts between her front chainrings.

 

[mrpizza]

I switched my old 26er over a month ago. I'll never go back to front shifting.

 

[MatLax00]

I converted my and my girlfriend's bike to it, it's much better I think but now I'm wondering if I really need 10 speeds if I keep skipping gears anyway and trying a 1x8 is very tempting!

 

[chomxxo]

Occam's razor, given two theories, the simpler wins out. A front derailleur is a heavier, more complicated solution to shifting created by engineers as a mathematical solution to a wider range without concern for usability. Try explaining the front derailleur to a kid who's getting his first geared bike--always mystifies them which shifter to shift.

There is always the risk of dropping the chain. I have 2x AXS Red on my road bike and they have made shifting absolutely as smooth as possible. I like the very small jumps between cogs to keep smooth pedaling. I configured it to auto-shift mode, where it automatically changes the front rings and I just shift up and down the range. However if I was racing my road bike I'd never want this, invariably it still comes as a surprise and I have to soft-pedal.

 

[upstateSC-rider]

There is really nothing wrong with a front derailleur, going 1x just gave space for a dropper lever, which really isn't a must-have for most trails. Run what ya brung.

 

[r-rocket]

I have bikes with 1X, 2X, and some vintage 3X. All have strengths and weaknesses. The best shifting system is the one that you can play like a maestro to maximize the strengths and minimize the weaknesses.

If you've solved for the common downsides of whatever you ride, and aren't missing the upsides of other systems, you've got a winner for you on your trails for how you ride.

 

[jeremy3220]

Today I rode my bike from my house into town, which is about 2 miles there and 2 miles back. On the way back just as I'm leaving town and getting back to what I consider the main road, I have a downhill but when you get to the bottom it immediately goes into an uphill. I've had the same thing happen on actual trails, too.

Just down shift slightly earlier. No need for an instant large drop in gear ratio in that scenario.

 

[r-rocket]

Occam's razor, given two theories, the simpler wins out.
...
AXS
...

I admire the courage it took to put those in the same post....

 

[blkdout]

I remember going from 3x to 2x thinking it couldn’t get any better. Now with 1x, I stand corrected.

When accelerating and slowing with 2x there’s more thinking when shifting the front just to keep momentum. Usually have to make an extra shift or three. On the other hand, when cruising at certain speeds, I find myself trapped between gears like I can’t find the one to be in.

1x eliminated all of that.