Originally Posted by
gregf83
I have 1x10 on a cross bike I use for commuting in the winter. Riding with wet roads with muck and sand tends to often mess up the front shifting. 1x is simpler and provides enough range so there is no reason to run two rings up front.
Pfft. I don't think that's a compelling issue. First because if you don't need two chainrings for your commute, why are you worried about shifting the FD? Second, I've ridden for more than 30 years on road bike and MTB through the worst conditions in Michigan and Colorado winters, and find the RD is more likely to foul than the FD, and that when it's cold, nasty, mucky, and grimy, I really do have little to zero need to be jumping between chainrings, especially on a commute.
So, whether the FD is prone to fouling or not, it's irrelevant to the ride. Personally, my commuter is full-fendered, which offers protection to the FD from wheel spray, which may be a performance aid.
Of course, since you're talking about your winter commuter, this bike falls under my "specific conditions" carve-out; if you don't need the two rings, you don't need them, and eliminating the FD simplifies cleanup and maintenance. That's a good reason to go 1x; throwing the baby out with the bathwater is not.