I hope you'll do a follow up wide range 2x drivetrains. I REALLY wanted to like my 1x11 but ultimately went back to a 2x10. The issue with 1x11 isn't the range but rather the gaps between some of the gears. I spend a lot of time riding on logging/fire roads as well as rail-trails (especially the Palouse-Cascade/John Wayne Trail). This means sometimes climbing 10-20 miles at a time and I'd often found with the 1x11 I was in a gear that was just a tad too big or a tad too low. I eventually cobbled together a 38x24 chainring combo for my FSA SL-K cranks and paired that with an 11-36 10 speed cassette. I have the range of a 1x11 but with tighter gaps, especially in the middle of the range. Unfortunately, cobbling something like this together isn't easy or cheap.

For touring, I ran a MTB triple crank (22,30,40) with a Tiagra 10sp gearset with 11-32 cassette - awesome range, small jumps between gears.
The bike is currently now running the same triple crank, now with an 11-34t cassette, and I don't run out of top gears for any of my riding.
Future build would be similar to this, using a GRX 2x11 setup using the 11-40t cassette, but I would favour a 24-38 crankset setup to make better use of low gears on a weighted bike.
1x sounds great, but when you have a head wind or climb for mile after mile, the small jumps really help you keep the right cadence.

Or 3x! I run a 52/42/30 triple crank with a XT 11-42 cassette and rear derailleur. Front derailleur is a 21 year old Deore from my parts bin (from when all mountain bikes needed to shift big 3x) controlled with a Microshift friction shifter, and rear is a modern 11-speed XT with trigger shifter. It shifts flawlessly, and I love having the best of both worlds--being able to grind up stupid steep slow stuff but also being able to push a big gear down a paved hill. The range is 666% if I did the math correctly, and would be 727% with the XT 11-46 cassette. Take that Eagle.

I run Jones H-bars. This probably wouldn't work nearly as well with drop bars and road shifters.

10 speed SRAM MTB der will work with 11 speed SRAM brifters.

I keep coming back to this on my Fargo. I would like more range, but really want better brakes.
2x10 hydro brifters and a new casette and I am done as long as my GX 10spd rear der can take a bigger sprocket.

hey, check Neil's video: https://www.youtube.com/wat... I'm gonna do something similar + what's tested here for the grx 105 shifters, and you do get good range and not too expensive if you don't mind going mid range on components! (mine will come about $700 usd)

I am going to give this a try with 10 speed GRX Rear Tiagra Shifters (which work perfectly at 11-34) to get a 11-42 with a 44/32 front. W shall see. Then in a couple of years upgrade to an 11-speed (or 12) GRX and be able to peddle a loaded bike up 13%? Some training included.

I agree! I'm on a 2x system with bar end shifters and have plenty of range for logging roads but also tighter spacing for the flat commute to work during the week. And, it doesn't cost an arm and a leg. Win-win.

That's why we want Eagle for drop bars. 🙃 Your setup has ~520% of range, and that 10spd 11-36 has the same jumps in gears as a 12spd 11-50, and a 12spd 10-50 that gives you 500% of range has just slightly bigger jumps because of the 10T cog.
For me a 2x10 is attractive because of how cheap it can be. I could get a 2x10 GRX setup with a 46/30 and 11-36. For me that would be perfect gearing, and it has 500% of range out of the box. The best part is that it would cost less to replace the cassette, chain, and the two chainrings than what a GX Eagle cassette alone costs.
If you're used to an 11spd 11-25, I think all wide range drivetrains will feel like they have big jumps between the gears. Of course some setups are worse than others, but you have to make the jumps bigger at the back and/or the front (or add a third chainring) to get more range, there is no getting around it. (You can increase the number of speeds, but that only goes so far.)

That's what I've got: a GRX 46/30 swth 11/36 setup. I'm more concerned about low gears than I am about range. If it were 42/28 or 40/26 it would have been even better.

Yep, it depends on the terrain you ride and the bike you have. For my riding style, I think the stock GRX 2x10 gear ratios would be perfect.

That said, while i'm happy about the release of GRX, I do think Shimano could have and should have pushed it way further in terms of gearing options.

40/26? Broo no one is that weak

I look forward to your Microshift Advent X review. It looks like it could replace your Microshift XLE/XCD combo as it has both flat and drop bar shifters with an 11-48 range. Not quite the range of others but half the cost.

Me too! I'm currently using the Microshift Advent 1x9, it shifts good but I could sometimes use a smaller gear.

