Quote:
Originally Posted by NewChief
Generally, you can get a similar gear range with modern 1X setups as 3X setups, plus you have less weight and far fewer mechanical issues (less moving parts without a front derailleur). Most 3X setups predominantly give you more choices within a range, not more overall range. This is a result of fairly recent technology around wide-range rear cassettes.
Note: good 1X drivetrains are, counterintuitively, more expensive than 2x and 3x drivetrains. Here's a good article that explains it:
https://www.wolftoothcomponents.com/...1x-drivetrains |
When I was looking at gravel bikes I rode both 1x & 2x setups and ended up going with a 2x
Pros of a 1x as pointed out. Fewer mechanicals to mess up, lighter weight. Typically found on a bike geared more toward CX (cross country) vs. pure gravel.
Cons: Wider gear jumps on the back cassette. Front crank is a smaller chain ring (typically a 42 or 46) vs a 50 or 52 on a 2x setup. This translates into higher cadence for top end speed if you find yourself riding on roads that are a mix of gravel and asphalt.
I'm not a very strong rider, so I ended up going with a 2x setup. I found the 1x spacing to have too big of jumps between gears for me