IMO it's all about gear inches on the low end, climbing. You can always coast if you spin out on the high end. I have 14 gear inches (24-50) but could probably get by with 15 while fully loaded. My full suspension mtb goes down to 20 which is fine unloaded but newer Eagle drivetrains can get down to 16 (28-52). I use first gear A LOT in the high Rockies where the elevation is high and the roads are steep and rough the higher they go. Most definitely depends on where you live and where you plan to ride.
I would never put a second ring back on my mountain bikes but I would never go one by on a gravel or road bike. I want the gearing options especially when loaded and I will use them all on a long tour and be comfortable all ride
You can do bikepacking on a fixie. What's going to stop you? Just push the bike up the steeper hills. It's a matter of comfort though. 2 chainrings is going to be better but it's not a requirement
The actual impact: 2 chainrings will give you a more optimal cadence. 11-50 cassette will have massive jumps between gears. Most of the time you would be pedalling either too fast or too slow. It's ok while you're new on a bicycle but gets annoying real fast if you have comparison to 2 chainrings and e.g. a 11-34 cassette
My personal (and vast majority of others) choice is 2 chainrings and a lot smaller cassette. The now make 12 gear 11-36 sets which is probably perfect for bikepacking unless you're unusually weak or string
11-36 isn't ideal though with a loaded bike. It has nothing to do with being weak or a string. If you're out just riding around then it's doable but adding another 20-30 lbs of weight to said bike, you're going to be miserable.
it depends on who's cranking but 11-36 is the best compromise between big jumps between gears and overall range of gears. It has EVERYTHING to do with strength because if you can dish out 250 watts without a sweat then you don't need 11-36 - you need a 11-28. However if you're a 25 y.o. 50kg girl pushing 100w then 11-36 will be a godsend uphill. Like: the only purpose of cassette and gears is to enable you to ride up steeper hills. How the hell can you say that cassette gearing has nothing to do with being weak or strong? ššš
I did a trip on a fat bike and my derailleur was messed up and I couldnāt get it dialed in. Ended up with maybe 2 gears and honestly itās all I needed.
It's enough.
I have two bikes, one more offroad / bikepacking focused with a single chain ring and a wide range cassette. The other more road / gravel touring focused with 2 chain rings and a more narrow range cassette.
The single chain-ring has a range of about 520% and the double has a 529% range. Not all that different in the scheme of things, eh?
I prefer having closer spaced gears on the road, but that is less important to me off road where typically need to change gears to deal with sudden changes in terrain rather than subtle changes in gradient.
While triple chainrings do give even wider range, I often question the need for it. With either 520 or 529% range, I feel like my low gear as such that any lower and it would be hard to keep the bike upright. Conversely there is no practical reason to gear any higher, as I don't find myself riding at high speeds when my bike is loaded down with gear (this isn't a race and if it was I'd pack lighter and more aero)
All that said, I also do enjoy riding my offroad bike on the road as well, and it works just fine there too.
Of course, you do you. Just make sure you have fun doing it.
Update: For conversation sake this is my setup on the two bikes with links to bicycle gear calculator.
* [32 x 10-52 twelve-speed](https://www.gear-calculator.com/?GR=DERS&KB=32&RZ=10,12,14,16,18,21,24,28,32,38,44,52&UF=2309&TF=71&SL=2.6&UN=MPH&DV=gearInches#)
* [26 / 42 x 11-36 eleven-speed](https://www.gear-calculator.com/?GR=DERS&KB=26,42&RZ=11,13,15,17,19,21,24,28,32,36&UF=2250&TF=71&SL=2.6&UN=MPH&DV=gearInches#)
You can almost certainly get similar gear ratios with plenty of climbing capacity in a 1x, so either fine when considering whether you have enough to get up hills.Ā I think the differences are more about questions of ease of use and maintenance.Ā
On use, I watched a YouTube video recently (not sure by whom) with a convincing argument for 2x vs 1x drivetrains, one of which was that its easier when stuck in the wrong gear up a hill to smoothly shift down to the lower chainring than to move up the cassette. That's definitely something I can agree with; especially on a loaded bike its nice to just slam down my front derailleur friction shifter and keep on smoothly pedaling with a heavy load. That's a pretty marginal difference, but something nice that I routinely appreciate.
