Originally Posted by
MRT2
I think that 1 x 10 or 1 x 11 makes a lot of sense for a commuter, with something like a 42, or even 39 tooth chainring. This combination puts the rider right in the middle of the cassette most of the time. Some ask about giving up top end speed, but realistically, how many people can really use a big gear of 121 gear inches on a commuter?
I've got a 15-20% grade hill at the end of my commute, so barring the kind of ridiculously wide range cassette that is now becoming available, 1x10/11 means ending the day with a short uphill walk, but I think you're essentially spot on. In fact, when I "upgraded" to 11-speed Shimano stuff (for the hydraulic brakes) on my primary commuter recently and lost the option of running a triple I just removed the big ring and am now using a 39-30 double. I do most of the commute in the 39T ring and then drop down to the 30 for that one hill.