Easily convert your bike from a 2X to 1X drivetrain.

In today's video, I walk you through the rather easy and inexpensive process of converting your gravel or road bike from a 2X drivetrain to a 1X setup. I show you what parts you'll need, how to install them, how to adjust the derailleur and shifting afterward, and how much it all costs. We compare the weights and then I ramble a bit about why I did it. If you're considering a 1X conversion, I hope this helps.

[dirkkindermann]

I live in northern Germany, where the hills are quite low and not very steep. That's why I decided to switch to 1x11 some time ago. At the moment I'm doing well at 45 by 42-11. For a bike tour through the Harz I converted the front ring to 38, which was really necessary there. So 1x11 is absolutely sufficient for my everyday environment.
If I lived in a more alpine region I would certainly switch to 2x or 3x.

My bottom line from this video is: Feel free to try out different setups and don't be afraid of high costs.
There will never be THE setup that suits everyone. The perfect bike can only be like the human body and the terrain you ride on - absolutely individual 😊

Thank you Robert for this nice, compact and easy diy instruction!

[nevilledickson]

Thanks for the best video I have seen in a long time. No unnecessary frills. Short and sweet. Made it look easy.

[stumpthecorgi]

You made this look easy. I especially liked how you explained tuning the cable tension on the rear derailleur.

[bikecommuter]

I got an old Felt Verza Speed 50 I converted from a 3x8 to 1X8 a couple of months ago, although I went a bit future than you did I replaced the crankset I also went a single 40T wide narrow chainring, bottom bracket, new rear derailleur, new brake and shifter cables and a new chain I got rid of the combined shifters-brake levers and fitted stand alone brake levers and used a stand alone 8 speed shifter everything plus the special tools, a crank arm puller and bottom bracket socket I got on Amazon.
The bottom bracket felt crunchy so I replaced it was not very expensive.
It was mostly easy to do my old suntour crankset arms did want to come off but a little heat applied by my blow torch loosened then up so they came off.
I kept the 8 speed cassette its more than enough Im not riding fast or very far mostly commuting to work, errands and an occasional weekend ride.
I like the easier riding, I did have to do a little fiddling-adjusting on the brake lever angle, and the left non drive arm crank arm bolt kept coming loose even with red loctite on the bolts, I just bought brand new bolts so far staying put I did find and buy some crank arm bolts that have retention ridges on them but they are 14mm and I would have to carry a socket with me rather than a 8mm hex bit but I can live with that.
I figured I dropped about a pound or so of weight and the shifting is nicer, and I got better acting brakes.
FYI my bottom bracket and crankset are from Bucklos
brake levers were from Tektro since my stock brakes are Tektro
The shifter and rear derailleur are stock Shimano parts, the bike came with an Altus rear derailleur and that is what I went with.
LOL I'm looking at maybe doing a complete microSHIft 1x10 setup, the parts are on my Amazon Wishlist but I might get another bike to do that to, I keep my eye on Facebook Marketplace and online.
I don' t have a long commute about 2 miles/ 3km and is slightly uphill I'm mostly in 5th and 4th going up hill, 7-8 for the flat part then back to 4th to go uphill to work, coming home downhill I'm in 6-7 I rarely go to 8.
Im on the shorter side and considered 165mm cranks but stuck with the 170mm I'm thinking (Probably wrong) the extra leverage is better for uphill I got a bad knee so I'm not pushing hard riding, going to a 40T from a 38T seems to be easier to pedal for me but that is just my perception.

[CashPope]

The algorithm is doing works this year. I'm converting to 1x for the same exact reason as you are.

[batbawls]

Robert, I love your channel. Thanks for producing these!

