Converting MTB to 1x**
Discussion
Hello all.
Can anyone tell me what I need to convert my Scott Genius FS mountain bike to either 1x11 or 1x12?
It currently has a 3x10 setup with XT cranks and rear derailleur, SLX front mech and SLX shifters. The drivetrain is getting a bit worn out due to me never changing the chain, so I thought I may as well upgrade at the same time.
Will my hub take 11 or 12 cogs on the back or do I need to change it? Anything I should be looking for in particular? I have searched this on the internet but it all seems a bit bike specific. Maybe I'll only know once I've taken it apart?
Can anyone tell me what I need to convert my Scott Genius FS mountain bike to either 1x11 or 1x12?
It currently has a 3x10 setup with XT cranks and rear derailleur, SLX front mech and SLX shifters. The drivetrain is getting a bit worn out due to me never changing the chain, so I thought I may as well upgrade at the same time.
Will my hub take 11 or 12 cogs on the back or do I need to change it? Anything I should be looking for in particular? I have searched this on the internet but it all seems a bit bike specific. Maybe I'll only know once I've taken it apart?
You should be able to run an 11 speed cassette on your current hub.
I converted my 2x10 to a 1X and kept the same speed cassette as it’s much cheaper to do.
Personally I’d stick with 10 speed and put a wide range 10 speed cassette (you can go up to 11-46t 10 speed cassettes last time I checked). New clutch derailleur and chain. Since you have a triple up from then your chainline should be good for putting a narrow wide chainring on the middle position on you current crank.
I converted my 2x10 to a 1X and kept the same speed cassette as it’s much cheaper to do.
Personally I’d stick with 10 speed and put a wide range 10 speed cassette (you can go up to 11-46t 10 speed cassettes last time I checked). New clutch derailleur and chain. Since you have a triple up from then your chainline should be good for putting a narrow wide chainring on the middle position on you current crank.
You need to find a gear calculator to see what you will have as no way can one front sprocket match 3x.
Your lowest gear wont be as low and your highest will probably be a lot lower than before.
If its 26 in wheels that big sprocket at the back does look a bit silly.
The rear wheel hub may be a problem on shimano. Not sure about SRAM.
Your lowest gear wont be as low and your highest will probably be a lot lower than before.
If its 26 in wheels that big sprocket at the back does look a bit silly.
The rear wheel hub may be a problem on shimano. Not sure about SRAM.
I went to a single chainring after ditching my front derailleur on my hybrid. I had issues with the chain jumping off the chainring until I bought this https://www.hopetech.com/products/drivetrain/chain...
Absolutely brilliant and all my problems went away. Bike has never thrown the chain after fitting this and I recommend it if you get similar problems.
Absolutely brilliant and all my problems went away. Bike has never thrown the chain after fitting this and I recommend it if you get similar problems.
As said above 1x10 cheapest option (might need new rear mech (longer cage and clutch if yours doesn't have this), then a wide range cassette and a narrow wide ring for front, if using a 32 front will have similar low gear for trails but will be limited to slower too speed (only an issue for road use in my opinion. If fitting deore will get all for about £80ish. Next up would be 1x11 SLX as above but need a shifter too likely cost about £110 all in. Most 12 speed options will require a new rear hub so building a rear wheel (although think sram might make a speed option for standard rear hub body) .
(I converted from 3x9 to 1x11 a couple of years ago and it's a great upgrade IMO).
(I converted from 3x9 to 1x11 a couple of years ago and it's a great upgrade IMO).
Scaleybrat said:
I went to a single chainring after ditching my front derailleur on my hybrid. I had issues with the chain jumping off the chainring until I bought this https://www.hopetech.com/products/drivetrain/chain...
Absolutely brilliant and all my problems went away. Bike has never thrown the chain after fitting this and I recommend it if you get similar problems.
Any 1x set up will throw a chain unless it has a narrow/wide chain ring (which is what you have linked to, but any other type would also be suitable)Absolutely brilliant and all my problems went away. Bike has never thrown the chain after fitting this and I recommend it if you get similar problems.
