Originally Posted by
SoSmellyAir
If you need a larger gear range for steep climbs and descents then a 1X conversion is not the way to go as it almost inevitably reduces gear range in comparison to a 2X or 3X setup. And even if you manage to match the gear range, you will certainly have larger gaps between gears. My 1X conversion hybrid is for casual riding around the neighborhood with my son and visiting nearby restaurants and coffee shops. I have a 2X road bike for my regular cycling.
I've been experimenting with this (1x) by trying to ride on the middle sprocket alone and switching only rear gears. It covers almost all the range I encounter (maybe I'm reimagining or exaggerating the terrain I ride on). 2x would definitely cover everything. My thinking was sacrifice some comfort (2x) to make a simpler system (1x) less prone to error. I also thought if I did get a x10 (now maybe 11) that the additional gears would make up for my needs form my current x8, and things would be close enough. I'm not racing or going on group rides where I have to worry about the pace. My goal being having a solid bike that shifts so I can think more about the ride, life, etc and less about the gears. I'd rather have a perfect shifter than the perfect amount of gears. And now come the IGH comments....