MTB Drivetrain Upgrade - 1x11 or 1x12?

[Dicky DQ]

If you are going to chage the freehub go XD and go for the 9-50 that will keep the rations similar to what he currently has, but with more top end. But that is just me. Most people spend a lot of time gravel grinding and that just makes more sense.

 

Ride like K2C and TB jast ask for something with more top end on the flats. OK I did manage a fair result on a TB with a 32-11-42 but a 43 9-50 would have made a world of a difference.

[Cappi]

go 1 x 12. price difference is so small vs 1x11. I went with the SLX upgrade kit with Sunrace casette 11-51. and a 34 oval upfront. That was from a 3x10 SLX system. im loving it. No need to change freehub. plus the 34t upfront is good enough for the flats. Check the gear ratio calculations and see if u happy with what u will get. current vs upgrade.

  

[ChrisF]

If it was my money ....

 

AVOID entry level 1x12 systems ....  the tolerances are TIGHT, and if it is not top notch equipment you have endless issues .....

 

 

IF, you are going to spend money .... well then it only makes sense to go for a 10-50 type system ... which means a significant upgrade.

 

 

 

IF the issue at hand is "gaps", then the most cost effective solution may be a 11-50 1x11 upgrade.  Not as finiky as a 1x12, same top and bottom ends, and the first ten gears will be spaced nicely.

 

 

 

I had a 1x12 GX ..... currently there are three bikes with 1x11 in my garage 1 is a 11-50, the other two are 11-42.  Absolutely no desire to upgrade any of these to 1x12, as a I know the issues of a mid-tier, and simply cant justify the costs of a proper top-end upgrade.