I spent under $200 for my Advent X setup. Just waiting for my 44t oval ring and I'll be good to go. Or, so I think. Time will tell. https://uploads.disquscdn.c...

Wow - 1x10 on road setup? I'm not that cadence sensitive, but I find 1x11 with 11-36 just barely enough.

I'm running 11-48. The jumps don't really bother me, but I'm not a serious roadie. I'm not very competitive, rarely ride with others, and don't mind if I have to work a bit harder or end up spinning at a higher cadence than I'd like for a short period. I guess I'm just not very picky, or I'm just ignorant.

It's not really that cheap though, is it? The microshift shifters here cost about the same as 105, and I know which most people would choose.

Sure, price wise its okay. But an out of the box 11-48t drop bar setup is unique. While everything else on this list works, it requires some sort of workaround. The 105 is only rated at 11-36 (I've heard 11-40) fits, but anything larger than that requires an extension / other work around.

I was running a 1x 105 with a wolftooth roadlink link to fit an 11-40t cassette coupled with a 40t wolftooth chainring. Shifts were crisp but once I hit forest roads or tree roots the chain would drop. Enter the grx 812 with its clutch system I haven't had a chain drop yet while running an 11-42t in the rear. However, the gear changes are not crisp and sometimes moving through gears the chain briefly goes into the wrong cog and quickly corrects itself. I'm thinking of giving the advent x a try after my experience with Shimano.

Unfortunate to hear about lack luster GRX. My new bike has Sram apex with an 11-42. Works great out of the box and the price is good. Only complaint is the gear range. I ride a fully rigid drop bar mtb and occasionally I need a bit lower gearing for step climbs. Considering squeezing in an 11-46, I hear it may fit. Or down sizing the chainring.

Hi Loran,
I put a 30t up front on my Cutthroat (11-42 party side) to make it more manageable when loaded down. I’ve found that I would still benefit from an even higher bailout gear, so I’m pretty sure I’m gonna go with the ratio conversion. 30t def helped though, but I find myself lagging behind others when in granny, since mine is lower still than theirs... oh well, I’m happy to go a little slower if it means a little less effort and longer enjoyed miles.

For your Shimano GRX derauilur option, is there any reason you couldn't use an XD driver and the e13 9-46 cassette? With or without the Goatlink that would be my favorite setup personally.

Any word on this?

I've seen some bikes spec the grx with 11-46 and some others with 10-42 from the manufacturer so they are at least doable. I still plan to do an 9-46 someday but wheels cost a lot.

e9-46 with Shimano GRX, means new wheels why ?

Another 12-spd mullet, mating Campy shifters to a Shimano/SRAM 12-spd rear derailleur uses the Jtek Shiftmate 2. I haven’t used it, but here’s a video demonstrating it (with a super smart integration of the Shiftmate pulley into the Eagle derailleur):

https://www.youtube.com/wat...

How does the different diameter pulley work? It doesn't change the ratio like a shorter or longer fin would.

There are side-by-side large and small pulleys, so it changes the pull ratio that way. It’s similar to the Tanpan.

I had great luck a long time ago using campy shifters, Shimano mechs and cassettes and an Avid Rollamajig and a little voodoo

11spd Campy shifters and SRAM MTB derailleurs are juuuust close enough to make them work pretty well with mtb cassettes, without any additional hardware.

Exactly what I'm thinking of for a 29+ build. I want 2x though so I'm stuck trying to figure out how to get a campy shifter to work with the shimano front mech.

What size rings do you want to use?

That's a good question. I'd like it for some long distance off road touring. It seems most tourers want a range from 18-120 gear inches. I'm a fairly light and strong rider and don't think I'll need that bottom end so maybe 20-120GI. From playing around with gear calculators I think a good range for a 29X3.0 on shimano's 10-45T would be the standard 38/28 but I could push it up a bit. The problem then becomes what FD will fit that tooth combination. I'm primarily a road/gravel rider but would like something big and stupid to wander off into the desert or high mountains. Being 29+ I also need to worry about boost spacing.

Sorry for multiple replies: If you don’t have more than a 10-tooth gap in your front rings, your rear derailleur will stay happy. If you want to have different chainring setups, you’ll need to have different chain lengths for each setup as well (otherwise you’ll tear your rear derailleur off). The 2x XT or SLX rear derailleur would work great, especially if you’re using the 10-45 cassette, which is what they’re designed for (they could probably handle a 50t, but you don’t want to put too much stress on a hacked drivetrain).
Boost front derailleur can be achieved with a Problem Solvers adapter. But an SLX would probably be just fine there.

