Mountain Biking - Any Reason Not To Build A 1x9

I've always wanted a 1x9 hardtail, and recently wound up with bent cranks on my bike. i am replacing the cranks, but i think i'm gonna keep the bent ones and just build my dream bike (they are just bent enough to give me chain suck when going from 2 to 1, but do ok otherwise)...
there's tons of topics for helping me build, but i was just wondering if anyone out there had a good reason not build one. i'd be using it for XC trail riding, and am going to make it a 96'er... hopefully to race one day. thanks

I love mine. And my XC bike is going to end up 1x9 shortly i think

Reason not to build a 1x9 - lots of steep climbing

^^^ That - and even if you can manage the hills, climbing in the wrong gear is probably not as efficient and will use up energy you could have used in another part of the race.

I'm building up a 1x9 MTB as a commuter, but for trail riding, I want all the gears the Great SRAM God blessed me with.

V.

Some ppl complain of chainline issues and dropped chains from accidental derailment. These aren't really reasons to NOT build a 1x9, but they're considerations to make while setting it up. They make little chain-tender things to clamp onto your seat-tube to prevent derailment. Personally, if I were to build a 1x9, I'd just go with a bashguard to keep the chain from migrating outward, and use a SS/DH-specific ring up front (ie, one that has no ramps/pins, but does have really deep teeth) to keep the chain where it ought to be.

hth
-rob

Personally, if I were to 'build' a 1x9, I'd leave the damn front shifter alone. Viola! 1x9.

Personally, if I were to 'build' a 1x9, I'd leave the damn front shifter alone. Viola! 1x9.

I was thinking of doing that as an easy way to go 1x9 and not have to deal with chain issues. In the end, I got a bashguard from BBG for $18 & an N Guard chain stop for $10 (Speedgoat also carries them). Between that, the chainring and the crankset, I've paid $110. And this way, I can use a non-ramped chainring (Surly), and not have to deal with the front derailleur.

V.

N-Gear Jump Stop

I have one sitting in a bin collecting dust.

Right - that's what I meant, N-Gear Guard Stop. I knew N Guard didnt sound right :)

How come you arent using it - didnt work for you or just havent had a chance to use it? I've heard pretty good things about it (am still waiting for the rest of the parts to arrive before I start my build).

V.

1. Wrong diameter.
2. I ordered a Blackguard at the following day.

you could do what jeff jones basically does: take off the granny and outer ring, but leave a drilliumed front derailer installed, sans-shifter, to keep the chain in place.

I, personally, don't see the benefit of the 1x9. You don't save much weight. You still spend as much cold-cash on googaws to deal with chainline. You lose gear options. Maybe I'm an all-or-nothing type, but i'm staying 3x9(or 8 or 10 or whatever out back) or 1x1 for my trail bicycles. I like 2x9's for the road. I used to hate front-shifting, til i switched to friction up front. Now, i can trim and fine-tune on the fly, and i enjoy the full compliment of gears. Or, if i'm feeling minimalist, I go with the SS.
-rob

you could do what jeff jones basically does: take off the granny and outer ring, but leave a drilliumed front derailer installed, sans-shifter, to keep the chain in place.

I, personally, don't see the benefit of the 1x9.


1-You don't save much weight.
2-You still spend as much cold-cash on googaws to deal with chainline.
3-You lose gear options. Maybe I'm an all-or-nothing type, but i'm staying 3x9(or 8 or 10 or whatever out back) or 1x1 for my trail bicycles.
4-I like 2x9's for the road. I used to hate front-shifting, til i switched to friction up front. Now, i can trim and fine-tune on the fly, and i enjoy the full compliment of gears. Or, if i'm feeling minimalist, I go with the SS.
-rob

1. I saved a good amt.
2. My blackguard cost $25...my XT front derailleur/shifter/cable cost more
3. Not too many useable options for my terrain. I think it's pretty terrain dependant. (obviously)
4. I know people who do 1x9 and/or 3x9 for the road...just depends on the hills they plan to climb.


It's all relative to your conditioning, terrain, and _____.

I like the cleaner look/feel of only having 1 shifter / shift cable / derailleur to deal with. Nothing dangling from my seat tube.:thumb:

I've been on 1x9 for 3 months now. There appears to be no real benefit to my setup. The chain does fall off less than it did before I guess. But I can't really even compare that because of the frame swap. I'm putting up with it. Hilly rides are more.. uh "dynamic". And walky.

Yeah more pushy and walky.


edit: Oh wait I just remembered I'm 1x8. Damn. How do I keep it so real?

1. I saved a good amt.

I saved 300 some grams by going to 1x9. Also freed up room on my bars and is one less thing to break. I'm not a racer and we don't have any extended climbs here though.

Please check your peddle position on your bent cranks. If there not square to the frame you will trash your knee's.

Just a thought.

I saved 300 some grams by going to 1x9. Also freed up room on my bars and is one less thing to break. I'm not a racer and we don't have any extended climbs here though.

Yah...300g isn't that much in the grand scheme, but when I added up all the little 300g here...120g there that people told me was a ghey weight savings...it added up to a few pounds. Depending on your geo...it's noticeable.:thumb:

Yah...300g isn't that much in the grand scheme, but when I added up all the little 300g here...120g there that people told me was a ghey weight savings...it added up to a few pounds. Depending on your geo...it's noticeable.:thumb:

Maybe not a ton of weight but it is almost 3/4 of a pound. Show me another place you can drop that much weight for so cheap. The weenies would pay tons of money to lose that much. Maybe I could sell the idea to them. :D

I just hate front derailleurs. Only 1 bike still has one.