Originally Posted by
SoSmellyAir
In addition to the excellent points by
PeteHski and
Maelochs about gearing range vs. gaps, an 11-32 cassette and the requisite medium cage derailleur are also much less expensive than an 11-52 cassette and the requisite long cage derailleur (with clutch) to replace if the cassette is worn out or the derailleur is damaged. However, I have been similarly shopping for a 1X hybrid bike for my son because I also appreciate the elegant simplicity of a 1X setup for casual riding,
Yeah I like 1x setups too (especially off-road). I'm thinking of going 1x on my next road bike too with the new Campag Ekar 13 speed. I could run that with a 42T chainring and 9-42T cassette. Campag have really nailed the gaps at the higher end gear range on this setup. 1 tooth gaps across the top 6 gears and then progressively larger gaps for climbing. Perfect for my use on lumpy terrain. With a 2x setup I find myself constantly switching chainrings on steep climbs and dips, which is a bit of a pain and tends to promote excessive grinding in the big ring just to avoid a front downshift. I prefer my 1x mtb setup in that regard. Just clicking up and down the cassette as required.