What problem is a 1x system actually solving for those of you that use them? I mean, I've had annoying FD issues in the past, but that was solved eventually with a bit of mechanical know-how. I think I had an FD seize once mid-ride in salty road conditions, but still that was a minor inconvenience and solved with a bit of lubrication and a clean post ride. Seems to me a step backward. Is it a weight saving thing? Aesthetically, they are appealing, but the flexibility afforded by a 2X or 3X system is too much for me to give up on my bikes for mere style & weight. Call me cynical, but it seems to be a marketing fad, designed primarily tempt some to replace perfectly good chainsets and shifters with 'new and improved'.
The key issue it solved for me with a compact chain set was that I was forever riding in the "cross over" range. That is I was wanting to be in the small/small or the bib/big ratios and switching between the two meant synchronising left & right levers and in the dark was often a bit clumsy. With a 1x system, it's just one click up or down.