Road Bike Racing - 1x9/10 in Crits?

I'm thinking about picking up a steel frame to race in college crits. i figured i wanted something that was slightly more "crashable" than my alu/carbon bianchi.
has anyone run a 1x9 for crits? it seems like i probably wouldn't need a huge variety of gears, since it's just an all out.
i came out of cross this season thinking that if i needed a geared cross bike, i would have done 1x9.

anyone?

I know racing around the Midwest you certanly could get away with it. Might be a pain training.

this is northeast/NE area. maybe a 53x12-26? i race singlespeed cross and MTB, so i am a little crazy.

I have only needed my small ring in one crit ever, which was a stupid course that went up a hill, turned around in a parking lot, went down the hill, turned around in another parking lot, and finished heading up the hill again. My "crit bike" was also my training bike, my road race bike, my circuit race bike, and my time trial bike, so I kept the small ring on there for obvious reasons.

not worth the effort to save the 40 grams or whatever a small chainring weighs. you still need a front derailleur to keep the chain from falling off.

haven't we had enough the 'cheap bikes for crits' thread. race your bianchi. once again it's not a demolition derby

not worth the effort to save the 40 grams or whatever a small chainring weighs. you still need a front derailleur to keep the chain from falling off.

not true- chain guide/little plastic tooth doohickey
plus it's not just the chainring weight.
Chainring, FD, Front shifter


once again it's not a demolition derby
have you ever seen a college cat5 crit?

plus, i'm not asking about a "cheap bike for crits," i'm asking about a 1x9 for crits, that happens to be on a cheap(er) bike.

+1. Don't get bikes planning on crashing them. You have a bike, ride it, it's not made of gold and it wasn't your great grandmas.

not true- chain guide/little plastic tooth doohickey
plus it's not just the chainring weight.
Chainring, FD, Front shifter


have you ever seen a college cat5 crit?

Apparently you haven't either, as such a thing doesn't exist.

Oh, and by the way. Every single rider I saw in the USPRO National Criterium Championships this year had 2-ring setup.

ok, college men's D crit. same thing:rolleyes:. not planning on crashing said bike, but if it happens, i think that i'd rather ride crashed steel than crashed CF.

can anyone help me actually answer my questions?

ok, college men's D crit. same thing:rolleyes:. not planning on crashing said bike, but if it happens, i think that i'd rather ride crashed steel than crashed CF.

can anyone help me actually answer my questions?

If I said "Yes.", that would answer your question.

So yes, I've seen people run 1x9. Worked ok. Dog fangs only work with little rings, though. They don't stick out far enough to keep the chain on the big ring. You have to have the FD on there.

all due respect, i don't think that's right.

mount big ring on inside of spider = same place as little ring?

all due respect, i don't think that's right.

mount big ring on inside of spider = same place as little ring?

Hmmm methinks you'll have problems.

Your chainring hitting your stay comes to mind.

It doesn't (or wouldn't, should I say) on my bike.

But the guards I've seen have just protected against the chain falling off on the inside, not the outside.

eh, regardless, i'll probably give it a try at least.

It doesn't (or wouldn't, should I say) on my bike.

I would imagine it's pretty dependent on the geometry of the bike and I can definitely see it being a problem on some stays.

like i said before, yes you can do it, but it's just not worth the effort. you can fabricate something to replace the fd cage, but what's the advantage other than looking cool?

as for answering your questions, you got answers and here on bf people never answer your question anyways they always alter it to fit their perception of what they think it should be. can't say that i learn anything here but i find the entertainment value pretty high

like i said before, yes you can do it, but it's just not worth the effort. you can fabricate something to replace the fd cage, but what's the advantage other than looking ********?


fixed

fixed

I've seen a guy at the line with a 49x14 at a crit. He didn't make it through the first few laps. ;)

After racing cross on a single speed this year too I can see why you would want to try this. I dont see any big reason not to try it if you want.

I haven't raced collegiate in the NE for a while. However, I do see hordes of racers every now and then when there's a hole in the calender.

What I remember (and what seems to be the case based on some conversations with the hordes) is that collegiate racing, crits in general, seem to be in this unofficial contest for "who has the steepest hill in their race". UMASS/Amherst had a doozy which took a 42x26 and most guys ended up weaving a bit. Worchester Polytech Institute ditto - but since I was in 12th place or so when I got lapped they let me keep racing (I think 13 finishers). Etc etc. I stopped doing collegiates if the flyer said anything about a small ring for a recommended gear, and some schools mischievously put down "53x19" for ridiculous hills, then laughed and said "well that's what we use" when pressed on the issue.

