Nine is fine! 1x9 drivetrains in 2024. Who else is doing it?

[Michael Morrissey]

I think it was Bike Snob NYC who said that a lot of the fun of riding a Rivendell is combining components that aren't meant to go together and seeing if they work. On my Rivendell I have a 1x9 drivetrain. I use a SRAM GX 10 speed clutch derailleur, Silver 1 shifter on a thumbie, a narrow-wide Wolftooth chainring, a 9 speed Connex chain, and a 34 toothed 9 speed cassette. It all works great.

I was wondering what other 1x9 drivetrains people here are using, and if anyone has experience with any new 1x9 systems. Microshift, Shimano CUES, and Box components are all new options within the last few years. I'm also considering a SRAM GX Eagle crankset on my bike. Has anyone tried this with a 1x9?

I am also interested in any high-end 9 speed cassettes (like SRAM's PG990, with an aluminum spider). Anyone holding a NOS one? SRAM has 10 speed cassettes that are very high end still available, and I might switch to one of those because of availability. 

Thoughts?

Michael

[Eric Daume]

If you like nine, Box has entire drivetrains on sale for about $70:

https://boxcomponents.com/products/box-three-p9-wide-multi-shift-groupset

I picked one up for some indeterminate future project.

Eric

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[Bob Ehrenbeck]

I'm running a 1x9 drivetrain on my Clem H, using the MicroShift Advent system (in friction mode). 

For what I use this bike for (off-road, errands , general transportation), this set-up works really well. I love the simplicity, and it's a good value. 

Chainring: White Industries ENO TSR, 36 tooth

Cassette: MicroShift Advent, CS-H093A, 9-speed, 11-42 teeth

Rear Derailleur: MicroShift Advent, RD-M6195M medium cage clutch, 9-speed

Shifter: MicroShift Advent, SL-M19-R, 9-speed

Bob E

Cranford, New Jesey

[DavidP]

My Platypus is 2x7, but my more off-roadish, 650x48 all-road bike* is setup 1x9 with:
- Wolftooth 42t front ring
- Microshift Advent 11-42t cassette
- KMC X9 chain
- Inexpensive Shimano-ish (but not Shimano) non-clutched 9 speed derailleur on a short hanger extension
- Friction Sunrace bar end shifter (though my understanding is this setup would index fine as Advent derailleur pull requires matched shifters but the cassette spacing is Shimano/SRAM)

It works very well.

-Dave

*To borrow a designation from Bill and distinguish it from my more roadish all-road bike (700x42, 2x9) and my drop bar, mostly off-road bike (29x.2.25, 1x8)

[NYCbikeguy]

I'm running a 1x9 on my hunqapillar with the following components:

XTR RD-m950 rapid rise

XTR SL-M970 9sp trigger shifter 

XT CS-M770 9sp 11-34t

White Industry ENO narrow wide crankset with a 36T chainring

Rides like a dream~

-IY

CT/NYC

[Nick Payne]

I built a bike up a while ago using Campagnolo Ekar 1x13, but I sold it after riding it for a few months because I didn't like the way the gearing was setup on the cassette. The five smallest cogs were all a single tooth jump from each other, and then the gaps between gears got much larger towards the bottom of the gear range (10-11-12-13-14-15-17-20-23-27-32-38-44). I would have much preferred closer ratios in the middle of the gear range where I spent most time.

I've gone back to using 11-speed 2x systems, which suit my style of riding better.

Nick Payne

[Will Boericke]

My Pugsley is 1x9 and I agree it's totally sufficient.  The problem in my stable is it's an outlier, so I can't share any parts with other bikes.  In fact, I now have 9, 10, 11 and 12 speed bikes, meaning I have to carry spare chain links for all of those speeds in the shared saddlebag :)

Will near Boston 

[Arthur Mayfield]

My Sam is 1x9 with a smallish chainring and a mtn RD, but my Soma Buena Vista is 2x9 with Ultegra drivetrain. I like having the extra range of the 46 and 30 tooth chainrings on the Buena Vista, but I rarely shift while riding, since I’m usually either in flat areas or hilly. I could probably take the front derailleur off and move the chain by hand, but the FD is light, and the shifter is downtube mounted, so it’s a simple affair and easily maintained.

[Bill Lindsay]

"a lot of the fun of riding a Rivendell is combining components that aren't meant to go together and seeing if they work"

For the forthcoming RoadUno, Will made a bet, and maybe inadvertently laid down the gauntlet when he said:

" I bet at least one maniac out there uses a 5 speed Regina freewheel on it."

