Thread: 2x10 worth it?

Last year was my first year riding. I picked up a lightly used 575 as an alternative to running due to injury. It's been great. My overall riding skills will obviously be something I'm working on for some time, however my fitness is solid. I ride Front Range trails with the occasional excursion to Buff., Monarch Pass, Fruita/Moab, Aspen, etc. I never use my smallest ring up front. Shopping around I've noticed an entire drivetrain overhaul is a bit...cost prohibitive. Am I going to gain much in the way of...anything, if I go 2x10? I don't plan on racing anytime soon, and don't lie awake at night worried about the weight of my bike, with its less than high end wheelset, etc. Would such an overhaul be more of an exercise in ego-stroking than anything else? I've also shopped lighter, stronger wheels, but they aren't exactly cheap either. I really don't feel the need to upgrade my entire bike just yet, though I can't help but feel that a nicely spec'd Mojo, SB, Nomad might be in my not-so-near future. Advice? Thanks in advance.

I have been on XX 2x10 since early 2010 and love it. The shifting, gear ratio and clean line of the crank is sweet. I run 24x32 with an 11-36 on the back.

You will need a whole drivetrain and shifters, so do it on a bike you will be on for a while. If it gets you excited abut riding do it!

^^^ You run a shop out there? I didn't ride until I moved here, and I've got the water on the brain when I visit home, but I may have to give riding a try next time I'm out.

I'm on a 2x10 (26/38, 11-36) and I'm really happy with it. However, I'm seriously considering 1x10. I'd have to give up one or two of my lowest gear-equivalents, but the simplicity seems it'd be worth it.

Lose the front big ring, slap on a bash ring, reset your front derailleur stops and call it a day.
$20 2x9

Originally Posted by Roxtar

Lose the front big ring, slap on a bash ring, reset your front derailleur stops and call it a day.
$20 2x9

This for sure. Also, how in the hell are all these people going 1x9 or 1x10? I must be a fucking pussy, if I didn't have a granny gear, I wouldn't climb shit all around here (well, except for the the Shwagtail Divide).

Originally Posted by Roxtar

Lose the front big ring, slap on a bash ring, reset your front derailleur stops and call it a day.
$20 2x9

Wow. Nice, thanks, that's incredible.

My last bike was 2x9. My new bike is 2x10. One more gear doesn't really matter. Unless you're buying all new stuff anyways, save money and stick with 2x9. Or don't change anything and stick with 3x9 - it's not like your smallest ring is going to self destruct if you don't use it.

Originally Posted by Roxtar

Lose the front big ring, slap on a bash ring, reset your front derailleur stops and call it a day.
$20 2x9

And shorten your chain! One of the best things about running 2x9. Less chain slap.

For another $25 get a blackspire stinger or equivalent, and wrap your chainstays with bar tape. Boom nearly silent bike that won't ever drop the chain.

I run a 2x10 (27/40, 11-36) and it has made me a faster rider. I found that I would allow myself to spin in granny on hills with a 22-34 gear when I really didn't need to. It helps that I got a SS first and learned how to stand and generally ride with a slower cadence/more power style.

All this said, I haven't done any extended endurance (5+ hours) yet with my new drivetrain, so I reserve the right to go crawling back to my triple crankset at some point.

Originally Posted by hick

This for sure. Also, how in the hell are all these people going 1x9 or 1x10? I must be a fucking pussy, if I didn't have a granny gear, I wouldn't climb shit all around here (well, except for the the Shwagtail Divide).

1x's are cake with a 28T or 30T. The guys that do it with a 34T are NUTS

On my previous bike I ran a 1x9 with a 28T and loved it. My new bike has a 2x10 but I will be converting it to 1x10 shortly. I originally switched to the 1x cause I smacked and bent my chainrings and it was a cheap fix.... Now I am just used to not using the front d.

roxtar has the right idea. 2x9 with bash/chain guide up front.

1x10 for me, but much more doable here in MA where there's no real sustained climbing.

Going from 22/36 by 11-34 to 32 by 11-36 has made everything a whole lot easier for me. The 22 granny was way too small, and a few guys I ride with were already doing a single front ring so I figured I'd give it a shot. Its been great so far and I don't see a reason to go back unless I move somewhere with actual hills.

After a year on a true (26/39) 2x10 setup I'm convinced the gearing is optimum for me, but it sure isn't life altering. Before I ran (24/36/bash) 2x9 and loved that too(pretty much same climbing gear but now I have more top end). However, without the bash I can't keep the chain on if I'm riding chunder or jump trails due to the rear D not keeping up with chain growth as the suspension compresses fast. I'm even running a 2x guide and that keeps it from falling down to the small ring, but can't do anything for the outside. I guess I just didn't know it was an issue with my 2x9 setups cause my bash always caught the chain from falling off the outside and the small ring caught it on the inside most of the time. Maybe the new clutched RD's solve this, but I won't know till later this year. In the short term, I'm probably switching to a crank that I can run a bash on ASAP which means I'm losing the true 2x10 gearing. Thinking of trying an XO with the special spider that keeps the 2x10 chainline but then the gears will be 24/38/bash.

