Originally Posted by
SoSmellyAir
For the 1X conversion of my Trek FX 2, I replaced the stock 8 speed 11-32 CS-HG31 cassette with a 8 speed 11-30 CS-HG51 cassette to (1) fine tune my gear range and gaps and (2) have shiny silver drivetrain.
Why not go 1x10 if I was willing to buy a new cassette? Because the Trek FX 2, like the Scott Metrix 40 (
Scott Metrix 40 Bike - 2014 | REI Co-op), comes with Shimano ST-EF51 integrated shifters (i.e., with built-in brake levers) which are limited to 8 speeds. So going from 1x8 to 1x10 would have further required replacing (1) rear derailleur, (2) shifter, (3) shifter cable, (4) pair of brake levers, and (5) pair of brake cables. Way too much expense and effort for a casual bike.
This is a good point on keeping your bike/parts together to save $. For me, this is my only bike and I'm not against putting money into it to make it work properly. Of course I'm not trying to burn money, but swapping out the mentioned parts and going with a 1x11 or 1x10 is something I'm comfortable with.