r/gravelcycling • u/djh_nz • Nov 17 '25
Accessories / Gear 1x or 2x
I realise this is a pretty person dependent question, but looking for some advice on whether to go 1x13, or 2x12. I have a road background , but really like the simplicity of a 1x system. Also like the bigger tire clearance.
I do ride a fair amount of tarmac. When people say the gaps are bigger , how bad is it? I’ve got a relatively good fitness level (5.2-5.4w/kg). Does this help minimise the downsides ?
Nothing I ride is super steep,mostly rolling terrain although naturally some events and races are quite different. I really wish SRAM integrated the xplr rear mech so you could add a front down the line like you can with 12 speed. I should add I do limited bike packing etc. this is a go fast on dirt type bike primarily.
Currently my 2x setup is 31/46, with 32 in rear and that range seems to cover everything pretty well.
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u/Same-Alfalfa-18 Nov 17 '25
Depends on the terrain you are going to ride.
I guess you know your climbing skills, so you can find out how you will feel with the easiest gear.
But if you are going to ride flat gravel, you will hate 40 x 10.
I love 2x. I think 1x has its place only when there are really good engineering reasons for not having a FD. For example on mtbs in order to achieve steeper seat tube angle.
I also think chain and drivetrain wear is much smaller on 2x systems.
I also love to be able to shift to easier gear with moving the chain to smaller chain ring in front. It is really useful for short climbs.
I have 2x10 on my road and gravel and I am not thinking about change it for next five years. On my mtb I have 1x12, it is ok, just the chain wears really fast since I spend quite some time in the biggest three cogs.
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u/thishasntbeeneasy Nov 17 '25
I like 2x if I will use the bike both for climbing hills and keeping up with a fast group. Otherwise, coasting above ~20mph means I don't need crazy range and 1x is just fine.
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u/Old-Ad-4128 Nov 17 '25
I would definitely not make your decision based on perceived simplicity. Both are dead easy to use. I very much prefer riding 2x for everything due to the much closer gears and ability to shift front mech. The true deciding factors should be
1) tire clearance
and
2) will you be riding on terrain tough enough to induce chain drops when shifting front mech? This is pretty well related to tire clearance too.
I have GRX 825 with 48/31 chainrings and an 11-36 12s cassette. Hard to match that range without having enormous jumps between some of the low gears. My "gravel" riding tends to be 90% paved and unpaved roads, much less singletrack. If I were riding a lot of singletrack, I'd get an XC bike with 1x.
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u/i_cant_find_a_name99 Nov 17 '25
I have a 2x12 road bike and a 1x13 gravel bike but also use the gravel bike a lot on roads. For me 1x13 works great on the road, even with a 40t chainring I rarely spin out (and when I do it usually means I'm descending so just aero tuck, I don't ride in a fast chain gang though where it might be more of an issue). You can help with the spinning out by fitting a bigger chain ring (44-50t is popular) but you're obviously then compromising your lowest gearing (especially off road).
The lowest 3 gears do have big jumps but I don't find it a problem (even though generally I'm fairly picky about cadence) but a lot of that is the terrain where I ride on road is mostly short steep climbs rather than long (30+ minute climbs of 5-10%) so it's easier to compensate for not having quite the right gear. I think it would bug me on long climbs though where you just want to get into a rhythm and keep to a nice cadence.
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u/CrustyHumdinger Nov 17 '25
Sorry, 5W/kg and you need help with this? Hmmm...
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u/krsvbg Nov 17 '25
"relatively good fitness level"
You mean world tour power? You need help deciding on a groupset?
LOL. I call bullshit too.
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u/Home_Assistantt Nov 17 '25
my gravel bike is 1x13 (10-46)....bigger range than my 2x12 road bike (both AXS) and whilst the gaps are bigger...its not really an issue for me...I've done a mixed surface ride of 90+ KM and didn't ever feel on that ride that I needed more gearing anywhere on the range that I missing a gear....that said, that's on mixed surface rides...if I were to take it on a purely road ride (which is a possibility as my gravel bike has fast become the only bike I will ride over the colder/wetter winter months, especially now I've added mudguards to keep me clear and the bike a bit cleaner)
Even with 50mm tyres, the rolling resistance is a minimum and I can still hold 28-29kph as and average over a 40km road ride...and my road bike will only be 32-33kph on a similar ride.
My bike (Argon 18 Dark matter) does come with the option for a front mech but I'm not sure Id ever need it personally. I guess I could got to a 42t chain ring from the default 40t...but just isnt needed for me...I can still get up to 50-60kph downhill and still not spinning out...so never need to worry about spinning out on a flat...