Assuming you have a std style shimano hub you should be able to fit an SRAM SX(possibly NX) 12spd cassette as these fit shimano hubs. You then need a 12spd shifter/RD combo & narrow/wide front chainring. You can choose SRAM or Shimano for shifter/RD combo depending on your preference, I'd avoid the cheapest SX/NX SRAM RDs as I found these are easy to break /wear out quickly. Stick with a chain from the same make as the rear cassette (or one thats compatible) .
I have just converted from 10 speed triple to 11 speed single.
My findings are :
I fitted a 34t narrow wide Hope chain ring. It covers most bases, although for flat speed I run out of gears. Its the biggest my frame will take.
I fitted an 11 speed 11 to 46 XT cassette. Its huge . Would I need the 46 T ? Yes, I have used, so glad I did buy it.
You could possibly fit the 11 speed on a 10 speed freehub, but my research shows it may only tighten up a few threads on the lockring and could strip them off. It may also cause problems with indexing on the small sprocket and its adjuster being at the end of adjustment. I had a DT Swiss 350 hub, which is good because things are easy to swop. I had a 10 speed road bike with 11 speed DT Swiss wheels, so just swopped the freehubs between the 2 to give that extra couple of MM the 11 speed really needs.
I fitted an XT 11 speed shifter on a 10 speed rear mech. Shifter is Dynasis 2 and mech is Dynansis 1. Allegedly wont work together, but they work flawlessly. Quite impressive really. I had to fit a mech extender to the rear mech ( about £7) to drop the mech to clear the large sprocket on the rear.
The chain, I was going to keep the 10 speed , but found it was too short with the new cassette and I was a few links short. So, I did buy a new 11 speed chain, but if you can get away with it, 10 speed should work.
I had no option but to go 1 x as the new frame I bought had no option for the front mech. My bike is for xc riding , as thats what I do on it. I find I run out of gears on the flat canals around me, which is the highways I use to my ride starts. Its nothing to drama about , but its wasted time spinning out .
I initially thought it was going to be a waste of time and with another mate saying all you do is shift, shift , shift put the bejesus into me, as had already ordered the frame. I do find , for me, that I spend most of my time in the lower 4 sprockets . But , yes, I am getting fitter, but my PR's on Strava are showing up on a regular basis on me being quicker. Not really sure how, but the gearing must play a beneficial point to it.
Its quieter and also I do still try and find the front shifter when I think I could go quicker, but its not there
Its quite a change from 3 X10 to 1 X 11 , but I am warming to it , even though I am 250 or so miles in on it. Its great for bike checking with no front mech getting in the way to unlatch the chain to check the BB for smoothness etc.
Any questions, then just fire away .
My findings are :
I fitted a 34t narrow wide Hope chain ring. It covers most bases, although for flat speed I run out of gears. Its the biggest my frame will take.
I fitted an 11 speed 11 to 46 XT cassette. Its huge . Would I need the 46 T ? Yes, I have used, so glad I did buy it.
You could possibly fit the 11 speed on a 10 speed freehub, but my research shows it may only tighten up a few threads on the lockring and could strip them off. It may also cause problems with indexing on the small sprocket and its adjuster being at the end of adjustment. I had a DT Swiss 350 hub, which is good because things are easy to swop. I had a 10 speed road bike with 11 speed DT Swiss wheels, so just swopped the freehubs between the 2 to give that extra couple of MM the 11 speed really needs.
I fitted an XT 11 speed shifter on a 10 speed rear mech. Shifter is Dynasis 2 and mech is Dynansis 1. Allegedly wont work together, but they work flawlessly. Quite impressive really. I had to fit a mech extender to the rear mech ( about £7) to drop the mech to clear the large sprocket on the rear.
The chain, I was going to keep the 10 speed , but found it was too short with the new cassette and I was a few links short. So, I did buy a new 11 speed chain, but if you can get away with it, 10 speed should work.
I had no option but to go 1 x as the new frame I bought had no option for the front mech. My bike is for xc riding , as thats what I do on it. I find I run out of gears on the flat canals around me, which is the highways I use to my ride starts. Its nothing to drama about , but its wasted time spinning out .
