The Ultimate 2x10 versus 3x10 Page!

[Iwan Kemp]

I take it you are referring to shifting up front. Yes? Cassette you have POTENTIALLY smaller jumps depending on the cassette you run. 11x32 has smaller gaps on 10spd than it does 9spd. Faster shifting comes from better technology and incremental upgrades, not so much because you've gone to 2x. So marketing jabber, yes - working the angles there. Nothing new and nothing different to what any other brand will do with any form of "new tech".

 

Up front we've gone from (among many others) 22/32/44 to 26/38 or 26/39 depending on brand. So the jump is not really more as we've already had a 12T jump. Research have shown 1:1.5 ratio up front works best, but Shimano decided to go with slightly smaller gaps.

Edited May 9, 2012 by The Crow

[Eldron]

So, MY summary. Comparing a 24/32/42 and 26/38. 1. Loose 1 gear on each end. (3.8 vs 3.5 and .67 vs .72) 2. Being able to use the full range on the back, irrespective of the front selection. And that is it.

 

Practically I don't think there is much of a difference in the two - most of the time. It's the extremes that are the problem - SabieX has a loooong descents and I out pedalled my partner (me on 3x10 him on 2x10). I also climbed more comfortable - although thats more because he chose the Heman inner blade and didn't change to a 36 on the back.

 

Likewise XCO - that is middle and granny territory - unless you're Burry you want a "safety" to go to.

 

If you changed chainrings and cassettes depending on each race's terrain then 2x10 will provide more than enough options to pedal comfortably on. Me - I like riding my bike not fiddling with it so for me it's 3x10 - it removes the hassle of having to ask questions like "will I have a long/short enough gear for this race?".

 

That said - if my next bike only came with 2x10 I would not spend the extra cash to change it to 3x10.

 

The only real problem I have with the whole 2x10 concept is people that go out and spend extra money "upgrading" to 2x10. Complete waste of money - unless those extra 60-100g were really bugging you.

[Iwan Kemp]

The only real problem I have with the whole 2x10 concept is people that go out and spend extra money "upgrading" to 2x10. Complete waste of money - unless those extra 60-100g were really bugging you.

 

Yip

[NotSoBigBen]

At Thaba I'd rather have a 'granny granny' so don't go there with my 2*10 29r but then again I am not at 'Heman' status

[Eldron]

I take it you are referring to shifting up front. Yes? Cassette you have POTENTIALLY smaller jumps depending on the cassette you run. 11x32 has smaller gaps on 10spd than it does 9spd. Faster shifting comes from better technology and incremental upgrades, not so much because you've gone to 2x. So marketing jabber, yes - working the angles there. Nothing new and nothing different to what any other brand will do with any form of "new tech". Up front we've gone from (among many others) 22/32/44 to 26/38 or 26/39 depending on brand. So the jump is not really more as we've already had a 12T jump. Research have shown 1:1.5 ratio up front works best, but Shimano decided to go with slightly smaller gaps.

 

Products aside (yes I'm a Shimanophile) your maths doesn't add up:

 

From the SRAM website....

• X-Glide 2X10 and 3X10 shifting technology, 26-39, 28-42 and 22-33-44 gearing
  

Thats 11 tooth jumps for 3x10 and 13 or 14 tooth jumps for 2x10.

 

Shimano stuff:

 

Outer Chainring 42T Middle Chainring 32T Inner Chainring 24T

 

Outer Chainring 38T Middle Chainring Inner Chainring 24T

 

10 tooth jump on 3x10 and 14 tooth jump on 3x10.

 

Like I said though - mostly theoretical. Not real difference in the real world.

 

In terms of the rear - if you want similar gearing to 3x10 you'll need to go 36 largest on the back which means bigger jumps between gears...

 

Again - probably not noticable in the real world...

[Iron]

putting aside all facts read ,

 

my new bike come out with 2x10 ( 26/40 F and 11/36 R )

 

It's a pleasure to ride ,

 

Did clarens this past weekend and did not even need the 36 R , I find climbing much more efficient then my previous triple ring bike , and only needing to shift once up and down in the front is great, top end it's no different to my past bike .

 

its personal and in the real world for me it's great .

 

we can put down pages of theory but unless you have tried it dont knock it .

 

That said i would not go out of my way to change a bike from 3x10 to 2x10 if saving a few grams is the main aim you have .

 

but after riding 2 x 10 i would prefer to keep ridding it.

Edited May 9, 2012 by Iron

[rob!]

 

[bla bla bla with very nice explanations]

 

So....in my opinion:

 

2x10 is a stupid idea

 

For a 40g saving you can climb less mountains and can't go as fast on the downhills.

 

Man was that a waste of 10 minutes of my life!

 

[Iwan Kemp]

... your maths doesn't add up:

 

My bad. Was thinking 9spd triple vs 10spd double.

 

 

Again - probably not noticable in the real world...

 

It is if you ride back to back, but other than that you get used to it in no time.

[Iwan Kemp]

we can put down pages of theory but unless you have tried it dont knock it .

 

Yip

[Iwan Kemp]

Don't know why I'm on here cause I'm going 1x10!

[Eldron]

Mr. Crow - agreed! I smacked Modders on a 32x18 SS on Saturday and loved it!

 

@iron - dude - its not the 2x10 - its the 29er Crackenfail combined with the fact that you've been riding more you muppit ;-)

[Iron]

@iron - dude - its not the 2x10 - its the 29er Crackenfail combined with the fact that you've been riding more you muppit ;-)

 

 

 

but but but ............. its nicer ok ...................ok thats all i got

Edited May 9, 2012 by Iron

[Eldron]

Hmmmm some "obvious" has just hit me 'twixt the eyeballs... A 2x10 front mech only has to deal with a 14 tooth gap in total whereas a 3x10 has to deal with a 20 tooth gap in total... SRAM and co could be telling the truth about "better shifting" - my bad!

[Iron]

@iron - dude - its not the 2x10 - its the 29er Crackenfail combined with the fact that you've been riding more you muppit ;-)

 

BTW whos you fuurking muppit

[Iron]

Eldron !

 

test for you , we swop bikes for a month you will see what im saying .

 

like getting a electric toothbrush , its ok when you get it but when you go back to a normal one then you get the picture and what all the fuss is about ..........

 

see where im going with this , after the month then we try do some theory crap .

[Eldron]

Iron! Sorry about the muppit thing - love you long time ;-)

 

I'm not gonna ride your bike again cos then I'll be adding a lefty to my Niner and the bank account would not like that! Plus I'd have to renege on my "no carbon on mtb" statement and thehub wolves would have me for breakfast!!!

 

Ps: ride your SS at Modders - its awesome! Nearly blew a poep string getting over "the rock" and used 2nd gear a lot (no 3rd gear though!!) but well worth it!