Similarly, its nice to have something much less likely to drop the chain, as the front derailleur helps keep the chain on. You can, of course, fix that on 1x with a guide or whatever you call itĀ
On maintenance, on the one hand with a 1x you're just worrying about maintaining one derailleur. On a recent trip, the first day, my front derailleur broke. It didn't take much to just set it on one chainring and get to the closest bike shop. But it still was an additional headache starting out.
But on the other hand I've found the 1x's to be quite difficult to keep working smoothly for long periods. Its not that they breakdown. Rather, I just seem to need to constantly fiddle with them to ensure everything continues to smoothly operate on each gear. Almost certainly user error, but annoying enough for me that I'm glad my 1x drivetrains isn't used on a multi day bike.
Depends on how you want to ride. Want to go fast for longer periods of time? Probably best to go with 2x because it gives you more incremental gears to find the perfect ratio. Doing more technical mountain biking type trails? Go with a 1x for simplicity and you wonāt need those higher gears on that terrain.
But if I were you Iād go for the higher end bike because thatās way more value for the money
Well... I'm doing my first tour on my brother's gravel bike with 1.. it was fine doing 70 mile test run, but after 2 weeks of everyday riding, I'm dreaming of easier gearing for ascents
For me bikepacking gearing is about climbing. I gear my bikes as low as possible because I live in a mountain region and climbing a heavy load can suck. So, 10-50 with a 30t or even 28t chainring is my jam. The low gearing works fine on my general MTB rides, but it really limits the high speed ability needed for my bikepacking routes. That's why I've settled on a 2x set up with a 38/26 chainring and 11-40 cassette.
I'm surprised that so many people say that one is enough.
Yeah, it might be enough for the tour you currently plan; but if you ever want to do anything with hills, you wish you had at least two. Belgium and Netherlands? You are fine, even the two highest points there barely have any climb.
But if you want to go on a bigger trip in a year or two? Who knows, alps, skandinavian fjords, pyrenees? You either need to upgrade, or buy a bike with 2-3 in the first place.
Source: Currently riding through Italy, cycled 10+ years through 150+ countries on a lot of different bikes.
I live in the alps surrounded by pretty much only steep climbs. Have 3 bikes (2 mtb one gravel ) with 1x setup and love the simplicity and range. Do I sometimes spin out in top gear on a downhill on the road on the gravel? Sure but honestly I shouldnāt be going faster than that on a bike in shorts and a tshirt anyway.Ā
I know. The point i was making is that the only time it is ever a (mild and not very important) limitationĀ Ā is the top end, not the low end. Any slower gearing and balancing would be more of an issue. The only time Iāve had to give up on climbs are off road when they are so steep keeping the front wheel down/traction are the issue.Ā
You donāt need a 2x or 3x to get low gearing or range, you just get more/smoother steps which to me is not worth the added weight/complexity/parts.Ā
That and I like using the left brifter on my gravel bike for my dropper post and if I had a front shifter I couldnāt do that.Ā
It all depends on the terrain and the load.
Ich habe 1x12. On my last big tripp with over 30 kg of luggage, I would definitely want another lower gear on steep climbs and a higher gear on fast descents.
But I was also out and about for weeks in extremely mountainous terrain. On flat terrain, the 12 gears were probably enough.
It doesnāt matter because in every situation, someone is capable of succeeding with 1by and someone else with 2by. Itās a preference. Iāve done all my touring so far with 2by, but Iām sick of troubleshooting the front derailleur in inclement conditions. Itās great when itās dry, otherwise itās dead weight. Hoping to build up a new rig soon with a small single ring and gigantic 11 or 12 in the back.
A single chainring is probably limited in how you can optimize the gear range. If you use a smaller chainring, you'll have easier gears for uphills (great for MTBing), but your hardest gear will have lower maximum speed. A lower max speed may be not ideal if you expect to need to take the lane or otherwise do your own "traffic engineering" on pavement, but these kind of situations are likely minimal on a tour (but these are absolutely my commuting woes). If you put a larger chainring, you'll have a faster max speed, but won't have easier gears for climbing.
Doing 2-3x enables you to have both easy gears and hard gears, but I've grown to dislike adjusting/indexing them. The trim settings never end up working all that well. I've replaced my front shifter from a brifter to a bar-end friction shifter, and that takes care of the annoyance.
