[ubermonkey]

I live in a flat place, so I know a LOT of folks who set up their crit (racing) bikes as 1x. 1x on gravel and MTB has become almost the standard.

It happens because the cassettes have gotten SO WIDE -- 12 speed is pretty normal now -- that you don't so much need the extra chainring in front to get a pretty wonderful gear range, especially in contexts where having close ratios may not matter (e.g., mtb or gravel).

[petre]

We have hills here and I very much enjoy being able to drop my chain 10 or 16 teeth at a time with my 2x11 mountain and 2x10 all road setups.

I wouldn't go back to 3x9 though. Maybe on the vintage road bike where finding any crankset other than a road 52/42 is an adventure.

[ubermonkey]

Yeah, I really don't know how well 1x setups work for people in hillier places. I did a big charity ride through the Texas hill country about a month ago, and I didn't even take my normal road bike (53/39, 11-25). I took my "endurance" frame that's geared way easier (50/34, 11-28).

A 1x would've been miserable, and this was a weekend with only maybe 6,000 feet of climbing.

That said, are they even MAKING 2x mountain bike setups anymore?

[petre]

Yes, Shimano is quite conservative and they still make 2x setups. The MTB manufacturers rarely use them though, maybe as a cost cutting measure and also because everyone and their neighbour now wants 1x.

On the gravel bike side of things, 1x still doesn't cut it in the low gearing department and one needs to resort to mixing incompatible gravel and MTB mechanical parts. That's where electronic shifting comes to the rescue.

53/39 is insane. I only use subcompacts like 46/30 or 48/32. No use for the ≥ 50T here.

[ubermonkey]

Yeah, it's hella flat in Houston. ;) I sometimes get texts from pals who live elsewhere after I upload, say, a 60+ mile ride with, like, 300 feet of elevation.

I love the feel of the 53 vs the compact on my Roubaix, but i have to be really on top of my game to take it to (e.g.) Austin.