My intention is to use the RoadUno as a 2x1, but I've already pulled together the bits to have a 2x7 alternate configuration at the ready.  I've also designed this T-Shirt:

https://www.customink.com/designs/alom/mzf0-00cw-2gh6/share?pc=EMAIL-40778&utm_campaign=shared%20design&utm_source=share%20link&utm_medium=shared%20design&utm_content=shared%20desktop

Bill Lindsay

El Cerrito, CA

P.S. I'm currently running two 1x10s and two 1x11s.  My 1x9 temporarily is a 2x9.  

[John Johnson]

I'll take your 1x9 and raise you -1! 

I've been using Microshift Acolyte on my Jones SWB and I think it's pretty excellent (even if it is marketed as a "kid's mountain bike" group). I'm running 12-46 Acolyte 8-speed cassette with a 32t crank up front and a medium cage RD. I don't love the shifter, but it all works pretty flawlessly.

john (outside fontainebleau)

[John]

I've tried the Microshift Advent 1x9 on a modern entry level mountain bike and thought it performed really well, especially for the price. The shifter doesn't feel amazing and I don't love the look, but the value is hard to beat. Indexing felt great and the clutch did its job on singletrack. I'd definitely use it on a future build.

John in Minnesota

[Ben Adrian]

Not 1x9, but close.

My wife and I are lucky enough to own a vacation rental in Portugal. After renting a bike for every visit, I decided that it would be worth it to just buy a bike to keep over there. I ended up getting a killer deal on a steel frame cyclocross bike from 1998. It has cantis and could easily fit 38c tires. I did a bunch of parts swaps and ended up with a 2x9 drivetrain (46/30 in the front and 11-36 in the rear), barcons, noodle bars, and a few other things that I can't remember. 

The result is a bike that is somewhere between gravel race bike, and Rivendell. It feels great, everything works well, and I think I spent less that $500 on all the secondhand parts. It is such a fun ride that I just don't even think about gear or setup when on the bike. I jump on, I go, and I'm all smiles.

Cheers!

Ben

[Wyatt]

A few years back, I converted my Ultegra 6503 drivetrain to 1x9 on my Rambouillet. Even polished up a Wolftooth chainring for it. Was a lot of fun, looked cool, was a cheap way to get 1x dropbar shifting, and was a stepping stone to a life beyond the front derailleur. (After more than a decade riding 3x9, I can say comfortably I hate front derailleurs and I'm never going back.) In the end, I decided I wanted more range. But nine gears is plenty. I'm pretty convinced I'd be happy with a wide range 1x7 drivetrain, too, but not motivated to spend the money to build something like that up.

[esoterica etc]

I've been using a 1x9 speed drivetrain on my early 90's Specialized Crossroads for about a year and a half now, and have been really pleased with my gear range and the simplicity of it. Since moving to Hawaii it's been my only bike, so it serves a variety of roles- commuter, errand bike, road bike, and trail bike. I've implemented a quick-swap cockpit system with three different setups- a drop bar Richey Beacon, a Map Ahearne bar, and a Jones loop H-bar, so it sorta feels like I have three different bikes. 

Since I use it on the nearby singletrack trail system, I need a decently low gear. I've been very happy with the Sunrace 11-40 cassette paired with a 34t front chainring. With my 40mm wide tires, I've got a gear range from 85" - 23". If I'm using my 45mm knobby Tufo Swampero trail tires, the range is 87" - 24". I use a MicroShift 9-speed downtube shifter paired with a Shimano LX rapid rise, non-clutch, rear derailleur (RD-M580) and a KMC 9-speed chain. Even though the derailleur is only rated to a 34t largest cog, I have no problem at all on the 40t cog. I wonder if it might be due to the rapid-rise function where the spring is the most relaxed in the largest cog, that it's able to handle a +6 tooth increase from the max rating.

I've toyed with the idea of maybe adding a small chainring and manually dropping into it when I ride off-road, and that would allow me to have a tighter cluster in the cassette. But like I said, I'm super enjoying this 1x9 system and since I can do all the riding I need with the current setup, I will probably keep it that way for the foreseeable future. Mahalo,

~Mark

Kailua, HI

[Fred Marsh]

I've been 1x9 for a long time and loving it!

https://i.imgur.com/yU6nbGS.jpg

- Fred

Mount Prospect Illinois Flatland

[Fred Marsh]

I made this comment 3 days ago, and it's just showing up now. Why am I on some kind of monitoring?

