An Argument For Ditching Your Front Derallieur

Positives

These are a few things I noticed right away at my (then) home trails in Grand Junction:

• Renewed confidence that my chain would be right where I left it. I’m now pedaling out of rough corners because it’s so damn fun.
• Increase in shifting performance. Those that read my X9 10-speed review know that a lot of the increase in shifting performance is probably due to the stellar performance of the new drivetrain, but the guide certainly increases shifting performance of any drivetrain. Really, they go hand in hand.
• Increase in clearance. No more giant 44 tooth chainring means that I’m clipping fewer rocks, stumps, and logs in technical terrain.
• Silent bike. Okay, maybe not silent but its damn close. I can now sneak up on hikers, other riders, horses, lions and tigers and bears, etc.
• Weight is probably about the same. Guide (MRP G2 SL—220 g) is around the same weight as shifter + derailleur + rings.

Negatives (A few notes on climbing)

Here’s the deal with a 1×10 setup on a modern 30 lbs.+ trail bike: Often times, you will be limited by the geometry of the bike before you will be limited by the gear range.

For example, my bike has a 13.75” BB and 66.5 degree head angle. No matter what my gear ratio is, when I hit a really steep portion of a climb, my front end is going to want to come up (slack headtube) and my cranks are going to want to crack random rocks that litter the trail (low BB).

This only gets worse as I go into a lower gear, increase my cadence and slow my speed. In the end, there is no getting around this if you want the fun factor of modern geometry for the ride down.

There are plenty of things a rider can do to help mitigate these problems: strengthen your core, ride a slower cadence, and simply being really strong all help. But at the end of the day, you aren’t going to confuse a 33 lbs. trail bike with a 22 lbs. XC race bike.

In my experience, the key is finding the lowest usable gear ratio for your standard ride and riding style. For me, that range is covered for 99% of my rides, 99% of the time, with a 32 tooth chainring and 36 tooth cog. Sure, there are still times when I wish I had something a tad lower, but at those points, I’m usually walking my bike anyway, and its not because I couldn’t turn the cranks over.

For those who have a different riding style, different bike, or ride massive amounts of vertical all the time, a 32×36 isn’t going to cut it. The only surefire way to know is to pay attention to how you ride. If you are currently running a a 3×9 and you find yourself in your middle ring 95% of the time on climbs, you’ll probably find a 1×10 system a welcome change.

If you shift throughout your front chainring setup frequently, it’s likely you aren’t going to be happy with 1×10, or will at least have a steep learning curve.

Future

The industry has recognized the demand and push toward a “one by” setup in the trail world, and is working on developing cassette / freehub bodies around a 9 tooth cog on the high end, compared to the 11 or 12 tooth currently offered.

What this means is that a rider could go to a 30 tooth chainring and still attain the same range of gearing on the high end that they had with a 32 tooth, but enjoy the addition of an even lower “low gear”. Awesome!

Problem is, we’ll have to wait until hub manufacturers develop (another) standard around this, as current freehub bodies are too large in diameter to accommodate a 9 tooth gear.

Summary

While certainly not for everyone, a 1×10 setup is a great setup for riders looking to quiet their bike, add more precision to their shifting performance, have absolute confidence that their chain will be there (I’m talking to you, Super D racers), and simplify their cockpit.

In my mind, there is no better setup for a trail bike these days.