Easily convert your bike from a 2X to 1X drivetrain.

[@dirkkindermann2734]

I live in northern Germany, where the hills are quite low and not very steep. That's why I decided to switch to 1x11 some time ago. At the moment I'm doing well at 45 by 42-11. For a bike tour through the Harz I converted the front ring to 38, which was really necessary there. So 1x11 is absolutely sufficient for my everyday environment. If I lived in a more alpine region I would certainly switch to 2x or 3x. My bottom line from this video is: Feel free to try out different setups and don't be afraid of high costs. There will never be THE setup that suits everyone. The perfect bike can only be like the human body and the terrain you ride on - absolutely individual 😊 Thank you Robert for this nice, compact and easy diy instruction!

[@stumpthecorgi7180]

You made this look easy. I especially liked how you explained tuning the cable tension on the rear derailleur.

[@RobertAdairWorkshop]

Appreciate it. It really is easy, although it takes a little practice to get the shifting perfect.

[@nevilledickson8987]

Thanks for the best video I have seen in a long time. No unnecessary frills. Short and sweet. Made it look easy.

[@RobertAdairWorkshop]

Appreciate it.

[@CashPope]

The algorithm is doing works this year. I'm converting to 1x for the same exact reason as you are.

[@bikecommuter24]

I got an old Felt Verza Speed 50 I converted from a 3x8 to 1X8 a couple of months ago, although I went a bit future than you did I replaced the crankset I also went a single 40T wide narrow chainring , bottom bracket, new rear derailleur, new brake and shifter cables and a new chain I got rid of the combined shifters-brake levers and fitted stand alone brake levers and used a stand alone 8 speed shifter everything plus the special tools, a crank arm puller and bottom bracket socket I got on Amazon. The bottom bracket felt crunchy so I replaced it was not very expensive. It was mostly easy to do my old suntour crankset arms did want to come off but a little heat applied by my blow torch loosened then up so they came off. I kept the 8 speed cassette its more than enough Im not riding fast or very far mostly commuting to work, errands and an occasional weekend ride. I like the easier riding, I did have to do a little fiddling-adjusting on the brake lever angle, and the left non drive arm crank arm bolt kept coming loose even with red loctite on the bolts, I just bought brand new bolts so far staying put I did find and buy some crank arm bolts that have retention ridges on them but they are 14mm and I would have to carry a socket with me rather than a 8mm hex bit but I can live with that. I figured I dropped about a pound or so of weight and the shifting is nicer, and I got better acting brakes. FYI my bottom bracket and crankset are from Bucklos brake levers were from Tektro since my stock brakes are Tektro The shifter and rear derailleur are stock Shimano parts, the bike came with an Altus rear derailleur and that is what I went with. LOL I'm looking at maybe doing a complete microSHIft 1x10 setup, the parts are on my Amazon Wishlist but I might get another bike to do that to, I keep my eye on Facebook Marketplace and online. I don' t have a long commute about 2 miles/ 3km and is slightly uphill I'm mostly in 5th and 4th going up hill, 7-8 for the flat part then back to 4th to go uphill to work, coming home downhill I'm in 6-7 I rarely go to 8. Im on the shorter side and considered 165mm cranks but stuck with the 170mm I'm thinking (Probably wrong) the extra leverage is better for uphill I got a bad knee so I'm not pushing hard riding, going to a 40T from a 38T seems to be easier to pedal for me but that is just my perception.

[@Alimukz]

This video pops up on my feed while I'm looking to do this conversion 🤔 I've been agonising for months over how to do it! I was going to buy a new crankset, new RD and everything... Thanks a lot for the ideas

[@batbawls]

Robert, I love your channel. Thanks for producing these!

[@RobertAdairWorkshop]

Thank you. I enjoy making these. Mostly.

[@leonhopfl573]

another alternative to solve that initial problem is swapping to a subcompact upfront and a 11-36 in the rear. That way, you basically dont ever exit the big ring unless youre currently climbing. On the flipside, you dont lose the top end gearing and narrowish gear steps of 2x. 1x is still easier and stuff but for normal people on road bikes 46/30 + 11-36 is the goat imo

[@jayobannon5359]

Can't agree with you more. I have 3 sets of chainrings for my bikes. Run the 11/34 and either 46/30, 50/34 or 52/36 depending on what I am going to be riding.

[@criggie]

Concur - I want a 52 tooth chainring for "normal flatland riding" but I also have a caboose to drag up hills, so the low-gearing is needed at the other end.

[@fleurdelispens]

Visited San Francisco recently, and if I lived there, that is absolutely what I'd run. Them hills are STEEP. As it stands, where I live is hilly enough for my 50/34 and 11-34 to be perfect.

[@phmiii]

From my experience, the 105 derailleur has two holes for spring tension. Try moving the tension spring to the sifter position.

[@RobertAdairWorkshop]

I didn't know that. I'll check it out.