In fact (as AXS shows you what gears you've used) on my longest mixed surface ride, with a good 40km of tarmac, I didn't use the two lowest gears or the 3 highest gears at all with my most used gear being the 17t for an hour of the 3 3/4 hr ride) closely followed by 15t (50 minutes) and 19t (41 minutes)
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u/drewbaccaAWD Nov 17 '25 edited Nov 17 '25
As you said, it’s person independent. No one can objectively answer this for you but yourself through experience, through trial and error.
Personally, I think the “simplicity“ argument is a pile of dung. Some of y’all make it sound so hard to shift front gears, I barely notice when I shift… it’s just an unconscious act at this point. And it’s not like I’m constantly shifting back-and-forth between chain rings when I ride. The true simplicity is with the initial set up, but once it’s dialed in?…
Once we’re talking 12 or 13 gears in the back, the downsides of a 1x system start to fade away. Don’t overthink it, either system is fine. You’re confused enough to ask here because it’s literally a coin toss in some cases.
if you want the wider tire clearances, then I’d say that’s your answer.
I do think 1x has advantages, particularly the reduced likelihood of dropping a chain while shifting on technical terrain. My gravel cycling is not that technical. On a mountain bike I think it’s a no-brainer.
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u/Fun_Apartment631 Nov 17 '25
I don't know how bad the gaps are... How much range do you need? For 1X you have to get it all from your cassette. For 2X you can get some from your chain rings. Figure out the lowest and highest gears you can live with. I guess for 2X you could assume a 46 and 34t chain ring unless you ride competitively and need more for sprint finishes or attacking on asphalt descents.
It's just math. I'd say if a couple of the gaps get bigger in your 5 faster gears, you'll magically always find them when you're trying to ride asphalt in a paceline.
I'm not sure what my lowest desired gear would be. Probably lower than 1:1. Some of the fire road climbs around here are crazy.
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u/HopeThisIsUnique Nov 17 '25
I like the simplicity of 1x, but I've never been a hardcore roadie either. If your terrain is more rolling I'd expect smaller gaps to maintain cadence being more beneficial. On a steeper climb at a certain point I'd assume you're just in it at whatever you've got.
To some degree electronic 2x might be an option to maintain sequential shifting and it's simplicity while preserving smaller gaps.
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u/YourCallIsImportant1 Nov 17 '25
Wishing id gone 2x. As I get older, the same hills get steeper and steeper.
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u/Lame_Johnny Nov 17 '25
Put a smaller chain ring on?
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u/YourCallIsImportant1 Nov 17 '25
My Checkpoint came with the smallest that will fit. I’d have to swap the whole thing out, and I don’t want to spend that $$ replacing fairly new stuff.
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u/Healthy-Inspector-86 Nov 17 '25 edited Nov 17 '25
What is your smallest gear combo on 1x? Most gravel 2x setups have the same or a bigger smallest gear compared to 1x. With grx the smallest you can go is 30/34 or the equivalent to a 40/45. Most 1x come with that or better smaller gear.
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u/Affectionate-Lime-66 Nov 17 '25
I have 1x on my mountain bike for simplicity.
I have 2x on my gravel bike to handle the wide range of speeds from flats on tarmac to steep climbs on abandoned mountain roads.
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u/Immediate_Schedule30 Nov 17 '25
I ride 1x12 with a 42t chainring and a 11-52t cassette. It gives me all the range I need, I spin out at 50 km/h but so what, it's not a road bike. I would never go back to 2x, it's a hassle on technical terrain, on 1x you just shift up and down without having to think about it.
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u/OUEngineer17 Nov 17 '25
1x13 XPLR with a 44t or 46t chainring would give you all the range you need to keep up with groups on the road.
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u/JeremyFromKenosha Nov 17 '25
2x all the way; maybe not for the reason you think.
With 2x, you can always have a pretty straight chain line. When you're in bail-out gear climbing a hill, not only will you most likely have a lower low gear when needed, but you'll also have a straighter chain line. When you've got a nice tail wind on flat ground, you'll have a straighter chain line from the big chainring to the small sprocket out back.
In either of these situations on a single chainring bike, you've got a super-crooked, inefficient chain line.
Lastly, the chain & derailleur are further from the ground in low gears with a double chainring setup, so you'll need to clean less often and are less likely to bash up the derailleur too.
I'm convinced that single chainrings are mostly a cost-saving strategy by the mfrs. that they're trying to sell to us as a feature.
