Single chainring vs double vs triple

[Zviedrs]

Hello bike riders,

planning to buy new Merida 29er ride this month mostly for biking in the Alps and perhaps some MTB marathons without competing for podiums, just for endurance/challenge. Now I have a dilemma choosing between 1x10 (RD: Shimano Deore Shadow+) and 2x10 (Shimano Deore/XT) drivetrains.

My previous 29" had triple chainring, road bike has classic double chainring, and I have never experienced single one. I have an idea about the advantages & disadvantages of having 1x10 (leaning towards choosing it), but maybe someone here can share their experience? I don't really need many gears, but not sure if 1x10 will be enough for steeper climbs and pedalling downhill ...

[JoJoJo]

Servus. For your purpose I would go for 1x chainrings as it's also becoming more trendy although you might miss some gears if you are entering long marathons. Yeah 1x just means less hustle -> you don't have to deal with FD, cables etc. sometimes front derailleur is a pain with bad shifting quality and need for maintenance. I am also having my eyes on single chainring mountain 29er to try it out -> I've heard only good feedback form my friends but they are quite serious riders. But for other purposes 2x and 3x are still great yeah as it offers more gear freedom especially when touring or having calm weekend ride. You might miss that extra gear for faster ride down the hill or more variety on uphill, but otherwise it's the way to go in my opinion.

[Zviedrs]

(06-17-2019, 10:28 AM)JoJoJo Wrote:  Servus. For your purpose I would go for 1x chainrings as it's also becoming more trendy although you might miss some gears if you are entering long marathons. Yeah 1x just means less hustle -> you don't have to deal with FD, cables etc. sometimes front derailleur is a pain with bad shifting quality and need for maintenance. I am also having my eyes on single chainring mountain 29er to try it out -> I've heard only good feedback form my friends but they are quite serious riders. But for other purposes 2x and 3x are still great yeah as it offers more gear freedom especially when touring or having calm weekend ride. You might miss that extra gear for faster ride down the hill or more variety on uphill, but otherwise it's the way to go in my opinion.

Btw, thanks for the comment.
Update: single chainring has entered the building

[Zviedrs]

(07-13-2019, 06:06 AM)Zviedrs Wrote:  

(06-17-2019, 10:28 AM)JoJoJo Wrote:  Servus. For your purpose I would go for 1x chainrings as it's also becoming more trendy although you might miss some gears if you are entering long marathons. Yeah 1x just means less hustle -> you don't have to deal with FD, cables etc. sometimes front derailleur is a pain with bad shifting quality and need for maintenance. I am also having my eyes on single chainring mountain 29er to try it out -> I've heard only good feedback form my friends but they are quite serious riders. But for other purposes 2x and 3x are still great yeah as it offers more gear freedom especially when touring or having calm weekend ride. You might miss that extra gear for faster ride down the hill or more variety on uphill, but otherwise it's the way to go in my opinion.

Btw, thanks for the comment.
Update: single chainring has entered the building

Have done two uphill rides so far, and I'm happy with the first impression. I still have to adjust the tension and work on the shifting, as now the chain is jumping on cogs and I can't hit certain gears. More updates to come.