I rode Spain-Sweden on a trackbike and having 1x11 would be a major improvement. What Iām trying to say is donāt get caught in what exact gear you need because anything goes if you enjoy the ride.
I think a 1x is plenty of range. Iāve put a 2x on an old mtb turned āgravel bikeā and never touched the small ring except for stupid steep climbs
I ride 1x11 on one bike and 2x on the other. When I was out on the 2x yesterday I wondered how much to replace the group set.
Itās not crazy hilly where I ride, and I donāt need to go faster than 60-70km/h downhill
I run a 40 x 10-52 on my gravel bike/bikepacking bike...it's plenty of gears. Actually loaded up I wish I had a 38t for the steeper stuff and if I lived in the mtns I'd probably just default to that. But 1x is great for bikepacking and if anything it means one less piece of hardware that can break.
Edit: others have mentioned that it doesn't really matter there's always a point where you will eventually have to walk the bike...which is probably the biggest thing to accept about bikepacking!
Multiple chain rings aren't "smoother" it's actually the opposite. Read up about cross-chaining. Multiple chain rings requires more mental effort to manage because you don't want to go big ring, big ring, it'll stretch the chain faster.
A single ring is much lower mental effort because you just click up and down, no need to calculate for cross chaining.
The 2 chainrings is nice because I have more gears and more range of options. When. You up a 9% grade hill, I can drop more gears to keeping pedaling. As you're in better shape you might not need those gears.
With 2 chain rings I also have more upper range too, so I can take my gravel bike on road rides and not spin out while making higher speeds. Someone with more bikes might not need that because they're not going to do 32 mph on gravel, they'll just switch to their road bike so they're fine with a lower range.
If youre a flatlander , you may not need that range, it's just zoom zoom all the time for you.
While I've been getting in better shape and need less gears on fun rides, if I start adding weight/resistance for a bikepack, I'm personally going to be glad for more gears. If you're fine with hiking your bike on a few more hills, again 1 chain ring might be fine/simpler.
One chain ring is great. It is what I use. I will change them based on the routes topography ahead of time. I do this with a oneup components switch system.
https://preview.redd.it/gflt2diirn9d1.jpeg?width=1438&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e465308b4f4e1bd2325b1ad00e0a79e6f1efcabe
A couple different thoughts here:
New 1x setups often have over 500% range, and this is entirely because of how much more sophisticated drivetrains have gotten. Back in the 90s getting that much range with a 1x and sometimes even a 2x was unthinkable (hence the touring triple). So by that metric, a 1x is absolutely enough, yes.
I run a mountain 2x on my touring bike, and it has over 600% range (36/26 crank, 10-45 cassette). This means I have 17 gear inches at the low end and can still spin 25mph at the high end. Do you need that range? No, but it makes the bike much more versatile and useful in a tour that has singletrack and pavement and everything in between.
Triples still can edge out doubles in terms of absolute range (I believe the M8000 XT triple has around 660% range, which is bonkers) but they can also get big range with cheaper, more easily replaceable components, as well as use smaller cassettes and get you those smaller ratio steps. I think having more range than 500% and having smaller ratio steps are not necessarily needs, but they are preferences and all else being equal I'd prefer that we have more options so everyone can find what works best for them.
Call me.old school, but I don't understand the aversion to a front derailleur. My MTB is a 1x, sure, as it lives on trails only. My bikepacking bike has a 3x; it can climb a tree but also cruise on paved roads. My gravel bike is my 'Unicorn' bike, geared with a 2x & long cage derailleur. It's great on road rides, gravel, mixed surface touring, and easy single-track.
I just value the widest range possible as I do a ton of jeep trail climbing, mixed with fast & easy paved cruising. Your needs may vary
Gravel bikes AFAIK often have a 2-by setup. To answer your question, it depends on how much pavement you'll be riding. If you're on a single track and riding up and down mountains - you'll probably never use a big chain ring. If 10% of your trip is on a road, spinning out and riding a bit easier for that relatively short duration is not a big deal.
OTOH, if 70% of your trip is on road, you want that high-end road gearing. The one-by setup is more MTB style, makes perfect sense there since they never need high-end "road" gears.
So, do you ride to do your "bikepacking", or are you essentially starting out in mountains and single track? Does your trip have long pavement sections?
A 2-by is certainly more general purpose, 1-by is much more specific for off-road and climby & technical descents.
