Originally Posted by
exercion
I'm considering (ok ok lusting after) a new bike, gravel style with attachment points for panniers, etc. Looking gard at the Diverge. Here's my question: for the last 30 years or so. I've ridden bikes with triples exclusively. Considering changing to a 2x is a big step for me, but a lot of these come as a 1x....and the last time I had a single up front was on a BMX bike. Has anyone else made a transition like that? If so, do you like it, how was the adjustment period, any regrets? I freely admit I'm not a big fan of change (my daily driver car turns 34 this year) but I am sorta open to the idea. Yes, riding them is the best way to tell, but with the current lack of bikes, combined with me needing a tiny frame, the options to test ride some are few and far between. So I figured I'd toss this out there.
Eric
so if you have a triple, Mid ring is a 42 or 39 ? If 39, then you can get a 'guess' by riding your current bike ONLY using the Mid-ring... you didn;t say how many on the cassette...
and what your current cog range is...
But some things I note on the Diverge - 40 chainring, 11,13,15,17,19,21,24,27,31,35,40 - cassette 'sounds' like you'd be able to pull stumps... until you put it on a gear chart...
on the low end 40x40 is only a 34+ inch gear.... If I had panniers with just a little bit extra weight, a 34 would have me out of the saddle often, on a longer climb with some 10% + sections...
a 34 inch gear is fine with just the bike weight... but add a little, and it gets harder...
you do have Central-Pa in your profile, so do you ride mostly North-south, or do you also go East-west-east occasionally ?
40x11 is 125 inches, effectively useless for me, so my first gear would actually be a 13... so 10 spd... not 11
only 3 cogs in the 65 to 85 inch gear range - 17, 19, 21 - where I spend most of my time these days... if you consider from high 40 inch to 88 inch you can also include the 24 & 27....
not much selection for my money...
OP, I thank you for asking your Q ! I really hadn't thought much about 1x for a combo paved and dirt road bike (which I have thought about...).... 1x is definitely a non-starter for me...
Ride On
Yuri