The 1 Times (Single Chainset)

[Chislenko]

Currently looking at new bikes, and was thinking, as I am not getting any younger and thinking of the future, of getting an e-bike. It would be a road bike something like a Gain.

Looking at a lot of these bikes they appear to be going single front chainring (admittedly not all of them) but a lot.

So my question to anyone who has first hand experience of going from a double / triple to a single is do you spin out?

Most of the ones I have looked at are 44-11 at their toughest. My old triple is 42-11 on the middle ring which quite frequently isn't enough but of course you have the luxury of going up to the big ring.

Just wondering if people who have made the change have anything to input.

 

[Sharky]

A 44-11 gear is 105", assuming 700 wheels, which is more than big enough for most of us.

I'd be more concerned at the other end of the cassette. What is the largest sprocket?
But if you're on an ebike, perhaps this is not such a conern as you will get assist up to 15mph.

My set up on my road bike is with a 34t chainwheel, focusing on the climbs, rather than the descents.

 

[vickster]

I thought this thread was something to do with Indian milky tea

 

[Chislenko]

I thought this thread was something to do with Indian milky tea

Doing that a lot lately on the phone, missing letters. The N is now where it should be.

 

[ColinJ]

If you can spin out a 44/11 on the flat, then you don't need an e-bike! If you spin out on a 44/11 going downhill then you can always freewheel above (say) 50-55 km/hr.

I have a 42/11 top gear on the 1x11 bike that I ride in Devon and never find myself undergeared.

My CAAD5 (red bike in avatar picture) has a top gear of 48/12, equivalent to 44/11, and I never feel undergeared on that bike either.

 

[Chislenko]

If you can spin out a 44/11 on the flat, then you don't need an e-bike!

As I said Colin, one eye on the future, this will be the last bike I ever buy.

Really looking for people with real world experience of making the swop.

 

[figbat]

My biggest learning from this post is that there are e-bikes that aren’t 1x!

 

[Jenkins]

I've got a 1x set up with 42 - 11 on my ebike (Ribble hybrid) and have converted a couple of other bikes to 1x with 11 - 42 as the highest (or lowest depending on your viewpoint) gearing and don't spin out on any of them as they are all fitted with bigger tyres (32 - 37mm) than on my road bikes which increases the gear inch calculation.

It's fairly flat round here so no long or steep downhills to build up the momentum to spin out and even if there was, that would be the ideal time to do a bit of freewheeling to have a rest.

 

[Chislenko]

My biggest learning from this post is that there are e-bikes that aren’t 1x!

Yes, Orbea do six E road bikes, three with a single, three with a conventional compact.

@Moderators

I don't know why you have moved this thread, I am not asking for advice on which bike to buy, I am asking for real world experience of going from a multi front Chainset to a single.

 

[ColinJ]

So my question to anyone who has first hand experience of going from a double / triple to a single is do you spin out?

I am asking for real world experience of going from a multi front Chainset to a single.

As I posted above...

I have some bikes with double chainsets and some with triple chainsets and I have a bike which is a 1x11. I do not have a problem with running out of high gears on the 1x11!

 

[Chislenko]

As I posted above...

I have some bikes with double chainsets and some with triple chainsets and I have a bike which is a 1x11. I do not have a problem with running out of high gears on the 1x11!

Colin.

I notice in your post above you have a 42-11 and don't spin out. Is that an MTB or road bike. I was on my winter bike today (a triple) and the middle ring is 42-11 and I run out at that and have to go up to the 52.

 

[ColinJ]

Colin.

I notice in your post above you have a 42-11 and don't spin out. Is that an MTB or road bike. I was on my winter bike today (a triple) and the middle ring is 42-11 and I run out at that and have to go up to the 52.

It's a road bike (700C wheels).

My preferred cadence is around 90 rpm but I am happy to spin at 100 rpm if I want to go a bit faster. 100 rpm corresponds to about 48 km/hr (30 miles/hr) but I am not fit enough to do that on the flat for more than a few seconds. I can therefore manage a short burst of 48 km/hr on the flat or average 48 km/hr on a decent downhill (or with a huge tailwind!). On a steeper downhill (say greater than 6%) I can just get aero and freewheel faster than that.

For example, I have hit over 80 km/hr freewheeling down this descent...

Even with a massive gear I would not be pedalling at that speed!

 

[Chislenko]

It's a road bike (700C wheels).

My preferred cadence is around 90 rpm but I am happy to spin at 100 rpm if I want to go a bit faster. 100 rpm corresponds to about 48 km/hr (30 miles/hr) but I am not fit enough to do that on the flat for more than a few seconds. I can therefore manage a short burst of 48 km/hr on the flat or average 48 km/hr on a decent downhill (or with a huge tailwind!). On a steeper downhill (say greater than 6%) I can just get aero and freewheel faster than that.

For example, I have hit over 80 km/hr freewheeling down this descent...

View attachment 718600

Even with a massive gear I would not be pedalling at that speed!

Thanks Colin, think my own experience has made my mind up for me and I will stick with a double Chainset.

If you run out on a long dip with a hill at the other side it will no doubt be some way up the other side of the dip before drive is engaged thus you can't carry the power.

 

[ColinJ]

Thanks Colin, think my own experience has made my mind up for me and I will stick with a double Chainset.

I like the 1x11 more than I thought I would. The gaps between the gears are bigger than are on my other bikes but I like not having to think about which chainring to select.

I don't worry about not having a higher top gear, but I would like one extra lower gear. The bottom gear is 42/42, which is pretty low, but I come across some hills at 20+% in Devon and a 42/46 would be easier! I might investigate the possibility of fitting an 11-46 cassette if/when I wear out the 11-42 cassette. (There is a possibility that the current cassette will outlast me though, given that I will be 68 soon and only ride the bike down there for 4 or 5 weeks of the year!)

 

[Sharky]

Certainly some hills in Devon. The road down to Babbacombe Bay must be 33% at one point. Was forced to stop (in the car) at the steepest point and had real trouble doing a hill start to get going. I could smell the clutch burning!