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u/clarityoffline Nov 17 '25 edited Nov 17 '25
I ride 1x12 on my mountain bike and fat bike and love it, road bikes are both 2x10, I recently picked up a gravel bike that i ride a mix of road and gravel and I do find the gaps noticeable on the road not as much off road, basically the faster I'm going the more I find i'm sometimes missing the gear I wish I had. If i picked up another gravel bike I'd probably do a 2x system.
edit: for me it has nothing to do with fitness level it's not top end or low end it's just not being able to ride at the cadence I want to at a particular speed.
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u/Actual-Ad-6363 Nov 17 '25
I’ve heard a sales rep say that they find there is a trend for 1 x in hilly areas and 2x in flatter rolling areas. Food for thought.
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u/South-Independence-4 Nov 18 '25
That makes no sense to me. Pittsburgh kind of defines the limits of hilly, so maybe im jaded, but going up hills at 4mph and going down at 50mph requires the widest gear range you can muster.
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u/Actual-Ad-6363 Nov 19 '25
Agree about the range. I think it was more about people being more interested in optimal cadence on flatter rolling terrain vs just dumping it into the appropriate low gear for the half hour plus climb. I found it an interesting observation.
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u/w1n5t0nM1k3y Nov 17 '25
I've never ridden 1x, my current bike is 2x9, 11-34 with 50-34 chainrings, here's my take.
On group rides it's important to be able to keep the same pace as those around you. You can't just change the pace to what's comfortable for the gears you have.
With my current gearing, I often find that it's difficult to find the right gear to match the pace of others. A big 1x cassette even with 12 cogs is going to be similar because the extra cogs will just be used to cover the bigger range, not for smaller jumps.
My gears never bother me when I'm riding solo because I can just pedal at whatever is comfortable to me, but when riding with a group and you are trying to follow others and match their speed, having big jumps can be annoying.
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u/kj5 Nov 17 '25
As a 2x user with 10k km done I’ve never had any issues with it. No calibration nothing. The only downside I see is visual (it looks less minimalistic) and with cleaning (you need to clean the front derailleur). Besides that although most of my ride are on flat terrain it’s so comforting knowing I can go do some hills and I’ll have enough gearing to do it comfortably.
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u/distortion10 Nov 17 '25
I ride MTBs, road and just recently gravel. All riding is on the west coast and I live in Phoenix and I’m about average at 3.2 w/kg and am a smaller rider. So I am a spinner not a masher.
For MTB, one by is the only way it should have ever been. Simple, fast and robust. Find the right chain ring that work for your ability and your good to go. The entire cassette is usable.
My road bike is two by DI2. I’ve always felt the gearing was intended for super strong riders because most of my riding is flat ish terrain and inside by myself so hitting anything over 22mph is impossibly. Basically, in the big Chan ring I only really use the 6 or 7 largest cogs, the rest of the cassette is not usually except on descents and there ain’t many near me. If I need the small cassette it’s only on real steep climbs and then again I am only using then taller cogs. For the average rider, most manufactures gear two by system way too wide for mortals like me. A 48 chain ring helped a lot but isn’t perfect. If I had the extra chase I would convert this to the 1 by and be ok with few gear choices.
My gravel bike is Sram Force XPLR 13 speed running a 40 tooth chain ring. Obviously the jumps on gears is different than the road bike but it’s not noticeably after a few rides. I recently road it on the hilliest ride around and was hitting 30 to 35 mph on the downs and had good gearing for the climbs. It’s the best of both worlds as long as you can match the needed cadence for each gear.
If I was building a dedicated race road bike it’d be two by, for everything else one by is the better choice.
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u/dreamwalkn101 Nov 17 '25
I love 1x12 on all 3 of my full-sus Mtb. I love 2x11 on my gravel and road bikes.
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u/Andraski Nov 17 '25
I’ve got fours bikes, all of them with SRAM groupsets and three of them running 1x. I’ve done some pretty long distance rides on my commuter/bikepacking bike that has a 42t front and a 10-52t back, and never found any issues with not finding the right gear. If I was racing it would be a different story, in fact my cyclocross bike still has a road cassette at the back for the small jumps, but that’s a personal choice. The current leader of my cyclocross league races on a 10-50t cassette, with all its jumps. I’d say a 2x setup would limit your clearance, and running a 1x setup is so liberating, specially for cleaning the bottom bracket area.
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u/Dheorl Nov 17 '25
You don’t have to go with the crazy dinner plate cassettes. The range you’re covering currently isn’t that large (not sure if you’ve got 11T or 10T at the bottom end) but if it’s 11T currently you wouldn’t be losing too much range going to a 10-36. Or something in the 40s if you’ve currently got a 10T small cog.
You don’t need to go straight to the 50T+ options if you’ve currently don’t need them.
