Trance x2 1x conversation

[Michael Dorfling]

My wife has a old Giant Trance x2 with a shimano SLX 3 x 9 gear setup. I want to convert to 1 x system to simplify it for my wife. Dont want to spend a lot of money on the bicycle. What is my option, will i be able to add the chainring and new 9 speed cassette because the stock standard cassette does not have a great wide narrow range. Would i be able to keep the derailler ans just swap out some cogs on the cassette?

Edited Thursday at 02:23 PM by Michael Dorfling

[Alouette3]

New chain ring up front, then maybe find a cheap second hand 10 speed derailleur and shifter and put an 11-42T or 11-46T cassette on the rear. You will struggle to find a 9 speed cassette with the a big enough range and then the gaps between cogs will likely be too large 

[s14phoenix]

So I have 2 bikes running 9speed - you need a wider range cassette and a 1x front chainring. Some derailleurs dont like the wide range cassettes as they where never made to go up to such a big gear. Most dont have problems with 34 or 36 tooth. You can buy a derailleur drop link or hanger extender and then adjust the screw on the back until it just climbs up nicely. 

Sunrace make an 11-40 cassette - you can get it at lots of shops - even Takealot:

https://www.takealot.com/sunrace-cassette-csm980-9-speed-11-40t-black/PLID90803386

Hanger extender:

https://bikehub.co.za/classifieds/all-ads?s=hanger+extender

or if you are buying from takealot anyway:

https://www.takealot.com/toopre-bicycle-derailleur-cassette-extender-34-52t/PLID94410445

Note that these systems are not designed to run like this and it could be sometime a pain to get the gears to shift nicely also - I found that 9sp chains are not great at flexing across a wide cassette but something like a KMC X10 chain seem to work better and shifting is ok. I have tested this with 9sp XT, SLX and SRAM X-9 and X-0 derailleurs and shifters.

2c added use it at own peril.

Edited Thursday at 09:09 PM by s14phoenix