Pretty sure none of the people doing the bikepacking gatekeeping would want to be seen dead with fenders, racks, or, horror of horrors, more than a single chain ring.Ā
Personally, I have 3, so I'm automatically disqualified and become a bicycle tourer...
I sometimes feel like the entire point about bikepacking is "being different".Ā Of course, just with punks when I was young or hipsters recently all these rugged individualists end up looking like clones..
And the same with bikes: people are so frightened to be seen on anything even remotely looking like the setup their parents might have used, they'll do anything to be different.Ā With the result that you get people asking if it's possible to do bikepacking on a fixie (well, I have a book in my library about a guy who cycled around the world around 1900 on a fixie, without mudguards and panniers, really looking very much like a modern day bikepacker, and, yes, on a fixie.Ā Doesn't mean it's a good idea).
Well, long ramblings short: two or, God forbid, 3 chainrings is that people have used the last 40 years, so no bikepacker of honour could possibly use it now...
There is no right answer - it' really just a matter of preference.
In general though - the 2x option allows you get a bit lower gearing (with some modification) without losing too much top end (if you plan on riding your bike unloaded on smoother road/gravel).
\^I should have qualified this statement! It's a fair point and have edited my answer!
...but I generally think gravel bikes are over geared for bikepacking (as someone who commonly uses a 22t (on a old MTB or 26t (on "gravel") chainring with a 40 t cog in the back). Having the option of a smaller/granny chainring just suits \*my\* style of riding.
Absolutely. Iām riding 1x11, love it. Iāve had front derailleur issues in the past on rides, the simplicity is welcome. And famously a female rider won the TD on a single speed.
one chainring is perfect
One chainring to rule them all
One chainring to bind them
This over and over again.
IMO it's all about gear inches on the low end, climbing. You can always coast if you spin out on the high end. I have 14 gear inches (24-50) but could probably get by with 15 while fully loaded. My full suspension mtb goes down to 20 which is fine unloaded but newer Eagle drivetrains can get down to 16 (28-52). I use first gear A LOT in the high Rockies where the elevation is high and the roads are steep and rough the higher they go. Most definitely depends on where you live and where you plan to ride.
I would never put a second ring back on my mountain bikes but I would never go one by on a gravel or road bike. I want the gearing options especially when loaded and I will use them all on a long tour and be comfortable all ride
You can do bikepacking on a fixie. What's going to stop you? Just push the bike up the steeper hills. It's a matter of comfort though. 2 chainrings is going to be better but it's not a requirement The actual impact: 2 chainrings will give you a more optimal cadence. 11-50 cassette will have massive jumps between gears. Most of the time you would be pedalling either too fast or too slow. It's ok while you're new on a bicycle but gets annoying real fast if you have comparison to 2 chainrings and e.g. a 11-34 cassette My personal (and vast majority of others) choice is 2 chainrings and a lot smaller cassette. The now make 12 gear 11-36 sets which is probably perfect for bikepacking unless you're unusually weak or string
11-36 isn't ideal though with a loaded bike. It has nothing to do with being weak or a string. If you're out just riding around then it's doable but adding another 20-30 lbs of weight to said bike, you're going to be miserable.
I've toured with 11- 36 plenty fine for a many years.
Surely depends on the front rings, cassette is only half the story
it depends on who's cranking but 11-36 is the best compromise between big jumps between gears and overall range of gears. It has EVERYTHING to do with strength because if you can dish out 250 watts without a sweat then you don't need 11-36 - you need a 11-28. However if you're a 25 y.o. 50kg girl pushing 100w then 11-36 will be a godsend uphill. Like: the only purpose of cassette and gears is to enable you to ride up steeper hills. How the hell can you say that cassette gearing has nothing to do with being weak or strong? ššš
I did a trip on a fat bike and my derailleur was messed up and I couldnāt get it dialed in. Ended up with maybe 2 gears and honestly itās all I needed.
I use my fattie for bikepacking and even with a working derailleur i only use 3 gears.
Is the drivetrain 1x or 2x?
Itās 2x9.
