Originally Posted by
Headpost
Wow, I had no idea narrow-wide chainrings even existed. Thank you everyone for keeping me from doing or saying something stupid in the future! (Also for all the other interesting information in this thread.)
My 1x11 roadie had narrow-wide teeth on the chainring (singular) and also on the jockey wheels on the clutched RD. Chain stays put (pun intended).
My 50T 10-42 replaces a 52/36 11-34 that suited me just fine. I like the bike a bit better. I notice the 2lb. difference on the climbs.
We'll see how it does on a local hill where I always spin the rear tire on a short kicker running a 50/34 11-34.
It's a very light bike, but would be light with a double drivetrain, no doubt.
Psych-wise, still weird. I attacked a couple of difficult climbs and as usual, was reluctant to use all the cogs. Whereas "saving" a cog or two on my double was a bank of 2T or 4T, I'm banking 3T with each cog on the 1x. Putting it realistically, I've yet to use the 42, 39, or 36 on the rear with the 50T front. No doubt I will, with Cat 4 climbs in my future (if there is one.)
I've yet to run it on a hilly century with tired legs and a Cat 4 climb after 90 or 95 miles. Last year saw me on the 36T front and 32T rear on both of those.
Otherwise, the SRAM is simple and works.
Approaching a climb; I don't have the same chainy tooth-gnashing noise as the rest of the group drops to the small ring and spins into normalcy, but the same anxiety about climbing, nonetheless.
I can always go to double on it if my old legs require. For Thunder Ridge, 1x is probably OK. For the coast/climb pattern of Dairyland Dare or Horrible Hilly Hundred, probably just drop the 50T front for a 44T.
And yes, I'm on the 10T rear once in a while. Seems odd, as I was rarely on the 11T on my stsndard doubles. A masher gotta mash.