Has any one done or you this??

[flying start]

Hi all,on my road bike the gearing is 10x2, but I only use the big ring upfront even on big big hills I just stand up and power up them!
So can you use just a single ring upfront and still run the 8,9,or10 at the back? Just like the setup on a mtb but road gearing or is this just stupid ? Lee!

 

[flying start]

Title should sat has any one done or use this!!!!

 

[cyberknight]

I don`t see why not, or you need to find bigger hills

 

[flying start]

Well that just maybe a little to big for me to tackle on road bike but full suss no bother!!

 

[Scilly Suffolk]

If you only use the largest ring of a double chainset, then you will stress the chain and cause excessive wear of the chainring and cassette when using the larger sprockets of your cassette: the more sprockets, the greater the stress.

You need a narrower bottom bracket so that the chainring is in-line with the middle of your cassette. Even then I would refer to a higher authority before risking a ten speed cassette & chain, which are not (as far as I know) intended to be run off one chainring.

 

[TheDoctor]

'just stand up and power up them' works for short hills, but there's no way you'd do long hills like that. Plus, you'll wear your knees out eventually. Low gears are there for a reason.
Having said that, single ring set-ops are doable,you do need to get a good chainline set up. I've just built up a 7 speed bike - 40T chainring, 12-32 cassette. I'm taking it touring tomorrow...

 

[amaferanga]

Where do you live? Norfolk maybe?

The trouble with just a single front chainring is you would probably still be best to avoid the extremes of the cassette so you'd have at most 8 useable gears. Do you use the biggest two rear sprockets when you're on the big ring at the front?

 

[flying start]

Carlisle Cumbria
No I don't use the two top rings on the cassette so really it's 1x8 that's only getting used
I use the bike to get to work and some times on a weekend if I'm not out on the mtb!

 

[cyberknight]

Well that just maybe a little to big for me to tackle on road bike but full suss no bother!!

lol
Doesnt stop these guys , as others have said for longer hills grinding is not an option for all of the resons mentioned .

 

[HovR]

I'd just keep with your current set up, otherwise one day you'll reach a right stinker of a hill that you can't power up - And you'll regret not having that lower gearing!

 

[biggs682]

a lot of people who do a lot of riding on the same route quite often just run with 1 x crank ring and any number of rear gears tailorered to suit riders style and terrain

 

[dalewheeler]

Hi all,on my road bike the gearing is 10x2, but I only use the big ring upfront even on big big hills I just stand up and power up them!
So can you use just a single ring upfront and still run the 8,9,or10 at the back? Just like the setup on a mtb but road gearing or is this just stupid ? Lee!

Yep, done that on my Raleigh U6 comp, like you I never usedd the small ring. Only problem with having no front deralier is that there's nothing to stop the chain pinging off occasionally. I think "chain catchers" will put a stop to this...

 

[marzjennings]

I run 1x10 on my mtb, and use the whole range of the cassette (12-36t) without problems. I have found that chain ware is worse I'm having to change chain's a little bit more often.

You'll also need something like this...

... to keep the chain on.

 

[palinurus]

Hi all,on my road bike the gearing is 10x2, but I only use the big ring upfront even on big big hills

You are clearly a hard man of the road. I might suggest dispensing with the small ring however that would only make your bike lighter and hence slightly easier to ride uphill.

 

[palinurus]

I ride just a small ring (I know) on my 'cross bike. I use a chain keeper on the inside and where the big ring used to be is a chainguard (it's like a big ring but without teeth).

However the 'cross bike has to go over bumps and stuff so I have to make sure the chain doesn't fall off. I have used just a big ring on a TT bike before with nothing at all to stop the chain unshipping and that worked OK however it's always possible you might do a Millar.