Originally Posted by
cyccommute
When I am climbing, I seldom switch back and forth between chainrings. For the most part, my bike becomes a 1x with 2 auxiliary gears. When I’m going downhill, I don’t shift much between the chainrings either. Multigear bicycles don’t have to be complicated...
...There are lots of ups and downs in off-road touring (as there is in road touring) and the 1x systems allow you to either enjoy one or the other but not both. I can range from barely able to stay upright 3 mph to 30 mph on my off-road bike. No 1x system can match that range...even an 10-50 system.
I never said multi gear bikes were complicated, just that 1x is more simplified. I've ridden 3x mtb bikes all my life but can still recognize that.
Almost all technical mtbs now, that do the steepest up and down hills, are going 1x. It's not just a fad, it just works, especially with wide range cassettes. Now that we can go into 12cog 11-50 range modes the need for another complete system of gear shifting up front becomes redundant.
It's the same with dropper posts. There was a time when no one used them, rode all the trails successfully without them, but after using one on serious up and downs it's a no brainer that they make riding easier. Doesn't mean conventional posts are necessarily too hard.