[@time603]

Nice 👍 I've just done the same with an old Giant Perigeé steel frame. Single same105 cranks, but with FSA and older 105 7 spd with an ex comp block, on a Sun Mistral rim.

[@RobertAdairWorkshop]

That’s a great build.

[@time603]

@RobertAdairWorkshop I have had it in a storage cage for 2yrs, where due to overcrowding, it has suffered a broken spoke on the rear wheel, fortunately it's the passenger side.. and the only damage on the bike..the front is a Campagnolo Omicrom rim on an unknown hub (probably joytec).

[@bengt_axle]

Why do you cross chain (34/11) in the first place? You can get the same approximate ratio and move up and down the cassette on the big ring (50/16) and have fewer steps between gear ratios with a 2X system. 1X only makes sense when you have a large rear tire that needs the extra space gained by removing the inner chain ring. But with carbon fibre and even modern metal tube shaping, many modern gravel bikes even incorporate 2X as an added benefit, namely that you can just switch out the wheels to get a road bike with 28 mm tires and gearing for fast riding. It makes no sense to buy additional parts for a bike like this and downgrade its gearing.

[@RobertAdairWorkshop]

8:11 Staying in the big ring puts me in the lowest gears too often. I do it sometimes, but it isn't ideal for me, given the reasons at 8:11.

[@bengt_axle]

@@RobertAdairWorkshop To each their own, but the ratio of 34/11 and 50/16 is very close. Why not shift both paddles at the same time? This will put you in the next (or close) gear ratio, quite quickly. This is what many road cyclists do when they are at the bottom of the cassette on the small ring. This is fast and precise even on mechanical systems, and you can shift 3 cogs up in one sweep. It would give you a shift of the next close gear ratio.

[@4336aaa]

The main reason 1x became a thing is competitive mountain biking. It was a way to reduce dropping a chain. And through marketing and creating content for almost every bicycle YT channel, it's become one more cycling trend that people seem to think they need to follow. Wide handlebars and converting to tubeless are a few more examples.

[@spicy_mint]

Tubeless is actually great, especially on wider tires (36mm+) Got two "flats" on a 600km trip which both sealed within seconds. That's two times I didn't have to stop, swap spare/patch and pump from flat.

[@4336aaa]

@@spicy_mint Spending money on an interest is fun, but converting to tubeless has almost as many cons as pros. Myself, I've never dealt with a level of flat tires that would sway me to convert......But that's my opinion and I do respect your choice and reasoning.

[@SluSharkND]

This is a fantastic tutorial. Thank you, Sir.

[@akissparaskevopoulos]

I did the same as the first part of yr video. But I just kept the 34 on the crank for easier climbs and 42 on the back from Sunrace same as you and just got a longer B screw for my canyon grail and it shifts really well. Now I’m thinking of getting the 46/30 crank and just keep the 30. Where I live is very steep and don’t care for speed as I do for climbing.

[@fuzzi1002]

I did the exact opposite, I couldn't look at the skew of the chain and I have now a better gear ratio for mountain and flat road....

[@slicedbread9003]

No I'm no here because I want a 1x setup. I here because I like your video's and respect what you have to say. I'm older and so are my bikes. I like my 2x and 3x. I'm only recreational riding and depending on which bike I'm riding I have no idea what gear ratio I'm in and what the next up or down ratio would be. But that doesn't matter too much for me. Anyway, your perspective is different than mine. I like bikes, so I like seeing different points of view. I do like 1x but only for certain things. I set up my wife's bike as a 1x. And I like your approach and explanations.

[@RobertAdairWorkshop]

Thank you. I appreciate your thoughtful comment.

[@jonathangreen7111]

Another option, which I favour, is to go smaller on the front rings. I ride 44/28 on the front with 11-32 at the back. That way I get low climbing gears and a top gear plenty big enough for me. I also keep nice small jumps between gears. I spend most of the time on the 44 and bail out onto the 28 when a hill is long or quite steep. Shimano's obsession with big chainrings drives me nuts - how many everyday cyclists need or use a 50x11 gear?

[@SSid-or8rv]

Cool video (minus the walking around lol). As for the topic on hand, it depends on the terrain and usage. All my MTBs are 1x12 from the factory and it suits them great where my main objective is climbing steep hills but I'm keeping my road bike 2x because I'm often riding fast and flat so I need the big chainring up front but at times I'm also climbing 12-14% grades in my area and need the small chainring even with a 11-42T cassette.

[@RobertAdairWorkshop]

It really does depend on how you ride.

[@Rambl-n_Man]

I'd rather change up the chain rings giving your bike more flexibility and gearing you desire. However, a 1x or 2x is dependent on how you are using your bike. I like having a 1x on my fatbike, however, a 1x limits the flexibility on my Diverge as I am either too high or too low for group riding or trying to find the right cadence on a steep gravel hill or bikepacking...hate it unless I am just riding gravel and not having to keep pace with a group or another rider. My road bike has a 2x and love it. Currently building up a bike for the GDMBR and it will be a 2x for an all around gravel, bikepacking and touring bike. Really enjoy your channel btw, even though I would approach this project differently. Keep up the good work!