Please let me know what I have done to justify this treatment, or just tell me to leave if I'm not welcome here.

Can I get the names of the Mods, please?

Fred Marsh

Mount Prospect, IL

[Cyclofiend Jim]

Hi Fred - 

There are links to contact me - the list admin - in the list information. Sorry you had trouble finding that info, but it hasn't changed since the list was moved here from the old listserv.
There are no "mods" - there is me. Been just been for the whole time. 

I emailed you earlier today when I passed your post through the moderation queue. I didn't hear back from you. I am guessing there may be some issue with your email, so I'm replying to your public post.

As I said in the email from this morning, I don't know why you got moderated. It might have been that you were commenting in a contentious thread and got caught up accidentally. The last active post from you was in February of this year. 

I also pointed out that i was working on a project and had been delayed in checking things for a few days. Sorry for that delay. 

If you have other questions about the group, please feel free to email me directly - cyclo...@gmail.com

Thanks!

Jim / list admin

[Arthur Mayfield]

After responding to this topic last week, I went digging through my bike component's and found a crankset I vaguely remembered. It’s a NOS TA with a 40 tooth single ring. Always ready to tinker, I pulled the double (46/30) off my Buena Vista and installed the TA. That gives me a 40/11-34 1x9, which is what I have on my Sam, where it has been sufficient for my rides. It shifts great on the stand and the chain line looks good visually. Now that the rain has stopped for a couple of days, I’ll ride it first to see if I like it better than the 2x9, and if I need to change the 113 bottom bracket to a 110.

[Fred Marsh]

Sorry for the late response Jim, I've been travelling the past few days. Thanks for clarifying and getting me off the naughty list!

Fred

Mount Prospect, IL

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[cody toth]

 I have been running a 9 speed drive train for as long as I can remember... I feel with friction especially the older stuff shifts so well.

A thing I think people also do not talk about is how easy it is to maintain while on a longer tour, riding from Berlin to Italy I had zero issues while my friends with their 12 speed shifting were constantly in an out of shifting troubles. Furthermore almost every bike shop in the world you come across will have a chain that will work, or a cassette that you can make work.

-C

[David Ross]

I’m using Box 9 on my Crust Evasion and it’s been the most bulletproof drivetrain I’ve ever owned. I’m running it indexed but I’m thinking of installing one on my Gus with friction. 

On Tue, Jul 23, 2024 at 3:04 PM Michael Morrissey <michaelg...@gmail.com> wrote:

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[Otto Frey]

Could yall give me some advice on converting a new Shimano GRX 610 2x11 drivetrain to a 2x9 friction drivetrain? Have a new touring bike that I've ridden a fair bit with the brifter indexed set-up that it came with, and I can't say I like the feel of shifting with it. That and I hate how the brifters look and feel. I also don't like the stock 44cm drop handlebars the bike came with either (FSA Adventure Compact), feels too narrow all together, and definitely too narrow for the massive clunky brifter levers. What would I need to convert this to friction? What parts would need to be replaced wholesale, and what could I make work with the current modern shimano parts?

Realize this has probably been covered before, so if there are any good guides out there, I'd love to see them! Thanks

[Fred Marsh]

Have you tried Shimano 9spd indexed barcon shifters? I have used them for years, and they work great. Nice little cu-chunk when it shifts and 

it doesn't miss a shift. They have a friction option too. You would have to get new levers, shifters, rear derailleurs and chain. You could also go with newer Riv silver barcons 

in friction mode and keep it 11 speed. You would just have to switch out the brake levers too. You could sell the GRX brifters and recoup some $. 

Fred

Mount Prospect, IL

[Will Boericke]

Unfortunately a 2x11 to 2x9 conversion would mean replacing brifters, rear derailleur and cassette.  Though if you want friction, you could keep the RD.  Shifting could be barcons or Gevenalle levers.

Will

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[Ryan Frahm]

I’m running a 1x9 on my Jones SWB and it is perfect! Friction shifter with GX Eagle derailleur and 11-50 cassette. It gives me the space I needed to keep the chain clear of my 3.25” Duro Crux.

[Otto Frey]

Thanks for the suggestions Will and Fred. I hadn't heard of the Shimano 9spd barcon shifters, I'll look into finding one or two. I think I'll try just installing a friction shifter with all of the GRX components and seeing how it feels, even with a couple of dead chainrings. If it's a better experience than the indexed 11 speeds, it would probably be profitable to sell the used GRX parts and buy the needed RD, FD, Cassette and chain from Riv or 2nd hand. Really appreciate your advice!