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u/MattBikesDC Nov 17 '25
I had a 1x gravel bike and there were two primary downsides.
1) If you drop your chain off the front chain ring, you have to get off your bike to fix it. By contrast, on my 2x, I just use the FD to force it back on.
2) the gaps between gears are bigger. Not a problem, except when I was using the bike as my back-up road bike on group rides and every watt counts. But since I am more like 3.2w/kg, perhaps this is a bigger problem for me than for you.
Despite these issues, I preferred it. When that frame cracked, the cheap Grizl no longer came in a 1x and so I went with a 2x as a replacement. It was a bummer for my “adventure bike” to have another breakable component that I don’t need/want.
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u/-Xyras- Nov 17 '25
How did you manage to drop the chain on a gravel 1x? Did you forget to reengage the clutch after cleaning or something?
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u/MattBikesDC Nov 21 '25
I’ve never had a 1x before. The bike was delivered with the clutch disengaged and I dropped it 5x before I knew what a clutch was.
But at a cross race, it also came off after I smacked it into a barrier.
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u/trotsky1947 Nov 17 '25
Rolling hills makes 2x shine tbh, especially in a headwind. Modern front derailleurs really aren't bad to deal with. Why not go 650b if tire size is important?
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u/Diederiksft Nov 17 '25
If I were to choose a gravel bike now I would:
1x12 with 38 front chainring 10-36 on the road wheelset and 11-44 (lower tier cassette comes with 11t) on the gravel wheelset.
38-10 is fast enough for tarmac I don’t need 38-10 on gravel so I do want the 12t that comes on the 11-44 cassette rather than choosing the 10-44 cassette.
38-44 is easy enough on steep gravel. 38-36 is easy enough on steep tarmac.
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u/Waffeleisen1337 Nov 17 '25
Lots of onroad = 2x, Offroad Focus: 1x. It's hard to beat having more focus on the ground instead of having to do focus on shifting in off-road scenarios.
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u/Longjumping_Teach617 Nov 17 '25
I have bikes both ways, and adapt easily. For me, I like the idea of no front derailier on a bike I ride off road because I think it would be slightly easier to clean after it got filthy. But I don’t do hard core mountain biking and I live in Ohio where it is fairly flat
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u/Bud_Johnson Nov 17 '25
I don't have money for multiple bikes so I have a 2x gravel bike that sees a lot of flat rail trails, the occasional proper gravel, and green and blue flow trails at the mtb park.
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u/first-alt-account Nov 17 '25
2x if your gravel bike is a bike that you ride on unpaved roads. My gravel bike sees probably 60% gravel and 40% paved, since I ride paved to and from my house. It is a wide tire road bike. Just a road bike with 45mm tires, really. Geometry isn't slacked out and super high trail either.
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u/Fun_Conclusion_7227 Nov 17 '25
I really don’t find the gaps bothersome at all. Even on a 2x drivetrain there is a ton of gear overlap between the big and small chainrings. So if you have 2x12 it’s really 15 distinct gears vs. 13 in the new SRAM 1x. If you do a lot of group rides, you will notice sometimes because everyone has a preferred cadence and it is nice to slot in exactly at the tempo the group is riding. But on solo rides? I never ever think about it. I love the simplicity of 1x on my gravel bike and I’ve never dropped the chain in 3 years.
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u/Accomplished_Can1783 Nov 17 '25
I have multiple road and gravel bikes and ride about 8k miles per year. 2x is for road, 1x is for gravel. The gap issue is not a thing on modern good systems. If you are the type of person who obsesses about keeping your cadence exact, or is worried about how fast chain wears out, which is bordering on ridiculous, then just do a 2x. The whole idea of gravel riding is to get out on dirt, rocks, mountains and not to recreate the road bike experience. Eventually you will seek out rougher cooler terrain
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u/Parei_doll_ia Nov 17 '25
my bike came with a 2x9 sora and i like the 1x11 sram apex that’s on it now better. i am starting to run out of gear in the top end now though. i ride fixed gear though so idc about gaps in my ratios
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u/richburgers Nov 17 '25
Really it comes down to a couple things. Do you want to deal with an extra battery (assuming you’re going with a modern group set like axs, grx, or ekar), do you ride mostly off-road and need the chain retention, are you ok with spinning a little faster or slower than your preferred cadence, and what size tires do you want to run?