Nothing to be sorry about. I’ve been searching for information for months. It seems like no one wants anything to do with 2X these days but for touring, the range offered by 1X just doesn’t quite cut it. I think I’m also one of those people that are sensitive to big changes in gearing/ cadence. I’ve worked out a number of scenarios but I won’t be building it for a while so I’m just sitting on it for the moment. I also probably have more dollars than sense so I’d prefer a 2X12 than a 3X or 2X11 system. With such a large diameter on a 2.5”-3.0” tyre, gears get big very quickly. On my gravel bike a 46/30 with an 11-32T Campagnolo setup is perfect around here (26-116GI). But for 2X12 there isn’t really a narrower cassette than Shimano’s 10-45T yet and I’m not sure if anyone will make narrower cassettes in this post 2X world. Two scenarios I’ve ended up with are

2X12 Campagnolo shifters, Shimano RD with Shiftmate 2, Shimano FD? with Boost adapter, 28/40 chainrings and 10-45T cassette (19-122GI)

2X11 Campagnolo shifter with an XTR shadow+ 10s RD and Shiftmate 7, Shimano FD? With Boost adapter, 28/42 chainrings and 11-42T (20-116GI).

The benefit of each of those systems is that there are 3 usable gears on each chainring between 20-30km/hr which is where most of my touring riding would be.

I have 2x11 with the XTR Shadow+ 10s and shiftmate 7 as you describe. Love it! It currently has a 50/34 setup up front and 11/34 out back but I'm going to be changing the spider on the hollowgram cranks I have from 110bcd so that I can get smaller rings up front. I recommend it. It's great, has the Campy ergos which I love and not too bad 455% range

An XT derailleur will handle 30-46 no problem, in addition to the usual 28-38. The tooth counts on front derailleurs are barely suggestions.

Front derailleurs are a lot more forgiving than rear ones, and I think that’s especially true when you’re using Campy shifters - they allow you to trim the front derailleur. You could probably even make a Campy derailleur work (assuming it pulls from the right direction). Front derailleurs are also fairly cheap (at least, Shimano ones are), so testing it wouldn’t be too expensive.

I’m actually putting a 1x system together using this setup. I’ll try to test it with a front derailleur and I’ll report back (in approximately a month or so).

Oh wow, that's out of the box thinking...

Logan, in the first option with the ethirteen cassette you talk of a different crankset. Is this necessary and if so what do you recommend?

I can give a firm Thumbs Up for Shimano 105 with TanPan and XT RD with XT cassette. I have been running this set up since 2016 and aside from normal cable stretch after installation, zero issues. I was skeptical to do this but I can say having shimano hydraulic brakes (not breaks) and XT shifting is an absolute luxury and makes my Ti Fargo an absolute dream to ride and is totally reliable. As in Remote Touring reliable.

I cannot recommend this set up enough. the TanPan is the missing link.

+1 for this setup. I currently run a 2x11 with 105 brifters/XT rd with 11-46 and 32/48 up front. Tanpan with inline adapter. Took a bit longer to sort out the initial tuning but now my gravel bike shifts like a champ with huge range.

I just got onto this thread and following. So if I am reading you right, you do not have a 1X, but rather a front and rear deraileur?

Yeah, the TanPan has been rock solid for me on a variety of Shimano drivetrains for several years. Definitely recommended!

Thanks for the great feedback. The Tanpan is a really cool little component. I was a little skeptical from an armchair point of view, but after using it I'm quite impressed...

You can also run the Tanpan inline up near the handlebars which keeps it out of the way of issues around the derailleur. I've been running at XT 2x11 setup for a few years with Shimano bar ends and a Tanpan on my Fargo at it's been flawless.

Roland & Logan,

I'm not sure where it's written, but inline at the bars is the preferred location for the Tanpan- as the designer I couldn't tell you exactly why but they tend to shift better when up front. As an added bonus you get a barrel adjuster that can be tweaked while riding.

Hi Gringo,
I am also using 105 road shifters with hydraulic brakes. Everything I have set up well. I bled my front brake tested it and the mineral oil started to flow from the pistons. I was using mbt Deore XT brake calipers. What are you using? My rear brake worked fine (except from squeaking )

I’ll echo that. A 10 and 11 speed have been happily mating shimano road shifters to MTB mechs for me for, oooh, four years. Covered in mud, crushed between bar and luggage, no problems. They even sent me out the updated wheels when they added the grub screws- what service.