IMHO - I would only change to 10 speed if you are tossing everything because of a new bike or it's all dead. sure a 36 tooth gear is nice in the back, but it's not revolutionary in any way. If it was 9-36 in the rear like Canfield is starting to put out that changes everything because then you just run a 28-30T chainring 1x10 system and have the best of both worlds. Hopefully that is the future.

Originally Posted by phatfreeheeler

After a year on a true (26/39) 2x10 setup I'm convinced the gearing is optimum for me, but it sure isn't life altering. Before I ran (24/36/bash) 2x9 and loved that too(pretty much same climbing gear but now I have more top end). However, without the bash I can't keep the chain on if I'm riding chunder or jump trails due to the rear D not keeping up with chain growth as the suspension compresses fast. I'm even running a 2x guide and that keeps it from falling down to the small ring, but can't do anything for the outside. I guess I just didn't know it was an issue with my 2x9 setups cause my bash always caught the chain from falling off the outside and the small ring caught it on the inside most of the time. Maybe the new clutched RD's solve this, but I won't know till later this year. In the short term, I'm probably switching to a crank that I can run a bash on ASAP which means I'm losing the true 2x10 gearing. Thinking of trying an XO with the special spider that keeps the 2x10 chainline but then the gears will be 24/38/bash.

Aside from properly adjusting your derailleur, you just need an offset bash guard like this one. It just uses longer chainring bolts to essentially add a "third" ring to your setup. It's no different than people who used to run 3 rings plus a bash. The one in that link is sized for bigger rings, so you might have to search around for an appropriately sized one.

I'm running a 2 X9 setup as well with one of these

http://www.bbgbashguard.com/superlights.html



You don't need longer chainring bolts with the thin bash. Lighter than a third ring. Not much of a true bash but it'll keep your Levi's out of the chainring.

Originally Posted by cooltsi

I'm running a 2 X9 setup as well with one of these

http://www.bbgbashguard.com/superlights.html



You don't need longer chainring bolts with the thin bash. Lighter than a third ring. Not much of a true bash but it'll keep your Levi's out of the chainring.

You must struggle climbing with that setup. Ditching the chain does shed some weight though.

Originally Posted by toast2266

Aside from properly adjusting your derailleur, you just need an offset bash guard like this one. It just uses longer chainring bolts to essentially add a "third" ring to your setup. It's no different than people who used to run 3 rings plus a bash. The one in that link is sized for bigger rings, so you might have to search around for an appropriately sized one.

Trust me, I know how to setup a derailleur and can you please show me the 120 BCD bash and the right custom bolts to fit XX cranks...if so, I'm so there

I've actually thought of taking the time to CAD it up myself and send it to my machinist, but figured if it was that easy MRP, E-thirteen, Shimano, or SRAM would have already done the work.

Originally Posted by phatfreeheeler

Trust me, I know how to setup a derailleur and can you please show me the 120 BCD bash and the right custom bolts to fit XX cranks...if so, I'm so there

I've actually thought of taking the time to CAD it up myself and send it to my machinist, but figured if it was that easy MRP, E-thirteen, Shimano, or SRAM would have already done the work.

Well, something's not right if your chain is falling off all over the place...

Rather than CADing something up, just buy a larger chainring with the appropriate bcd, stick it on a lathe, and turn the teeth down off of it. It's pretty quick and easy.

^^^that seems a savvy and cheap solution to me.

Toast- what whip did you settle on? FBird?

Originally Posted by hick

This for sure. Also, how in the hell are all these people going 1x9 or 1x10? I must be a fucking pussy, if I didn't have a granny gear, I wouldn't climb shit all around here (well, except for the the Shwagtail Divide).

You and me both man. Have no idea how people do it. And I'm a big-ish guy. Maybe that's why I can't. I gotta hall 185lbs (with water) up the hill. Some of the guys I ride with were talking about suspension, so weight came up, and I have 20lbs on them.
Shit, I'd go 1X10 with a fucking 24T if I could. lol.

Originally Posted by toast2266

Well, something's not right if your chain is falling off all over the place...

Rather than CADing something up, just buy a larger chainring with the appropriate bcd, stick it on a lathe, and turn the teeth down off of it. It's pretty quick and easy.

What's not right is just long travel bikes were not really meant for the current 2x10 standard...this confirmed from an inside source. Some setups work ok, but not all.

Not a horrible idea, but I've run something similar before and wasn't stoked after bending bolts and the thin bash. I'll probably just buy a 3x10 crank w/bash such as the sixc, X0 am, or turbines due to a lack of free time.

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Originally Posted by rludes025

You must struggle climbing with that setup. Ditching the chain does shed some weight though.

Huh? I'm running 22/34/Bash

My view is that 2x10 is nice but by no means necessary, and frankly would be pretty far down on my list for those suffering from upgradeitis.
(aside from handlebar stuff that's personal preference) I say fork and wheels first. But if you're rocking a 575 I'm betting you already have a nice fork.

(or just ride it until something breaks...)

Originally Posted by allTandA

Toast- what whip did you settle on? FBird?

yeah - firebird. preliminary prognosis: that thing is the tits.