We need to sticky one of these threads. Every week, it seems, someone comes up with the bright idea of "simplifying" their geared ride by making it a 1x__, and then everyone shows them the doo-dads that are shaped like FDs and the bashrings that are like toothless chainrings, and the deeper-toothed rampless/pinless rings that help too, and then the OP says "really? wow. gosh. I didn't realize that i'd have to spend extra money and buy extra parts in order to 'simplify'." In the end, the only parts you're eliminated are the left shifter and its cable-- and about half of your gear range.

Yeah, well, that doesn't seem so simple now, does it?

Maybe it's just me and my inability to think abstractly or tolerate goofy half-measures, but it seems to me that one oughta decide: am I a derailers person, or a SS person? (If you truly can't decide, consider becoming an IGH person...) I love SS, I love it to death, but I have some geared bikes, too. And once you've delved into that whole mess, you might as well get derailers on both ends of the drivetrain.

-rob

PS-it's the rear that musses everything up, anyway, with the goofy 7/8/9/10/11/infinity arms race and the difficulties in cross-compatibility. The front has been pretty much double or triple for ages now, with a few 4-ring oddballs popping up from time to time....