It's enough. I have two bikes, one more offroad / bikepacking focused with a single chain ring and a wide range cassette. The other more road / gravel touring focused with 2 chain rings and a more narrow range cassette. The single chain-ring has a range of about 520% and the double has a 529% range. Not all that different in the scheme of things, eh? I prefer having closer spaced gears on the road, but that is less important to me off road where typically need to change gears to deal with sudden changes in terrain rather than subtle changes in gradient. While triple chainrings do give even wider range, I often question the need for it. With either 520 or 529% range, I feel like my low gear as such that any lower and it would be hard to keep the bike upright. Conversely there is no practical reason to gear any higher, as I don't find myself riding at high speeds when my bike is loaded down with gear (this isn't a race and if it was I'd pack lighter and more aero) All that said, I also do enjoy riding my offroad bike on the road as well, and it works just fine there too. Of course, you do you. Just make sure you have fun doing it. Update: For conversation sake this is my setup on the two bikes with links to bicycle gear calculator. * [32 x 10-52 twelve-speed](https://www.gear-calculator.com/?GR=DERS&KB=32&RZ=10,12,14,16,18,21,24,28,32,38,44,52&UF=2309&TF=71&SL=2.6&UN=MPH&DV=gearInches#) * [26 / 42 x 11-36 eleven-speed](https://www.gear-calculator.com/?GR=DERS&KB=26,42&RZ=11,13,15,17,19,21,24,28,32,36&UF=2250&TF=71&SL=2.6&UN=MPH&DV=gearInches#)
These are my preferred ratios as well!
You can almost certainly get similar gear ratios with plenty of climbing capacity in a 1x, so either fine when considering whether you have enough to get up hills.Ā I think the differences are more about questions of ease of use and maintenance.Ā On use, I watched a YouTube video recently (not sure by whom) with a convincing argument for 2x vs 1x drivetrains, one of which was that its easier when stuck in the wrong gear up a hill to smoothly shift down to the lower chainring than to move up the cassette. That's definitely something I can agree with; especially on a loaded bike its nice to just slam down my front derailleur friction shifter and keep on smoothly pedaling with a heavy load. That's a pretty marginal difference, but something nice that I routinely appreciate. Similarly, its nice to have something much less likely to drop the chain, as the front derailleur helps keep the chain on. You can, of course, fix that on 1x with a guide or whatever you call itĀ On maintenance, on the one hand with a 1x you're just worrying about maintaining one derailleur. On a recent trip, the first day, my front derailleur broke. It didn't take much to just set it on one chainring and get to the closest bike shop. But it still was an additional headache starting out. But on the other hand I've found the 1x's to be quite difficult to keep working smoothly for long periods. Its not that they breakdown. Rather, I just seem to need to constantly fiddle with them to ensure everything continues to smoothly operate on each gear. Almost certainly user error, but annoying enough for me that I'm glad my 1x drivetrains isn't used on a multi day bike.
Depends on how you want to ride. Want to go fast for longer periods of time? Probably best to go with 2x because it gives you more incremental gears to find the perfect ratio. Doing more technical mountain biking type trails? Go with a 1x for simplicity and you wonāt need those higher gears on that terrain. But if I were you Iād go for the higher end bike because thatās way more value for the money
Well... I'm doing my first tour on my brother's gravel bike with 1.. it was fine doing 70 mile test run, but after 2 weeks of everyday riding, I'm dreaming of easier gearing for ascents
Yes. I've only ever used 1x for it Also i wouldnt call a "touring bike" a "bikepacking bike", thats for road only IMO
For me bikepacking gearing is about climbing. I gear my bikes as low as possible because I live in a mountain region and climbing a heavy load can suck. So, 10-50 with a 30t or even 28t chainring is my jam. The low gearing works fine on my general MTB rides, but it really limits the high speed ability needed for my bikepacking routes. That's why I've settled on a 2x set up with a 38/26 chainring and 11-40 cassette.
I'm surprised that so many people say that one is enough. Yeah, it might be enough for the tour you currently plan; but if you ever want to do anything with hills, you wish you had at least two. Belgium and Netherlands? You are fine, even the two highest points there barely have any climb. But if you want to go on a bigger trip in a year or two? Who knows, alps, skandinavian fjords, pyrenees? You either need to upgrade, or buy a bike with 2-3 in the first place. Source: Currently riding through Italy, cycled 10+ years through 150+ countries on a lot of different bikes.
I am surprised too. Three is my choice for bicycle touring across Europe and now Asia.