[Alimukz]

This video pops up on my feed while I'm looking to do this conversion 🤔 I've been agonising for months over how to do it! I was going to buy a new crankset, new RD and everything... Thanks a lot for the ideas

[leonhopfl]

another alternative to solve that initial problem is swapping to a subcompact upfront and a 11-36 in the rear. That way, you basically dont ever exit the big ring unless youre currently climbing. On the flipside, you dont lose the top end gearing and narrowish gear steps of 2x. 1x is still easier and stuff but for normal people on road bikes 46/30 + 11-36 is the goat imo

[bengt_axle]

Why do you cross chain (34/11) in the first place? You can get the same approximate ratio and move up and down the cassette on the big ring (50/16) and have fewer steps between gear ratios with a 2X system. 1X only makes sense when you have a large rear tire that needs the extra space gained by removing the inner chain ring. But with carbon fibre and even modern metal tube shaping, many modern gravel bikes even incorporate 2X as an added benefit, namely that you can just switch out the wheels to get a road bike with 28 mm tires and gearing for fast riding. It makes no sense to buy additional parts for a bike like this and downgrade its gearing.

[SluSharkND]

This is a fantastic tutorial. Thank you, Sir.

[aaa]

The main reason 1x became a thing is competitive mountain biking. It was a way to reduce dropping a chain. And through marketing and creating content for almost every bicycle YT channel, it's become one more cycling trend that people seem to think they need to follow. Wide handlebars and converting to tubeless are a few more examples.

[phmiii]

From my experience, the 105 derailleur has two holes for spring tension. Try moving the tension spring to the sifter position.

[time]

Nice 👍 I've just done the same with an old Giant Perigeé steel frame. Single same105 cranks, but with FSA and older 105 7 spd with an ex comp block, on a Sun Mistral rim.

[slicedbread]

No I'm no here because I want a 1x setup. I here because I like your video's and respect what you have to say. I'm older and so are my bikes. I like my 2x and 3x. I'm only recreational riding and depending on which bike I'm riding I have no idea what gear ratio I'm in and what the next up or down ratio would be. But that doesn't matter too much for me. Anyway, your perspective is different than mine. I like bikes, so I like seeing different points of view. I do like 1x but only for certain things. I set up my wife's bike as a 1x. And I like your approach and explanations.

[Rambl-n_Man]

I'd rather change up the chain rings giving your bike more flexibility and gearing you desire. However, a 1x or 2x is dependent on how you are using your bike. I like having a 1x on my fatbike, however, a 1x limits the flexibility on my Diverge as I am either too high or too low for group riding or trying to find the right cadence on a steep gravel hill or bikepacking...hate it unless I am just riding gravel and not having to keep pace with a group or another rider. My road bike has a 2x and love it. Currently building up a bike for the GDMBR and it will be a 2x for an all around gravel, bikepacking and touring bike.

Really enjoy your channel btw, even though I would approach this project differently. Keep up the good work!

[michaelviglianco]

Wont be long before all the videos are about converting tk 2x

[fuzzi]

I did the exact opposite, I couldn't look at the skew of the chain and I have now a better gear ratio for mountain and flat road....

[jonathangreen]

Another option, which I favour, is to go smaller on the front rings. I ride 44/28 on the front with 11-32 at the back. That way I get low climbing gears and a top gear plenty big enough for me. I also keep nice small jumps between gears. I spend most of the time on the 44 and bail out onto the 28 when a hill is long or quite steep. Shimano's obsession with big chainrings drives me nuts - how many everyday cyclists need or use a 50x11 gear?

[SSid-orrv]

Cool video (minus the walking around lol). As for the topic on hand, it depends on the terrain and usage. All my MTBs are 1x12 from the factory and it suits them great where my main objective is climbing steep hills but I'm keeping my road bike 2x because I'm often riding fast and flat so I need the big chainring up front but at times I'm also climbing 12-14% grades in my area and need the small chainring even with a 11-42T cassette.

[akissparaskevopoulos]

I did the same as the first part of yr video. But I just kept the 34 on the crank for easier climbs and 42 on the back from Sunrace same as you and just got a longer B screw for my canyon grail and it shifts really well. Now I’m thinking of getting the 46/30 crank and just keep the 30. Where I live is very steep and don’t care for speed as I do for climbing.