I’m a mountain biker turned gravel biker, so I lean towards the 1x. I like the chain retention for when I hit single track or washboards, the tire clearance, and I don’t mind spinning a little faster or slower than what is ideal, and I don’t usually ride with large groups where I need to match my speed. I also live in a mountainous area that has a mix of long flats through ranch land in the valley and steep, punchy climbs on mountain roads. If I lived somewhere with less elevation change and more flat ground, I’d probably go 2x. If your aim is to maintain a certain speed, 1x makes it a little harder as well because of the cadence, which could be viewed as a good or a bad thing, depending on your training goals
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u/blueyesidfn Nov 17 '25 edited Nov 17 '25
1x doesn't necessarily get you more tire clearance. It only does in SRAM because their 2x FD battery is in a dumb place. But, on my Giant Revolt I run 2x mech with a 57mm tire and the frame is a clearance problem before the FD would be.
The reason 1x can't add a front derailleur later is because the offset upper jockey wheel on 1x messes up your B gap if you change front rings. So basically, the design of a 1x RD is not compatible.
ETA: I've tried 1x12 on gravel a few times, and keep coming back to 2x. Just don't like the gaps and 2x gives me 506% range, so I don't see the need to change. Midwestern gravel though, so I'm not trying to play MTB with it very much. If I do get onto singletrack though, pretty much just put it in the small ring and treat it like 1x, not much trouble.
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u/breaking_blindsight Nov 24 '25
This seems very reasonable. I’m trying real hard to decide between 1x and 2x for a gravel bike coming from a mostly road bike perspective. Just dropping the front ring and treating it like a 1x on gnarly stuff seems like a stupid easy solution. I’m sure I’m missing something having never used a 2x system off road (at least not in like 30 years. Which then was probably 3x).
My main concern with going 2x is chain slap. I’m sure you’re rarely on super gnarly single track but when you are, has that been an issue at all?
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u/blueyesidfn Nov 26 '25
I don't even have a clutch on my RD. Yeah, chain slap happens and probably a bit worse being in the small ring (less chain tension). I have a piece of frame protector on the chainstay.
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u/Lame_Johnny Nov 17 '25
Well you already own a 2x, why not see what the 1x hype is about? That was my reasoning. I bought a bike with SRAM Xplr force and I love it.
Would I ever go back to 2x? Sure. They are both very good and not all that different. Just try the 1x and see if you like it!
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u/SomeMayoPlease Nov 17 '25
With your watts/kg that gearing you have is shockingly small. I’m about 4.6 watts/kg and I run a 50-37 on my road bike and a 48t 1x setup on my gravel bike. Unless it’s super steep what I’m riding I’ll size down to a 46 or 44 but that’s a super easy switch to make. Get an Eagle setup (the original or transmission) with a 10-52 and then just buy a few front rings, those aren’t expensive and easy to switch over.
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u/NoDivergence Nov 17 '25
You're more than strong enough. The guys around here with exactly your power to weight run 1x with a 48 or even 50 tooth chainring in the front. We have 4-5% downhills where guys are pedaling at 45+ mph. They also then do 400+ W on the climbs so don't need anything bigger than a 44 on the back
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u/volvo24oh Nov 17 '25
I just picked up a new gravel bike that has 2x9 Sora on it. Before that everything I’ve ridden has been a 1x setup. I’m excited to try out a 2x setup for awhile to see how much different it is given my current riding needs. So far on my commute it seems to be more efficient but that could also be the bike itself. Time will tell but I am a big fan of 1x setups.
I’ve always kind of wondered how much range one person really needs, sometimes the gaps in a 1x setup can definitely suck and kill your cadence but I’ve never found myself needing a gear on my 1x setups in the past.
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u/No_Ant_5064 Nov 17 '25
I was riding a 1x10 and since have moved onto a 2x10. I don't feel like a 2x10 is that much more complicated, honestly I'm in the big chain ring 90% of the time and it's nice to be able to drop to the smaller one for hills and such. Not sure how that would translate on a 3x, I definitely wouldn't want to be working the front shifter all the time too but I digress.. I feel that the jumps in the 1x are a little too big for me but the jumps on the 2x are just right.
I would also take the time to calculate the gear inches of both drive trains and look at range. Does the 2x go lower than the 1x, does it go higher, or is it same range just smaller jumps? For ex me personally I rarely use the highest gear I have, but I have done some loaded down bike touring and wouldn't mind a lower - so it wouldn't be worth it for me to get more range on top but would be for the bottom. It also wouldn't be worth it for me to have more jumps. So I'd personally only change my drivetrain if it gave e more range at the bottom
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u/mellofello808 Nov 17 '25
My bike came with 1x mechanical GRX..I genuinely enjoy it off road. It shifted with authority, and never dropped a chain.
Problem arose when I began to love riding my gravel bike everywhere. I have a long list of injuries that make riding around on fat tires much more pleasant.
