The Official mtbnj 1x9 Thread...

[Fogerson]

Yeah I hear ya, I do believe a SS makes you a stronger rider, at least for me, but truth be told I've often considered a 1 X 9 and I may very well do that one day if I'm in the mood. I change my mind often when it comes to bike set ups. Why you ask? It's fun to screw around. I think they call it bordem! I just tried to turn this thread into a SS discussion as "instantly" as possible! When money allows, its great to have differently set up bikes to match the diverse places we ride. I'd like a 1 x 9 for Hartshorne/Huber when I visit there, a full 27 gears for certain parts of Allamuchy, and a SS for Deer Park. Yeah baby!

Nah, I wouldn't call it boredom. Obviously, to many there is much more to the hobby than "just" riding. It seems like I make at least one change/tweak for every time I actually ride--I like tinkering with my bike.

At least the riding part of it is still the primary part of the hobby for me. I used to race Formula Continental and would spend an average of 30 hours working on the car for each hour I was on the track. Working/tweaking the car was *the* hobby and driving it was just icing (some freakin' bitchin' icing, though). It had to be with that kind of ratio...

Anyway I just went from a 44/32/22-11/34 3X9 to a 36/24-11/34 2X9. Gonna' head out in a few minutes to give it a try. Some day I might try a 1X9 (34 or 32), but I'm a little weary because of my knees & current (lack of) conditioning. I don't use the little ring often, but when I do need it, I *really* need it.

Doubt a SS is in my future because of where I ride and my knees--though I must say the appeal of no derailleurs, etc, is quite appealing to me.

 

[NJ-XC-Justin]

Anyway I just went from a 44/32/22-11/34 3X9 to a 36/24-11/34 2X9. Gonna' head out in a few minutes to give it a try. Some day I might try a 1X9 (34 or 32), but I'm a little weary because of my knees & current (lack of) conditioning. I don't use the little ring often, but when I do need it, I *really* need it.QUOTE]

One thing I've realized since going 1x9 is before I'd be in the second or third lowest cassette cog and when I was in trouble I'd throw it into the granny. Meanwhile there was another gear or 2 available before succumbing. Now I use all 9 and I can honestly say I haven't walked a hill I wouldn't have walked with 27.

 

[Panhead]

Look what you got started. I hope that doesn't mean the 1x1 is going to sit, I can probably fit it in my garage.

 

[miketrek6500]

haha im going tomorrow to pick up the parts i need to make a 1x9.

 

[Panhead]

Pick up parts? Use a 3 lb. beater and wire cutters- make it permanant, man

 

[don]

don, you can use a regular shifter with a 2-6 sp setup. once the limiter screws on the der. are set, the shifter will be limited to the amount of indexed shifts it can make within the swing of the der.

Thanks for the tip - I'll have to try that if I ever get another low spaced rear hub. Come to think of it I think Hope SS hubs have room for up to 4 or 5 gears. There's hardly any dish using those hubs either.

 

[don]

Yeah I hear ya, I do believe a SS makes you a stronger rider, at least for me, but truth be told I've often considered a 1 X 9 and I may very well do that one day if I'm in the mood. I change my mind often when it comes to bike set ups. Why you ask? It's fun to screw around. I think they call it bordem! I just tried to turn this thread into a SS discussion as "instantly" as possible! When money allows, its great to have differently set up bikes to match the diverse places we ride. I'd like a 1 x 9 for Hartshorne/Huber when I visit there, a full 27 gears for certain parts of Allamuchy, and a SS for Deer Park. Yeah baby!

You and I are very similiar with our bikes then. I change setups a lot if I don't 110% like it - but when I do get something I'm happy, I'm almost superstitous about it and keep it as is for a while. It's not boredom - it's being picky I don't get to ride a ton and have been riding in one way or another since I was 6 so when I do get out to ride - I want the shit to be dialed!

What's pretty cool about our sport is that we can change a lot of critial "feel" items pretty easily - handlebar height, width, back and up sweep, seat positions, frames and their geometry, travel on frames and forks, tires, grips, crank length, and stem length and rise. I can build a bike from scratch in a few nights - faster if it's a SS - so it's more a matter of cost and compared to some other sports, bike parts are actually pretty cheap - try sailing, auto or moto stuff.

Like you said, having differently setup bikes makes it easy - just grab the one to fit the mood and what you're riding. I'm down to 4 but there is hardly any overlap on any of them.

 

[NJ-XC-Justin]

Look what you got started. I hope that doesn't mean the 1x1 is going to sit, I can probably fit it in my garage.

Nah, I just need some front suspension. I need a new headset to get the pike on there.

 

[NJ-XC-Justin]

haha im going tomorrow to pick up the parts i need to make a 1x9.

Mike - If I was frunning 1x9 on a hardtail, this is what I'd be running to keep the chain from falling off the inside. Super cheap and super light:
http://www.gvtc.com/~ngear/

Also check out the 1x9 thread (in the drivetrain forum) on MTBR. Lots of great ideas for hardtails in there (you have less choices for a full-suss).

