Single Chaining Ring on a Roadie
Discussion
I have a Cannondale SuperSix Evo roadie, and I am a reasonable rider. (Completed an Ironman last year)
However I now live in The Netherlands and everything is flat, not the slightest hill to be found (I moved here from Switzerland so its quite a different riding experience)
I simply never use my 39t ring now, and the front mech, no matter what I do, rubs. I have tried everything. So now I am thinking of ditching the dual rings and moving the the SRAM 1 Crankset.
Anyone done this ? Thoughts.
Gargamel said:
I have a Cannondale SuperSix Evo roadie, and I am a reasonable rider. (Completed an Ironman last year)
However I now live in The Netherlands and everything is flat, not the slightest hill to be found (I moved here from Switzerland so its quite a different riding experience)
I simply never use my 39t ring now, and the front mech, no matter what I do, rubs. I have tried everything. So now I am thinking of ditching the dual rings and moving the the SRAM 1 Crankset.
Anyone done this ? Thoughts.
The front shifter broke on my winter bike. 42x11-21 7 speed. I quite enjoyed it.However I now live in The Netherlands and everything is flat, not the slightest hill to be found (I moved here from Switzerland so its quite a different riding experience)
I simply never use my 39t ring now, and the front mech, no matter what I do, rubs. I have tried everything. So now I am thinking of ditching the dual rings and moving the the SRAM 1 Crankset.
Anyone done this ? Thoughts.
If you’re happy with the gearing you have just using one of your front gears and existing rear cassette, then just take off your front mech and unused chainring. If you have issues with the chain coming off you can get specific ones for 1x drivechains which have narrow and wide teeth to keep the chain in place.
1x drive chains are designed to cover a wide range of gears with the rear cassette only, but the disadvantage of this is there is a bigger step between gears, so not ideal in the flat if you want to finely adjust what gear you’re in.
1x drive chains are designed to cover a wide range of gears with the rear cassette only, but the disadvantage of this is there is a bigger step between gears, so not ideal in the flat if you want to finely adjust what gear you’re in.
"If you’re happy with the gearing you have just using one of your front gears and existing rear cassette, then just take off your front mech and unused chainring. If you have issues with the chain coming off you can get specific ones for 1x drivechains which have narrow and wide teeth to keep the chain in place"
You may find that the chainline is compromised in the low gears if you do this.
For example, when I am in the big ring I do not use the three lowest gears at the back because the bend required in the chain is too large.
If you fit a narrow wide chain ring you really need to optimise the chain line. You can do this by fitting the front ring in different positions relative to the cranks using different bolts and packers. I have lots of experience of this from my singlespeed days. It can be a proper ball ache particularly if you wish to use all the ratios on your block.
My advice would be to keep your existing set up but try to adjust out the annoying front mech rub.
You may find that the chainline is compromised in the low gears if you do this.
For example, when I am in the big ring I do not use the three lowest gears at the back because the bend required in the chain is too large.
If you fit a narrow wide chain ring you really need to optimise the chain line. You can do this by fitting the front ring in different positions relative to the cranks using different bolts and packers. I have lots of experience of this from my singlespeed days. It can be a proper ball ache particularly if you wish to use all the ratios on your block.
My advice would be to keep your existing set up but try to adjust out the annoying front mech rub.
Most of the 1x set ups I have seen are trying to achieve too much of a compromise: 11-42 cassettes!
If you are always riding the flat, you just don't need that gear range. If you have to go 11 speed then could you get away with 11-25 cassette to give you some nice close ratios to snick up and down between
If you are always riding the flat, you just don't need that gear range. If you have to go 11 speed then could you get away with 11-25 cassette to give you some nice close ratios to snick up and down between
I built a CX frame up to use as a commuter and for the odd CX race about 5 years ago. It has a 40 tooth narrow wide chain ring, SLX rear mech and 11-28 10 speed cassette.
I find it OK and have done most of my miles commuting or set up with road tyres to go out with work colleagues on the road. I like the lack of maintenance but as the chain ring is positioned so it's easier on the smaller to middle cassette gears as that's where it spends most of its time. It's ok on the climbing gears but you can feel the chainline isn't ideal. Cassette needs changing after 2 years worth of 20km a day all weather commutes followed by 4 years of roughly 50-80km rides and 2 CX races.
I've bought a colleagues road bike off him which has a compact double and I prefer that for riding on the road. Plan is to break the CX bike and buy a light XC bike as I prefer XC and will use it for my annual CX race and crap weather commuting.
I find it OK and have done most of my miles commuting or set up with road tyres to go out with work colleagues on the road. I like the lack of maintenance but as the chain ring is positioned so it's easier on the smaller to middle cassette gears as that's where it spends most of its time. It's ok on the climbing gears but you can feel the chainline isn't ideal. Cassette needs changing after 2 years worth of 20km a day all weather commutes followed by 4 years of roughly 50-80km rides and 2 CX races.
I've bought a colleagues road bike off him which has a compact double and I prefer that for riding on the road. Plan is to break the CX bike and buy a light XC bike as I prefer XC and will use it for my annual CX race and crap weather commuting.
I run 1x11 on my winter bike, 44t narrow/wide chainring with 11-32 cassette. Gets me up everything in the Surrey hills but I do start to spin out around 45kph. Just means freewheeling the bigger downhills. I've also done the club chain gang (~40kph average) with no issues. No problems with chainline, maybe it wears the chain a bit quicker but it's not noisy or anything? And being a regular cassette there aren't any big jumps between gears (compared to the stupid 42-10 cassettes as mentioned above) I think I'd be happy riding 1x12 on a 'best bike' and definitely in your situation it would work well as you obviously don't need a massive range of gears. 54T chainring probably unnecessarily big though, would have thought a 50 or 52 would be more than enough, especially if you went SRAM axs with a 10t on the cassette.
Some Gump said:
Who the f
k are you? Andre greipel? 
54x11.. Not even downhill!
Ha ha, hardly, however just my style I have low revs but high torque.k are you? Andre greipel? 54x11.. Not even downhill!
Inspired by this I took a hammer to front mech and after some percussive maintenance, I have fixed the rubbing.
Will think about the 54t, maybe if I start TTs again.
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