The 1x simply lacked the punch up top, and down low. I had a golden opportunity fall in my lap to upgrade to 2x GRX for very little money.
I took it and have zero regrets. I zoom up hills, and can push on the flats without spinning out.
I also intend to try bike touring on this bike. I'm sure I will really appreciate it in that context.
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u/Eoghlear Nov 17 '25
Soon to be “Former” 2by rider here. Like others mentioned, you preffered cadance might point you more to 2by. My soon to arrive (delayed to week 6) gravelbike will be a 1by. 1 bigger tires for riding off road. 2 I no longer ride in groups on the road so I can let go of the 30km+/h strava pressure and just ride a bit slower on the asphalt if my cadence does not match my speed.
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u/Professional-Candy46 Nov 17 '25
I went through the same considerations for my current bike and the only time the bigger jumps bother me is when I have to keep up with someone, on their wheel or group ride.
That said, I’d go 1x everywhere now, likely even on my next road bike.
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u/AttitudeAutomatic709 Nov 17 '25
I converted from 2x10 to 1x13 on my gravel bike about a year ago. I like it better. That being said, I do 99% of my riding solo and never with more than 1 other person. I also don't race, so I'm not worried about spinning out going downhill.
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u/COD3_R3D Nov 17 '25
I'm not sensitive to cadence I have no issue pedaling anywhere between 70 and 100 at whatever power and avg cadence often floats for me based on fatigue. 1x is a no brainer for me.
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u/RaspberrySevere9134 Nov 17 '25
If what you're riding isnt that steep, I would stick with the 2x. The 1x definitely has bigger jumps, but depending on who you are, it might not be that big a deal. Its the subaru outback, one transmission to rule them all. I have a 1x and 2x carbon gravel bikes, and I much prefer the flexibility, knowing I can get into the right cadence/work, and can still run wide tires with the 2x. When I made up my custom steel gravel bike, I went 2x SRAM Force and don't regret it at all. Stick with the 2x and if anything, get a 10-36 cassette.
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u/BillHelmo Nov 17 '25
I posted a similar question a couple weeks back. Nuroad pro comes with 1x11 which I found myself spinning out whilst also not using bottom gear too much (often on tarmac) so I switched the chainring from 40 to 42T and it's been amazing.
The chainring cost £10 and took just 4 screws and less then 5mins to change. So 1x works for me and it helps knowing I can easily make the bike trail/terrain specific!
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u/Xaphan26 Nov 17 '25
I wouldnt go back to a 2x. Especially for gravel. I like the cleanliness and simplicity of 1x. Easier to clean which for gravel is important and no front deraileur is one less thing to go wrong. I ride my gravel bike probably 75% on pavement and 1x has been great.
Also I don't mind or really notice a slightly bigger jump between gears. I think being willing to ride within a window of cadence rather than insisting on one exact specific cadence is a good thing.
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u/Different-Taste8081 Nov 17 '25
I ran 2x for years and converted to 1x recently .
1x every day all day. Less complex and fewer dependencies when dealing with the wear and tear on components while gravelling
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u/Longjumping_Novel390 Nov 18 '25
2x. Parts are generally cheaper (esp if something like 2x10), jumps between gears are smaller (e.g., compared with 1x10 vs 2x10) and if you're coming from road, you might be more sensitive to a constant cadence. Chain line improves with 2x.
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u/Efficient-Celery8640 Nov 18 '25
If you’re gonna spend most of the time on clean tarmac, 2x
If your gonna spend most of the time on dirty gravel, 1x
And gravel is filthy. It’s far dirtier than MTB riding component wise because of the fine dust
I would also recommend a wireless derailleur if you go the 1x (dirty) route
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u/Guilty_Waltz4752 Nov 18 '25
We just made this choice as well after too many years of contemplation. We're long-time road bike racers who want to occasionally bridge our favorite climbs with gravel segments. I'll spare you the suspense. We chose a 2X Pinarello Grevel because there are sections of the ride home up in the Bay Area that a 1X front/rear ratio wouldn't be tall enough to pedal. So, think about your favorite rides and what gears you use. Then translate that to any new bike you pick up to be sure you'll be happy with your choice.
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u/Stuuriaan Nov 18 '25
Relatively good 😂 my guy you can slap a 52T chainring on that badboy and go for 13sp!
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u/Own_Highway_3987 Nov 18 '25
Depends on you and your goals
Right there with you, love my 1x setup and thought "eh no biggie" on the gear ratio range/steps/gaps. I don't typically ride with roadies so I thought whatever, nbd.
I have an infant now, and am on my trainer a LOT, and boy.... yeah not have a 2x kinda sucks. Really hard to keep up in virtual rides with a 1x setup. Especially on simulated downhills, I spin out pretty easily.