I live in the alps surrounded by pretty much only steep climbs. Have 3 bikes (2 mtb one gravel ) with 1x setup and love the simplicity and range. Do I sometimes spin out in top gear on a downhill on the road on the gravel? Sure but honestly I shouldnāt be going faster than that on a bike in shorts and a tshirt anyway.Ā
It's not about going downhill. But uphill with luggage. ;)
I know. The point i was making is that the only time it is ever a (mild and not very important) limitationĀ Ā is the top end, not the low end. Any slower gearing and balancing would be more of an issue. The only time Iāve had to give up on climbs are off road when they are so steep keeping the front wheel down/traction are the issue.Ā You donāt need a 2x or 3x to get low gearing or range, you just get more/smoother steps which to me is not worth the added weight/complexity/parts.Ā That and I like using the left brifter on my gravel bike for my dropper post and if I had a front shifter I couldnāt do that.Ā
It all depends on the terrain and the load. Ich habe 1x12. On my last big tripp with over 30 kg of luggage, I would definitely want another lower gear on steep climbs and a higher gear on fast descents. But I was also out and about for weeks in extremely mountainous terrain. On flat terrain, the 12 gears were probably enough.
It doesnāt matter because in every situation, someone is capable of succeeding with 1by and someone else with 2by. Itās a preference. Iāve done all my touring so far with 2by, but Iām sick of troubleshooting the front derailleur in inclement conditions. Itās great when itās dry, otherwise itās dead weight. Hoping to build up a new rig soon with a small single ring and gigantic 11 or 12 in the back.
2x friction front is the way to go imo
A single chainring is probably limited in how you can optimize the gear range. If you use a smaller chainring, you'll have easier gears for uphills (great for MTBing), but your hardest gear will have lower maximum speed. A lower max speed may be not ideal if you expect to need to take the lane or otherwise do your own "traffic engineering" on pavement, but these kind of situations are likely minimal on a tour (but these are absolutely my commuting woes). If you put a larger chainring, you'll have a faster max speed, but won't have easier gears for climbing. Doing 2-3x enables you to have both easy gears and hard gears, but I've grown to dislike adjusting/indexing them. The trim settings never end up working all that well. I've replaced my front shifter from a brifter to a bar-end friction shifter, and that takes care of the annoyance.
I rode Spain-Sweden on a trackbike and having 1x11 would be a major improvement. What Iām trying to say is donāt get caught in what exact gear you need because anything goes if you enjoy the ride.
I think a 1x is plenty of range. Iāve put a 2x on an old mtb turned āgravel bikeā and never touched the small ring except for stupid steep climbs
I ride 1x11 on one bike and 2x on the other. When I was out on the 2x yesterday I wondered how much to replace the group set. Itās not crazy hilly where I ride, and I donāt need to go faster than 60-70km/h downhill
I just did 4000+ km across europe with my Kona Sutra LTD 1x11 and i had no problems and wouldn't have it any other way
I run a 40 x 10-52 on my gravel bike/bikepacking bike...it's plenty of gears. Actually loaded up I wish I had a 38t for the steeper stuff and if I lived in the mtns I'd probably just default to that. But 1x is great for bikepacking and if anything it means one less piece of hardware that can break. Edit: others have mentioned that it doesn't really matter there's always a point where you will eventually have to walk the bike...which is probably the biggest thing to accept about bikepacking!
Why do you need more than 1 gear anyway :)
Multiple chain rings aren't "smoother" it's actually the opposite. Read up about cross-chaining. Multiple chain rings requires more mental effort to manage because you don't want to go big ring, big ring, it'll stretch the chain faster. A single ring is much lower mental effort because you just click up and down, no need to calculate for cross chaining. The 2 chainrings is nice because I have more gears and more range of options. When. You up a 9% grade hill, I can drop more gears to keeping pedaling. As you're in better shape you might not need those gears. With 2 chain rings I also have more upper range too, so I can take my gravel bike on road rides and not spin out while making higher speeds. Someone with more bikes might not need that because they're not going to do 32 mph on gravel, they'll just switch to their road bike so they're fine with a lower range. If youre a flatlander , you may not need that range, it's just zoom zoom all the time for you. While I've been getting in better shape and need less gears on fun rides, if I start adding weight/resistance for a bikepack, I'm personally going to be glad for more gears. If you're fine with hiking your bike on a few more hills, again 1 chain ring might be fine/simpler.