I initially thought it was going to be a waste of time and with another mate saying all you do is shift, shift , shift put the bejesus into me, as had already ordered the frame. I do find , for me, that I spend most of my time in the lower 4 sprockets . But , yes, I am getting fitter, but my PR's on Strava are showing up on a regular basis on me being quicker. Not really sure how, but the gearing must play a beneficial point to it.
Its quieter and also I do still try and find the front shifter when I think I could go quicker, but its not there
Its quite a change from 3 X10 to 1 X 11 , but I am warming to it , even though I am 250 or so miles in on it. Its great for bike checking with no front mech getting in the way to unlatch the chain to check the BB for smoothness etc.
Any questions, then just fire away .
Edited by Justin S on Saturday 26th September 21:26
Thanks for the answers everyone.
I have done a bit more research. It seems that I almost certainly have a Shimano HG freehub. Most 11 speed cassettes should fit and some companies make 12 speed cassettes which should fit, such as SRAM and Garbaruk, although they are expensive.
I don't mind spending a bit of money as long as it's not ludicrously expensive. I think the route I will take is a 12 speed cassette with the largest possible front sprocket. This should maintain as much top speed as possible, whilst 12 speeds on the back with something like a 50 tooth dinnerplate should hopefully give me enough hill climbing.
Pricing it out looks like:
12 speed HG cassette - £150+
12 speed XT long cage derailleur - £70 ish
12 speed shifter - £40 ish
Chainring - £not too much
Chain - £not too much
I just need to dismantle my chanrings to see what pcd my cranks are before I order.
I could also just go for an 11 speed conversion which would be much cheaper. I just prefer not to lose too much gearing.
I have done a bit more research. It seems that I almost certainly have a Shimano HG freehub. Most 11 speed cassettes should fit and some companies make 12 speed cassettes which should fit, such as SRAM and Garbaruk, although they are expensive.
I don't mind spending a bit of money as long as it's not ludicrously expensive. I think the route I will take is a 12 speed cassette with the largest possible front sprocket. This should maintain as much top speed as possible, whilst 12 speeds on the back with something like a 50 tooth dinnerplate should hopefully give me enough hill climbing.
Pricing it out looks like:
12 speed HG cassette - £150+
12 speed XT long cage derailleur - £70 ish
12 speed shifter - £40 ish
Chainring - £not too much
Chain - £not too much
I just need to dismantle my chanrings to see what pcd my cranks are before I order.
I could also just go for an 11 speed conversion which would be much cheaper. I just prefer not to lose too much gearing.
I changed my old 26er from 2x10 to 1x11 a couple of years ago, and like you was concerned about losing the range of gears. In the end I opted for an 11-42 cassette with a 36T narrow wide ring. The Blackspire chainring fitted the 104 BCD of my existing XT crank, and the XT cassette went straight onto my existing hubs, which were Hope Pro 3 at the time.
I can't remember all the costs, but 11-sp meant all the bits I needed were relatively inexpensive - cassette, rear mech w clutch (my existing 10-sp XT shifter worked well with 11-sp also), chain and chainring all came to about AU$300, which is about GBP150 today.
I did treat myself to a set of wider bars and shorter stem at the same time, so it was a slightly different bike in the end.
The gearing worked well for me - plenty low enough for getting up some reasonably steep slopes - firetrails that run in straight lines rather than follow contours, for example - whilst covering most of the speed needed on the easier sections. The only time I felt I needed something higher was when on a downhill section of Tarmac. But chainrings are cheap, and easy to change so if you need to change it later, its no problem.
I can't remember all the costs, but 11-sp meant all the bits I needed were relatively inexpensive - cassette, rear mech w clutch (my existing 10-sp XT shifter worked well with 11-sp also), chain and chainring all came to about AU$300, which is about GBP150 today.
I did treat myself to a set of wider bars and shorter stem at the same time, so it was a slightly different bike in the end.
The gearing worked well for me - plenty low enough for getting up some reasonably steep slopes - firetrails that run in straight lines rather than follow contours, for example - whilst covering most of the speed needed on the easier sections. The only time I felt I needed something higher was when on a downhill section of Tarmac. But chainrings are cheap, and easy to change so if you need to change it later, its no problem.
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