You're both lost. I'm comparing the gear spread with a 1X vs a 2X. The 1X requires a higher high and lower low to match the range of a 2X. Therefore, the gaps between gears are larger. Common sense.
Originally Posted by
Darth Lefty
No, he's right. These are MTB parts and the shift ratios on MTB's have always been about +-15%. With an 8-speed triple you get two more top ratios with the outer ring, and 3 more bottom ratios with the inner ring. With the 1x system you get the same middle ring ratios you always did, get the 3 granny gears via more cogs on the rear instead of the inner front, and lose the top two. Here's 11x11-40 with a 32 ring, compared to the 8x3 system that came with my Hardrock. The bolded sections are identical, the bottom is similar though not the same.
I don't actually shift it this way, I use the outer ring for the upper three or four and the inner ring for the lower four or five, because the chain rubs. But the ratios would come out similar enough because the cassette ratio spacing is pretty even.
[TABLE="class: grid, width: 579"]
[TR]
[TD]3x8 old Acera[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]1x11 XT[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]ring[/TD]
[TD]cog[/TD]
[TD]overall ratio[/TD]
[TD]shift ratio[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]ring[/TD]
[TD]cog[/TD]
[TD]overall ratio[/TD]
[TD]shift ratio[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]42[/TD]
[TD]11[/TD]
[TD]3.82[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]42[/TD]
[TD]13[/TD]
[TD]3.23[/TD]
[TD]1.18[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]32
[/TD]
[TD]11[/TD]
[TD]2.91[/TD]
[TD]1.11[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]32[/TD]
[TD]11[/TD]
[TD]2.91[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]32
[/TD]
[TD]13[/TD]
[TD]2.46[/TD]
[TD]1.18[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]32[/TD]
[TD]13[/TD]
[TD]2.46[/TD]
[TD]1.18[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]32
[/TD]
[TD]15[/TD]
[TD]2.13[/TD]
[TD]1.15[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]32[/TD]
[TD]15[/TD]
[TD]2.13[/TD]
[TD]1.15[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]32
[/TD]
[TD]17[/TD]
[TD]1.88[/TD]
[TD]1.13[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]32[/TD]
[TD]17[/TD]
[TD]1.88[/TD]
[TD]1.13[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]32
[/TD]
[TD]19[/TD]
[TD]1.68[/TD]
[TD]1.12[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]32[/TD]
[TD]19[/TD]
[TD]1.68[/TD]
[TD]1.12[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]32
[/TD]
[TD]21[/TD]
[TD]1.52[/TD]
[TD]1.11[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]32[/TD]
[TD]21[/TD]
[TD]1.52[/TD]
[TD]1.11[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]32
[/TD]
[TD]24[/TD]
[TD]1.33[/TD]
[TD]1.14[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]32[/TD]
[TD]24[/TD]
[TD]1.33[/TD]
[TD]1.14[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]32
[/TD]
[TD]28[/TD]
[TD]1.14[/TD]
[TD]1.17[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]32[/TD]
[TD]28[/TD]
[TD]1.14[/TD]
[TD]1.17[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]22[/TD]
[TD]21[/TD]
[TD]1.05[/TD]
[TD]1.09[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]32[/TD]
[TD]32[/TD]
[TD]1.00[/TD]
[TD]1.14[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]22[/TD]
[TD]24[/TD]
[TD]0.92[/TD]
[TD]1.14[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]32[/TD]
[TD]36[/TD]
[TD]0.89[/TD]
[TD]1.13[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]22[/TD]
[TD]28[/TD]
[TD]0.79[/TD]
[TD]1.17[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]32[/TD]
[TD]40[/TD]
[TD]0.80[/TD]
[TD]1.11[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
And for a more modern take with slightly lower gears for 29ers, here's 11-42 compared to the current Acera 3x9 system
[TABLE="class: grid, width: 579"]
[TR]
[TD]3x9 Acera[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]1x11 XT[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]ring[/TD]
[TD]cog[/TD]
[TD]overall ratio[/TD]
[TD]shift ratio[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]ring[/TD]
[TD]cog[/TD]
[TD]overall ratio[/TD]
[TD]shift ratio[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]40[/TD]
[TD]11[/TD]
[TD]3.64[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]40[/TD]
[TD]13[/TD]
[TD]3.08[/TD]
[TD]1.18[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]30
[/TD]
[TD]11[/TD]
[TD]2.73[/TD]
[TD]1.13[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]30[/TD]
[TD]11[/TD]
[TD]2.73[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]30[/TD]
[TD]13[/TD]
[TD]2.31[/TD]
[TD]1.18[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]30[/TD]
[TD]13[/TD]
[TD]2.31[/TD]
[TD]1.18[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]30[/TD]
[TD]15[/TD]
[TD]2.00[/TD]
[TD]1.15[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]30[/TD]
[TD]15[/TD]
[TD]2.00[/TD]
[TD]1.15[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]30[/TD]
[TD]17[/TD]
[TD]1.76[/TD]
[TD]1.13[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]30[/TD]
[TD]17[/TD]
[TD]1.76[/TD]
[TD]1.13[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]30[/TD]
[TD]19[/TD]
[TD]1.58[/TD]
[TD]1.12[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]30[/TD]
[TD]19[/TD]
[TD]1.58[/TD]
[TD]1.12[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]30[/TD]
[TD]21[/TD]
[TD]1.43[/TD]
[TD]1.11[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]30[/TD]
[TD]21[/TD]
[TD]1.43[/TD]
[TD]1.11[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]30[/TD]
[TD]24[/TD]
[TD]1.25[/TD]
[TD]1.14[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]30[/TD]
[TD]24[/TD]
[TD]1.25[/TD]
[TD]1.14[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]30[/TD]
[TD]28[/TD]
[TD]1.07[/TD]
[TD]1.17[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]30[/TD]
[TD]28[/TD]
[TD]1.07[/TD]
[TD]1.17[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]30[/TD]
[TD]32[/TD]
[TD]0.94[/TD]
[TD]1.14[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]30[/TD]
[TD]32[/TD]
[TD]0.94[/TD]
[TD]1.14[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]22[/TD]
[TD]28[/TD]
[TD]0.79[/TD]
[TD]1.19[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]30[/TD]
[TD]37[/TD]
[TD]0.81[/TD]
[TD]1.16[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]22[/TD]
[TD]32[/TD]
[TD]0.69[/TD]
[TD]1.14[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]30[/TD]
[TD]42[/TD]
[TD]0.71[/TD]
[TD]1.14[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]