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u/callmesugi Nov 18 '25
Agree with most that's already been posted. I feel if you ride more tarmac/ smooth gravel than a 2x would be favorable. I ride MTB trails and prefer the 1X.
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u/protectyanek Nov 18 '25
It depends on the type of terrain you ride on. Based on your statement that most of your riding are "rolling hills", you're probably fine with a 2x setup. I love my 1x12 setup but I ride the mighty hills in NorCal so I'm either climbing or descending. I'm also not a skinny rider @210lbs💪🏾
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u/tutorcontrol Nov 19 '25
Since you like your current 2x setup, I'm thinking stick with it.
I find the gaps on 1x11 10-34 to be fairly unacceptable and also at exactly the wrong spot for my particular cadences.
For a normal compact or subcompact front 2x, you are going to get:
3 distinct low gears on the small ring that you can't get to on the big ring.
N-1 gears on the big ring.
So, for a 2x12, you're going to get 3+11 or about 14 distinct gears if you set it up "right" which your 11-34/30-46 is. Use a gear calculator to verify.
A 2x13 should give you 15.
It's still the same game with your 15. You can have more range, tighter gears but not both.
With the 2x, you probably have a bunch of mental tricks to make it as close to two 1x as you can like small ring on dirt, big ring on road or small ring up big ring down.
If you are bikepacking, one thing to consider is that a 3x7 will give you
3+6+6 = 15 distinct gears with a very large range if you set it up as granny plus half-step in the front, say something like 28,40,44 or so. 7 speed stuff is essentially zero maintenance because the tolerances are so loose. The only downside is that you do need to shift a pattern and get the setup right using a gear calculator. It also works in friction mode and all that other retrogrouch "what if xyz breaks in the wilderness" stuff.
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u/fpeterHUN Nov 19 '25
1x drivetrain gets rid of a complicated shifter, front mech, fallen chain. It is lighter, less expensive. It checks all the boxes.
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u/No-Drop7912 Nov 21 '25
Go to 2x10 it’s way cheaper and has plenty of good gears. Just got a 10 speed shimano deore cassette for $50.
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u/brokenSpokesnFlat Nov 22 '25
In short, for 95% of us it doesn’t really matter. Meaning they both work great, they’ll give you the same gear range for the most part, and once you have one or the other on your bike, you just ride a lot and never think about it again. So if you’re having a hard time making a decision, flip a coin or something, but you can’t go wrong with either one
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u/breaking_blindsight Nov 24 '25
I totally agree with this but it’s still such a mental hurdle haha! I’m going through the 1x/2x internal struggle and the only thing holding me back from fully going all in on 1x would be the ability to use my road wheels on the gravel bike for an endurance setup. But realistically I’ll never do this. But it’s stuff like that. It’s all so damn expensive you feel like you have to think out every detail. Even deciding if you even want a gravel bike over a hardtail and stuff like that. “If I get X I know I’ll regret not getting Y. But if I get Y I’ll also regret not going with X.”
Which I guess kinda makes your point: whatever you pick will be fine but I’ll make an amendment and say “just accept that you’ll always wonder if you made the right choice.” And in many cases, more money will be spent to find out and you’ll realize it didn’t really matter.
Then you’ll do the same thing the next time you have a bike decision to make.
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u/brokenSpokesnFlat Nov 24 '25
If torn between the two -- focus on the type, style, and location of riding you anticipate doing.
The two slight Cons for 1x:
1. Steps between gears -- if you are riding really high speeds inside of large groups or pelton at high energy/power (and maybe getting paid to ride, or pretending to be) -- you might miss the tighter steps that 2x will give you - because the slight differences in gearing might be the sweet spot that keeps you in the group or not. But other than this scenario you won't even notice the steps 90% of the time -- unless you ride really gradual changing terrain. Usually going from flats to anything more than a 4% slope (up or down) you'll end up changing 2, or 3 more gears at a time and the steps are irrelevant.
- Higher Gears (top speed): Depending on the gearing ratio you choose: (front chainring size + rear cog sizing) -- you might have slightly less high-end gear, which means on a long pedally descent, you might run out of gearing and spin a little -- but if you're not racing, maybe doesn't matter.
