Originally Posted by
chaadster
A 1x could never pass as “do it all” by my reckoning, but it could be “general purpose” depending on how and where and by who it’s ridden. I have a trio of 1x bikes, and they’re not even close to do it all for me.
As a heavy but strong rider who mostly fast-group rides over rolling to hilly terrain, I’m swinging wildly between screaming downhill and grinding uphill. And because I’m trying to stay in contact with faster riders, I need to be able to respond to surges while managing my exertion over hours, so dialing in my gearing to maximize my output is crucial.
In fact I want more gears, not fewer!
The reason I went with Ekar is the ratios are not evenly spaced. I have 5 low gears with wide ratios, then a close ratio 8 speed.
My riding is similar to your's. Large person, 250 pounds, almost always the oldest rider. When I can't keep up it is not because I can't find the right gear ratio. Group rides with top speeds of over 25 MPH on the flat roads around here.
I built this bike up to work as I recover from a serious injury. It has worked well for me.
If you are speaking about the 12 speed cassettes available with evenly spaced ratios, I agree. But I don't like the ergonomics of the "S" brands, and the Campagnolo brakes are so good that Ekar was the obvious choice.
Oh, that and the cost savings vs an EPS group set.