Converting Gravel bike (105 R7020) to 1x

[Maniax]

Looking for some advice.  I ride mainly on my Momsen R355 Gravelbike with 105 R7020 2x groupset.  The most tarmac I ride is the bit between my house and where ever the gravel roads are (Middelburg is not road cycling friendly).  I've even ridden two MTB races with my Momsen. What I have found is that whenever I hit any amount of mud, my FD just doesn't shift (the grime  gets stuck on the cable on the bottom (where the BB is), or the FD itself).  As soon as I shift to the 34t, I cannot get back to the 50t.  Its massively frustrating to the point that I am prepared to throw a few grand at converting to a 1x setup 42 front and 11-42 back (might need to buy a GRX RD with the tensioner- ouch) for a smooth setup.  (so , swopping out the rings on the 105 crank with a 42 absolute black wide/narrow-(buying a 170mm grx crank is insanely expensive), a new 11-42 cassette, chain and GRX RD... looking at around an estimated 7k expense).
My question is basically a subjective one.  Is it worth it?  I'm currently only focused on my frustration at this point. Either the possibility of limping home every time I hit water or mud on a 34t chainring or losing some top speed and the small jumps between cogs (coming from a road background it might take some getting use to).

I don't know of any other way to resolve....

[Dexter-morgan]

Personally, I like the idea, I converted a MTB 3x 9 to 1x10 and love it, I bought a 42t Narrow wide from Rapide and the 10 speed rear derailleur I had, I use it around our weekday ride and love it. I use a 11-36 cassette, suffer a little on the climbs but in our area, I could get to the top of most climbs. Maybe investigate if your shifter will work with a 11speed XT derailleur, you will find them in the classified section

[Maniax]

59 minutes ago, Dexter-morgan said:

Personally, I like the idea, I converted a MTB 3x 9 to 1x10 and love it, I bought a 42t Narrow wide from Rapide and the 10 speed rear derailleur I had, I use it around our weekday ride and love it. I use a 11-36 cassette, suffer a little on the climbs but in our area, I could get to the top of most climbs. Maybe investigate if your shifter will work with a 11speed XT derailleur, you will find them in the classified section

from what I read the 11 speed mtb rd's has a different cable pull than the 105 shifters.  You can get away with a specific add-on on the derailler... but Im not sure. Its a bit over my head.  

[Spinnekop]

Have been running 105 with a 1x setup for about a year now.

11-33 at the back if I remember correctly.

Given I don't do a LOT of climbing in and around Pretoria the 11-33 works just fine.

 

 

Edited April 4, 2023 by Spinnekop

[ChrisF]

Maybe @Prince Albert Cycles can give some advise 👍

[Maniax]

41 minutes ago, ChrisF said:

Maybe @Prince Albert Cycles can give some advise 👍

would appreciate it

[splat]

2 hours ago, Maniax said:

Looking for some advice.  I ride mainly on my Momsen R355 Gravelbike with 105 R7020 2x groupset.  The most tarmac I ride is the bit between my house and where ever the gravel roads are (Middelburg is not road cycling friendly).  I've even ridden two MTB races with my Momsen. What I have found is that whenever I hit any amount of mud, my FD just doesn't shift (the grime  gets stuck on the cable on the bottom (where the BB is), or the FD itself).  As soon as I shift to the 34t, I cannot get back to the 50t.  Its massively frustrating to the point that I am prepared to throw a few grand at converting to a 1x setup 42 front and 11-42 back (might need to buy a GRX RD with the tensioner- ouch) for a smooth setup.  (so , swopping out the rings on the 105 crank with a 42 absolute black wide/narrow-(buying a 170mm grx crank is insanely expensive), a new 11-42 cassette, chain and GRX RD... looking at around an estimated 7k expense).
My question is basically a subjective one.  Is it worth it?  I'm currently only focused on my frustration at this point. Either the possibility of limping home every time I hit water or mud on a 34t chainring or losing some top speed and the small jumps between cogs (coming from a road background it might take some getting use to).

I don't know of any other way to resolve....