 

[Panhead]

Nah, I just need some front suspension. I need a new headset to get the pike on there.

I'm actually thinking of going complete rigid. Did 16 miles at Ringwood yesterday with the fork locked out and liked it.
Mike- check out the parts and pieces looks like Jim has alot of stuff you could use

 

[NJ-XC-Justin]

I'm actually thinking of going complete rigid. Did 16 miles at Ringwood yesterday with the fork locked out and liked it.
Mike- check out the parts and pieces looks like Jim has alot of stuff you could use

I'd go rigid with big volume tubeless tires run at 28 psi. and if i had 4 other bikes.

 

[Panhead]

I have to check the clearance on the chain stays to see what I could fit. I still haven't made up my mind on tubless yet. I have 3 new gashes on my sidewalls from Ringwood yesterday. That would mean bringing a coulpe of extra tires on a ride, I'm thinking, though I could be wrong. I would have 4 if you sold me YOUR S/S.

 

[NJ-XC-Justin]

More info for anyone considering going 1x9 with their dualie: You need an 8mm allen wrench and some time handy every week or so.

If you're on a hardtail, you don't have to worry as much about the chain falling off and can experiment with no chain retenion device or a simple light one like the N-gear. But dualies have what I believe is called "chainstay growth," which means the chain length will vary depending on shock depression, and you can easily lose your chain heading down descents. A more secure chain device is needed (though my two Blackspire plates are still only 150 grams and will be less when I machine them).

Which all leads to my point -- leaves and gunk get caught up in the chain device every now and then and you have you pull your crank arm off and then the chain system and chain ring to properly clean it all. Really it's not more than 15 minutes of work but it's needed every 5-10 rides.

 

[don]

Justin - please post some pics of the Blackspire plates when you finish machining them. Looking for options w/ my 1x8 setup. I bought an E-13 LG-1 guide but it will not line up perfectly no matter what spacers I use on the ISCG mounts - clears on hi gear but rubs on low or vice versa. Come to think of it - it might be more gear towards 9 speed chains that are a tic more narrow.

I have an old SRS that I might use and cut down - maybe just use the bottom tensioner part. I'm not bashing rocks or doing DH runs so I don't need anything that burly - just want something to keep the chain on.

 

[anrothar]

justin, couldn't you just get a couple of outer chainrings and some long chainring bolts to rig up a makeshift guide? granted that would negate any ground clearance advantage, but it wouldn't be too heavy, i don't think.

 

[tonyride]

Acutally a 1x9 setup is a good idea. I never use my big and granny chain rings either so why drag along extra weight and cable? I just might try that modification.

 

[Norm]

I'm curious as well. But I have 2 questions. First, how much weight can I save with this newfangled 1-by-9? Secondly, how much do the guides end up weighing on a FS setup?

 

[NJ-XC-Justin]

justin, couldn't you just get a couple of outer chainrings and some long chainring bolts to rig up a makeshift guide? granted that would negate any ground clearance advantage, but it wouldn't be too heavy, i don't think.

I have my grams counted at home but I believe my 44-tooth ring weighs 10-20 grams more than each of my two blackspire plates (which are more guides than bashguards -- an e-thirteen-type system would be the heavier bash option), so you wouldn't want to do that, especailly since as you noted you'd lose the clearance benefit (hello, 25 logs at blue mountain!). Oh and the blackspire plates are just $25 each which is less than most chainrings. But indeed there are some cool homemade options that I've seen where dudes have taken two strips of carbon fiber for each side of the chain ring and probably added just 50 grams total. Check the MTBR 1x9 thread for pics.

I'm curious as well. But I have 2 questions. First, how much weight can I save with this newfangled 1-by-9? Secondly, how much do the guides end up weighing on a FS setup

A light chain guide system like mine is within 20 grams of the big and small chainrings you remove (~140g), and then you remove one shifter, the cable and the front der. so (again I'll post the exact grams tonight, but) you're probably still saving 200-350 grams. But I would never do this for the weight reason only. It's just one of the smaller benefits alongside clearance, noise and less maintenance. The biggest benefit for me is one less thing to think about when riding/racing.

Don - I'll snap some photos this weekend or next week when I drill them up. I'm hoping to lose another 40g. It's funny but I didn't become a weight weenie until I strapped on what most initially see as a freeride mechanism

 

[NJ-XC-Justin]

I just saw this item today from Rohloff. A 76 gram chain guide that fits and looks small like the N-gear (35g) but is more hardy and keeps the chain from falling off both sides of the ring as opposed to the N-gear which is a jump stop and prevents it from falling off the inside only. nice.

http://www.speedgoat.com/product.asp?part=47544&cat=310&brand=212

If you don't need to protect your chainring, this is a lightweight simple option.

 

[NJ-XC-Justin]

Cool 1x9 writeup from MRP:

http://www.mrpbike.com/blog/?p=34