Anyone go from 1x drivetrain back to 2x or 3x?

For the vast majority of my mtbing on my 29er hardtail my 30x11-42 drivetrain does the job problem free and with enough gearing choices. There is the occassional tough climb where I find the 30x42 not low enough but that's usually when I'm already gassed, am not in my best shape/strength/hungover or the climb is relentless. And there's the occassional ride to the trails where the 30x11 is spinning out.

Anyway I am thinking about increasing the usage of this all mountain hardtail to use beyond typical mtbing. I am pondering having a second set of wheels built up with skinny cx or commuter tread for the commute to work. Also considering using this bike for cycle touring with packs and/or a bob trailer. If I go either or both of these routes I will surely require a 2x or 3x up front.

So who's found 1x insufficient for their needs on their one and only or main bike. I have a second bike but it's set up as a single speed junker screw around with bike.

I've been on a 1x with 30x42 for the past month after much speculative nitpicking a 1x system since they came out.

My take, for 95% of my riding the 1x is ok..most singletrack climbs are completely fine, however I feel like I'm almost always pushing max energy output on steep or hard climbs and after a while my knees start to hate me and I wish I had an easier bailout gear so I didn't always feel like I was puking up a lung or blowing my miniscus to smithereens. The other concern is that the chainline is not great in the 30x42 and if I spend alot of time in that gear, I'm going to be going through drivetrains like crazy. Just looking at the chainline makes me shudder, actually. Surprisingly I don't run out of gearing on most descents which was one of my big concerns.

All that to say the 1x is sweet (quiet, no dropped chains, feels very efficient), but I still feel it's a compromise that I'm not willing to take. At some point in the future I'm going to run a 2x11 with something like a 26t granny and a 34t big ring for maximum gear range. I still strongly feel that a mountain bike is a tool for exploring everywhere and anywhere and adding the weight of a front derailleur/shifter is worth it if I can truly go anywhere with that setup.

I'm on 2x and was looking at making the switch to 1x. In the end, decided not to as it was going to mean a whole new drive train just to get the gearing I wanted. I like the idea of 1x and may give it a whirl when my current drive train is done but I wouldnt want to commute / tour with it.

That said, I looked at a similar conversion a while back and a couple of draw backs I came across:
- I don't really like riding high end components on my commuter because it sees all the road salt, rain etc. Running your AM bike in that weather it can take a beating.
- You can get some pretty good deals on used CX or touring bikes. In the end, it doesn't end up being too much more than you would have spent getting your hardtail commuter ready (of course, this assumes that you have the space for the extra bike).
- Despite my comments above, I would still struggle to get a 2x system that would work for commuting and mountain biking. I also wouldn't want to be riding the same geometry for both.

I'm on 28x42 and the gearing spread has been perfect for me actually. The problem I find is the f[HTML_REMOVED]cked chainline that 11sp requires. It's just too wide.

I'm going to be getting a new XC bike later this year, which will require a huge spread since my local races involve some pedalling down gravel roads, and i will likely go 2x something (rather than 1x 12) for that one.

I'm on 2x and was looking at making the switch to 1x. In the end, decided not to as it was going to mean a whole new drive train just to get the gearing I wanted. I like the idea of 1x and may give it a whirl when my current drive train is done but I wouldnt want to commute / tour with it.

That said, I looked at a similar conversion a while back and a couple of draw backs I came across:
- I don't really like riding high end components on my commuter because it sees all the road salt, rain etc. Running your AM bike in that weather it can take a beating.
- You can get some pretty good deals on used CX or touring bikes. In the end, it doesn't end up being too much more than you would have spent getting your hardtail commuter ready (of course, this assumes that you have the space for the extra bike).
- Despite my comments above, I would still struggle to get a 2x system that would work for commuting and mountain biking. I also wouldn't want to be riding the same geometry for both.

You raise a lot of good points, especially about not having a high end commuter. I should probably just convert my old 26er hardtail I am running as a beater singlespeed into one. It's lightweight (aluminum), rigid forks are a plenty and a cheap but reliable drivetrain wouldn't set me back too much. Plus it appears to have what's needed to run racks and/or fenders.

Or for a bit more, pick up an entry level cx bike.

I would always be worrying my chromag would be ripped off.

I went 1x10 with a 32x42 but kept the granny ring on my triple crank. I figured if I ever bonked and needed the lower gear I could manually move the chain down. In two years I haven't had the need to yet but the option is there.

I have a fresh XT 1x11 on my new bike and the inability to backpedal without derailing in the lowest gear is infuriating. Otherwise I have no issue with range or general performance.

I have a fresh XT 1x11 on my new bike and the inability to backpedal without derailing in the lowest gear is infuriating. Otherwise I have no issue with range or general performance.

What chain are you running? Word on the interwebz is that an SRAM 11 speed chain prevents the drop from happening as much. I am just about to setup a 1x11 XT drivetrain with SRAM chain. Will let you know how it goes.

What chain are you running? Word on the interwebz is that an SRAM 11 speed chain prevents the drop from happening as much. I am just about to setup a 1x11 XT drivetrain with SRAM chain. Will let you know how it goes.

Currently an XT. I was also recommended to try a SRAM chain. I'll get on that this week as well.

Currently an XT. I was also recommended to try a SRAM chain. I'll get on that this week as well.

don't believe the hype. I have a sram chain and while I don't drop chains when I backpedal, you can still feel the chain is binding when you backpedal and it's quite annoying. I expect that when the drivetrain wears a bit more it'll be dropping off and not just binding.

All this because the chainline on 1x is just utter shit. Stupid mountain bike industry :lol:

don't believe the hype. I have a sram chain and while I don't drop chains when I backpedal, you can still feel the chain is binding when you backpedal and it's quite annoying. I expect that when the drivetrain wears a bit more it'll be dropping off and not just binding.

All this because the chainline on 1x is just utter shit. Stupid mountain bike industry :lol:

I have 3 bikes setup 1x, (all 1x10 right now so I cannot speak if 1x11 is different) and have no problems with chain line after some tweaking the spacing on the BB. I always try setting it up first as suggested by the BB maker, but usually end up moving a spacer from the drive side to the non-drive side. This usually makes the chain line perfect for the lower gears.

At some point in the future I'm going to run a 2x11 with something like a 26t granny and a 34t big ring for maximum gear range.

Just throw the 26 on sans derailleur

Just throw the 26 on sans derailleur

I like this idea. I might do similar and replace my 30t narrow/wide with a 34t narrow/wide.

And back to the "if they can land a man on the moon" observation, is it really that hard to come up with a light-weightish mountain bike appropriate internal geared hub??