I am always keen on buying new kit, but in this case I am wondering if there isn't a way of sorting out the front mech rather than getting a whole new drivetrain.

Perhaps the current front mech is faulty ?
Is there maybe a way of doing full outer cable to the front mech to protect it from muck ?

[Maniax]

1 minute ago, splat said:

I am always keen on buying new kit, but in this case I am wondering if there isn't a way of sorting out the front mech rather than getting a whole new drivetrain.

Perhaps the current front mech is faulty ?
Is there maybe a way of doing full outer cable to the front mech to protect it from muck ?

Ive had the bike into the LBS a few times but no avail. I even replaced the housing and cabling just before the Cosmos 3 in 1.  work perfectly until we hit the muddy parts.... then samo samo.  luckily the most of the cosmos wasnt 50t friendly so it worked out alright.

[buckstopper]

So I went to take a look at mine, same bike. I don't have this shifting issue. Would it be to unstylish to McGyver by running thick double-sided tape in between the cables to create a bridge and then taping over the whole exposed cable area with a gorilla tape?

[betaboy]

2 hours ago, Spinnekop said:

Have been running 105 with a 1x setup for about a year now.

11-33 at the back if I remember correctly.

Given I don't do a LOT of climbing in and around Pretoria the 11-33 works just fine.

 

 

Damn that’s a sweet ride. I’m anti 1X, because I believe real men do it with two chainrings 😂😂😂 but just because I’m a “train station” fan, you are forgiven. See what I did there <

[betaboy]

1 hour ago, Maniax said:

Ive had the bike into the LBS a few times but no avail. I even replaced the housing and cabling just before the Cosmos 3 in 1.  work perfectly until we hit the muddy parts.... then samo samo.  luckily the most of the cosmos wasnt 50t friendly so it worked out alright.

What about completely re-rooting via the top tube and down the seat tube and Change the FD to an opposite pull? Then you can ditch the bottom system maybe?… ( like the FARR gravel frame)

[Maniax]

47 minutes ago, betaboy said:

What about completely re-rooting via the top tube and down the seat tube and Change the FD to an opposite pull? Then you can ditch the bottom system maybe?… ( like the FARR gravel frame)

oh wow.... didnt even know that was possible.

[dasilvarsa]

Make a Plastic Cover.

[100Tours]

5 hours ago, Maniax said:

Looking for some advice.  I ride mainly on my Momsen R355 Gravelbike with 105 R7020 2x groupset.  The most tarmac I ride is the bit between my house and where ever the gravel roads are (Middelburg is not road cycling friendly).  I've even ridden two MTB races with my Momsen. What I have found is that whenever I hit any amount of mud, my FD just doesn't shift (the grime  gets stuck on the cable on the bottom (where the BB is), or the FD itself).  As soon as I shift to the 34t, I cannot get back to the 50t.  Its massively frustrating to the point that I am prepared to throw a few grand at converting to a 1x setup 42 front and 11-42 back (might need to buy a GRX RD with the tensioner- ouch) for a smooth setup.  (so , swopping out the rings on the 105 crank with a 42 absolute black wide/narrow-(buying a 170mm grx crank is insanely expensive), a new 11-42 cassette, chain and GRX RD... looking at around an estimated 7k expense).
My question is basically a subjective one.  Is it worth it?  I'm currently only focused on my frustration at this point. Either the possibility of limping home every time I hit water or mud on a 34t chainring or losing some top speed and the small jumps between cogs (coming from a road background it might take some getting use to).

I don't know of any other way to resolve....

If the issue is mud jamming up the steel cable inside the cable housing you might try this bodge..

- Find a cable stop with a long 'tail' (basically sheaths the steel inner cable after it leaves the housing.

- insert steel cable through cap

- fill (inside cap) with a blob of silicone and push this all the way through the tail.

- cure.

 The cable will cut through the silicone, but it will fit so tightly that mud doesn't get in. Or you can still go 1x, but that's kinda expensive

 

[100Tours]

something like this -

[Maniax]

35 minutes ago, 100Tours said:

something like this -

That might just work... so I can run this until it reaches the narrow tube pushing up through the back of the seat post?