Ultimately I think you'll find that a single speed will save you only a front shifter and related cable and housing in weight (and cost if you don't have them already). Those pieces cost very little if you are creative. You'll have to use a front derailleur to keep the chain on when it's bumpy. Use channel locks to reduce the gap in the front of the derailleur cage to the minimum. If you are actually doing well with a 1x9 setup and the chain bounces off, you will have no to blame except yourself.

Going 1x9 will really be a style statement, not a functional thing from a racing point of view.

If you do a 1x9, use a smaller ring like a lot of Juniors do - they use a single 45 or 46T since they aren't allowed to use higher gears, they can use a normal cassette, and they can use the same bike for 'cross etc. You can mount such a ring on the inside of the crank usually.

If you want to give yourself a decent chance for doing well, then use a 2x9 setup. Adjust your front derailleur well so when you shift under extreme duress as fast as you can the chain moves over correctly.

cdr

There are a couple guys who do the weekly Driveway Crit single speed here.

how do they do and what gearing are they running?

eh, regardless, i'll probably give it a try at least.

If you're going to do it despite everyone's recommendations, then why did you ask the question in the first place?

If you're going to do it despite everyone's recommendations, then why did you ask the question in the first place?



+1

seriously, if the courses are flat enough for big ring only, 300 grams is beyond insignificant.

why i wouldnt do it: dropped chains loosing races, less versatility, bad chainlines, more work setting up this silly configuration... although if you plan on racing in New England this year, then yes, please do it. i'll pass you when you drop a chain.

FYI Shimano makes a 9 speed 8-26 cog for folding bikes now. You can run your 39 or 42 "big" ring and still have plenty of gear inches.

how do they do and what gearing are they running?

I've seen a couple get top 5. I'm not sure about the gear. I'd probably run a 53-15 though (26-28mph average).

I run a 1x9 on my cross bike. It has a 46 in front and an 11-32 in the back. I can do any ride anytime on that bike. No issues, but it does get a bit gappy.

The chain stays on fine. I run a NGear Jumpstop and have never lost a chain.

-Z

I can think of 5 or 6 races around here where you could go 1x9 easily. Hell, you could go 1x5 or 1x3.

i had a pack finish in a crit last year where I didnt shift the entire race.

if you are doing an old steel frame, it will probably have down tube shifter mounts. it would only cost a few bucks (or even free if you have access to some sort of parts bin) to set up a DT front derailer. that way you aren't risking an STI lever. sure you wouldn't need to shift much, but you could if need, and the chain will stay on.

besides, DT + STI is endorsed by pantani and armstrong.

^^^^ Of course Hampsten started it:

http://www.tour-de-france.cz/images/foto/92/hampsten_victory.jpg

Hampsten was the one with the proto STI levers after all

What I remember (and what seems to be the case based on some conversations with the hordes) is that collegiate racing, crits in general, seem to be in this unofficial contest for "who has the steepest hill in their race". UMASS/Amherst had a doozy which took a 42x26 and most guys ended up weaving a bit. Worchester Polytech Institute ditto - but since I was in 12th place or so when I got lapped they let me keep racing (I think 13 finishers). Etc etc. I stopped doing collegiates if the flyer said anything about a small ring for a recommended gear, and some schools mischievously put down "53x19" for ridiculous hills, then laughed and said "well that's what we use" when pressed on the issue.cdr

Eh-heh-heh. Was this UMASS crit on campus roads? If so, I think I know exactly which hill you're talking about it. It's pretty good for max-effort hill intervals, if you're into that sort of thing. I think I've climbed it in a 42x24, but I thought I was going to puke. Ugh.

Anyway, 1x9 is a foolish waste of time on a road bike for any purpose at all. Even if there were practical reasons to go with it, they wouldn't be great enough to offset the effort of removing and reinstalling your cranks. Save yourself the time and aggravation of setting it up and go with a standard double.

Anyway, 1x9 is a foolish waste of time on a road bike for any purpose at all. Even if there were practical reasons to go with it, they wouldn't be great enough to offset the effort of removing and reinstalling your cranks. Save yourself the time and aggravation of setting it up and go with a standard double.

I agree. I've done most crits in a pretty much 1x6 state, but would have I been any faster if I would have removed a chain ring? Nope.

Eh-heh-heh. Was this UMASS crit on campus roads? If so, I think I know exactly which hill you're talking about it. It's pretty good for max-effort hill intervals, if you're into that sort of thing. I think I've climbed it in a 42x24, but I thought I was going to puke. Ugh.

That was the one. First lap I big ringed it and figured "heck, I'll just sprint up this f*ker each lap". After the second time I was in deep doodoo. I had a "crit + bailout" freewheel for collegiate stupidity crits, something like a 12-21+26 (homemade) and I had to use the 26 just to get up the stupid hill. I literally saw stars after I got off the bike, I don't think I had hurt that much ever except when I got shown the medical tent at the top of Wachusetts mountain (I also got eliminated on time).

I hate hills.

cdr