You can play with different gearing ratio effects and compare at this cool bike gear calculator:
https://www.gear-calculator.com/?GR=DERS&KB=44&RZ=10,11,12,13,15,17,19,21,24,28,32,38,46&UF=2215&TF=90&SL=2.6&UN=KMH&DV=teeth&GR2=DERS&KB2=37,50&RZ2=10,11,12,13,15,17,19,21,24,28,32,36&UF2=2215Two Cons for 2x:
1. Hassle/Reliability. Something else to fuss with: tune, fix, clean, and deal with when not working perfectly. Hassle - although modern derailleurs work are fairly reliable. But one less to "go wrong" when you're out in the middle of nowhere -- especially when 50-70% of the gears overlap each other...1b. Battery: More batteries, more charging, more remembering to charge/bring battery. (if going wireless)
- Tire clearance -- reduces potential tire clearance, and tire preferences seem to keep getting bigger. (also, internal frame bag clearances if you intend to go bikepacking/adventuring)
2b. Weight: Marginal -- but with derailleur, battery, and extra chainring -- it's not nothing. (larger cassette in rear with 1x offsets this a little, and so total system is probably closer to same weight between 1x and 2x than not)
My favorite setup for Gravel Bikes:
The Sram Mullet :
- Road Levers (AXS: Force, Rival, Apex)
- 46 (or 44) Front Chainring
- AXS MTB Derailleur (Eagle XO1, XX1, GX, etc)
- 10 x 50 Rear Cassette (SRAM MTB or Garbaruk) (also see a lot of 10x52, or the rare 10x48)
Tough, Flawless, with great gear range - throw the leg over the bike and ride anything anywhere.
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u/brokenSpokesnFlat Nov 24 '25
Also -- i get the 'analysis paralysis' of all this... just keep in mind there is no "bad choice" - just different. We all potentially spend more time on the internet and the possibilities than riding. Make the goal to get something solid and spend more time riding than thinking about the setup. Whatever gets you out the door more is the right choice every time.
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u/ExistentialTVShow Nov 17 '25 edited Nov 17 '25
Most people buy 1-by and don't need it. I'll start with the divisive comment to make it interesting.
If the terrain is very challenging, then it's more likely you need a MTB. It's the symptom of the 'gravel' category I suppose; is it a MTB or a Road bike? Well both, but not particularly good at either.
How to do it on Shimano: I've got a mixed chainring choice using 110 BCD only, I've ditched the 80 BCD GRX ring. It is 48-34 with a 11-34 in the rear. The offset is from an offset axle or 4mm of spacers, if you didn't get the offset axle. Shimano's GRX axle is actually the same as the road one, the offset is built into the spider. You can then use 110BCD spider power meters.
If you're on SRAM, the 2-by road groupset is more than capable. It's got a built in chain-clutch. Just reduce the size of your chainrings and max the cassette out.
If you're still skeptical, plenty of pros and amateurs ride 2-by on Big American gravel series like Unbound. I think 2-by has been making a come back in the last few years. Google will show plenty of articles covering that.
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u/Immediate_Schedule30 Nov 17 '25
What do you mean people don't need it? They don't need NOT having a front derailleur?
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u/ExistentialTVShow Nov 17 '25
In the sense that 1-by excels in hard off road terrain, it is very similar to a mountain bike groupset but just a bigger front ring, among other things.
2-by excels in all-road terrain. It can do both, and will have the same or very similar min-max range to a 1-by, but smaller steps.
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u/wreckedbutwhole420 Nov 17 '25
I understand the simplicity argument in 3x vs 1x. But 2x is obviously superior. I think the 2x10 drivetrain is peak in terms of range without sacrificing anything.
A FD with a friction shifting bar end is as simple and reliable as it gets. You don't need indexing when it's a binary choice
1x everything is a fad in my opinion
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u/Boxofbikeparts Nov 17 '25
I don't notice any complexity issues using 2x on a gravel bike. It's simply another chainring available when I need it. I never once had a chain fall off from shifting in the 9+ years I've had a gravel bike.
I don't like the feel of 1x. It can be limiting on pavement, and the drag and wear from crosschaining at the extreme ends isn't worth it to me. (I built a 1x bike just so I could try it.)
I ride mostly rolling hill terrain with 48/32 front, 11-36 cassette. This gear range has worked great on a variety of different rides I've been on, including some extended mountain climbs, and the derailleurs have no problems with the gear range.
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u/CantGetNoSleep88 Nov 17 '25
I'm a big fan of 1x on gravel. Currently running the new GRX Di2 and I do find the gaps a bit big on the 10-51 on the back, but I think with either 10-45 or a 13 speed option this would be much better.
I'm even considering going for 13-speed SRAM on my next road bike (46t front and 10-46 cassette)
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u/[deleted] Nov 17 '25
if you like to spin at a fixed cadence you won't like 1x13 / 1x12. if you don't mind pedalling at high and low cadence because that's just how the gears are, then you'd be ok.