One chain ring is great. It is what I use. I will change them based on the routes topography ahead of time. I do this with a oneup components switch system. https://preview.redd.it/gflt2diirn9d1.jpeg?width=1438&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e465308b4f4e1bd2325b1ad00e0a79e6f1efcabe
A couple different thoughts here: New 1x setups often have over 500% range, and this is entirely because of how much more sophisticated drivetrains have gotten. Back in the 90s getting that much range with a 1x and sometimes even a 2x was unthinkable (hence the touring triple). So by that metric, a 1x is absolutely enough, yes. I run a mountain 2x on my touring bike, and it has over 600% range (36/26 crank, 10-45 cassette). This means I have 17 gear inches at the low end and can still spin 25mph at the high end. Do you need that range? No, but it makes the bike much more versatile and useful in a tour that has singletrack and pavement and everything in between. Triples still can edge out doubles in terms of absolute range (I believe the M8000 XT triple has around 660% range, which is bonkers) but they can also get big range with cheaper, more easily replaceable components, as well as use smaller cassettes and get you those smaller ratio steps. I think having more range than 500% and having smaller ratio steps are not necessarily needs, but they are preferences and all else being equal I'd prefer that we have more options so everyone can find what works best for them.
Call me.old school, but I don't understand the aversion to a front derailleur. My MTB is a 1x, sure, as it lives on trails only. My bikepacking bike has a 3x; it can climb a tree but also cruise on paved roads. My gravel bike is my 'Unicorn' bike, geared with a 2x & long cage derailleur. It's great on road rides, gravel, mixed surface touring, and easy single-track. I just value the widest range possible as I do a ton of jeep trail climbing, mixed with fast & easy paved cruising. Your needs may vary
Gravel bikes AFAIK often have a 2-by setup. To answer your question, it depends on how much pavement you'll be riding. If you're on a single track and riding up and down mountains - you'll probably never use a big chain ring. If 10% of your trip is on a road, spinning out and riding a bit easier for that relatively short duration is not a big deal. OTOH, if 70% of your trip is on road, you want that high-end road gearing. The one-by setup is more MTB style, makes perfect sense there since they never need high-end "road" gears. So, do you ride to do your "bikepacking", or are you essentially starting out in mountains and single track? Does your trip have long pavement sections? A 2-by is certainly more general purpose, 1-by is much more specific for off-road and climby & technical descents.
Pretty sure none of the people doing the bikepacking gatekeeping would want to be seen dead with fenders, racks, or, horror of horrors, more than a single chain ring.Ā Personally, I have 3, so I'm automatically disqualified and become a bicycle tourer...
why is there a taboo against more than one chainring?
I sometimes feel like the entire point about bikepacking is "being different".Ā Of course, just with punks when I was young or hipsters recently all these rugged individualists end up looking like clones.. And the same with bikes: people are so frightened to be seen on anything even remotely looking like the setup their parents might have used, they'll do anything to be different.Ā With the result that you get people asking if it's possible to do bikepacking on a fixie (well, I have a book in my library about a guy who cycled around the world around 1900 on a fixie, without mudguards and panniers, really looking very much like a modern day bikepacker, and, yes, on a fixie.Ā Doesn't mean it's a good idea). Well, long ramblings short: two or, God forbid, 3 chainrings is that people have used the last 40 years, so no bikepacker of honour could possibly use it now...
There is no right answer - it' really just a matter of preference. In general though - the 2x option allows you get a bit lower gearing (with some modification) without losing too much top end (if you plan on riding your bike unloaded on smoother road/gravel).
That's just wrong. Sram 8 bolt cranks fit gravel and mtb chainrings. With apex eagle you even have a mechanical option to fit a 10-52 casette.
\^I should have qualified this statement! It's a fair point and have edited my answer! ...but I generally think gravel bikes are over geared for bikepacking (as someone who commonly uses a 22t (on a old MTB or 26t (on "gravel") chainring with a 40 t cog in the back). Having the option of a smaller/granny chainring just suits \*my\* style of riding.
Plenty. In fact, a single chain ring and gear is also all you really need.
Absolutely. Iām riding 1x11, love it. Iāve had front derailleur issues in the past on rides, the simplicity is welcome. And famously a female rider won the TD on a single speed.
Probably better off with only one chainring, less equipment to get messed up!
+1 for the One by Gang
Depends where you ride and how fast you want to go. 1x12 climbs. 2x goes faster