[@matthieu8002]

you dont adjust the front ring in the axis of the center of the cassette?

[@ramiroperas8831]

Gracias por mostrar tu buen trabajo y conocimiento, me será de mucha utilidad para hacer lo mismo con mi bicicleta. Saludos desde Méxicio.

[@terrillford7784]

I'm definitely about to change my gravel grx to a 1x

[@jodaza11]

I bought the same cassette you bought and when I installed it there's a slight play on the cassette or cogs when the ring nut is fully torqued. The last 11t ring can only go so far on the hub.Its about half mm play. The cassette needs to move out about half mm to tighten it. Can I put a small washer on the free hub B4 I install the cassette?

[@RobertAdairWorkshop]

Mine came with a washer. I’ll have to remove the cassette but can measure it for you if it’d be helpful. I think it is 1.85mm thick.

[@ryn5302]

Nice vid, did the exact same on my 105 couple weeks ago...even the same components as you.

[@RobertAdairWorkshop]

Did you have the same problem when back pedaling?

[@ryn5302]

​@@RobertAdairWorkshopYes, had to buy a grx derailleur with a Clutch. Works!

[@michaelviglianco6121]

Wont be long before all the videos are about converting tk 2x

[@daniellarson3068]

Right - This 1X thing seems to be more trendy than a practical change. Why fix it if it ain't broke?

[@RobertAdairWorkshop]

Progress, my friend. For progress.

[@daniellarson3068]

@@RobertAdairWorkshop One small step forward for a bike. One giant leap backward for bicycles.

[@rdslmi]

​@@daniellarson3068A little dramatic, don't you think? Not everyone is doing group road rides at 25-30mph :)

[@LeVoyageurConscientise]

Useless progress

[@whynotride327]

Maybe if a flat area but if one lives in a hilly area, this is completely pointless. The other issue is that I HATE wide gear jumps on the cassette.

[@RobertAdairWorkshop]

I hear this argument ALL the time. I live in the Rocky Mountain front range. Every day I ride a 1X GRX and every day those rides have between 800 and 1000' of climbing. It works just fine for me. I think everyone who says this hasn't ever really ridden a 1x setup.

[@JibbaJabber]

Great vid. Something I definitely consider.

[@lukewalker1051]

Brilliantly explained. Couldn't be done better. Thank you.

[@jodaza11]

I have an ultegra R8000 will I need a long cage?

[@RobertAdairWorkshop]

The R8000 is good to 28t if its the SS and 34T if its the GS. If you want to go larger than 34, you'll need the roadlink.

[@Manetty6]

Do know how easy to get used to a 1×12 grx with 10-51 cassette?

[@RobertAdairWorkshop]

No, sorry. I have been able to afford a 12X system yet.

[@johndef5075]

My Shimano 2x road front derailleurs shift fine. And I dont need an expensive pizza sized cassette.

[@LarryHopper]

I agree that 20 miles is not a long ride, but most people are very impressed when I tell them that is my every-workday distance. 🙂

[@RobertAdairWorkshop]

I do somewhere between 20 and 30 miles every day. It's about what I can do in an hour and a half which is how much time I have between getting home from work and dinner. It really adds up over the year, though.

[@sylvainguidi]

deckas chainrings are excellent for the price! Sunrace does a ''goatlink'' too for a small price. I never use a chainguide (even on mtb without a clutch derailleur), but I admit my chain is ''shorter'', I remove a great amount of links for preventing that chainslap u mention

[@RobertAdairWorkshop]

Didn’t know about the goat link. Thanks.

[@kamolhengkiatisak1527]

Good idea for most people but for a senior of 72 years old, I keep the original 2 ring set up and I don't constantly shift between the big and small ring. I use the 34 ring all the time, ignoring the big 50 ring. Even with the small ring, my chain line is exactly straight as my comfortable speed is 25-30 km/hr, using the middle part of the rear cassette. The day that I cruised at 40-45 km/hr was over when I turned 60.

[@RobertAdairWorkshop]

Right on! I hear you.

[@ThatJohnJohnson]

Super helpful, thank you 🙏

[@michaelmechex]

Great video! I have also realized that the only big annoying jump between the gears was between the front chainrings. I went 1x12 on my gravel bike and I can't overstate how nice it is. With a 40T chainring and 10-51 cassette I can find a comfortable cadence anywhere between 7 and 55 km/h. It's wild to me that it's not very popular on drop bar bikes and people are so resistant to change, it's so good.

[@RobertAdairWorkshop]

I share that sentiment completely.

[@Lrn2shift]

I have the same problem with the chain if i halt abruptly or back pedal the chain wants to collapse.

[@RobertAdairWorkshop]

That's good to know. Hasn't been a problem in practice but I thought people ought to know it happens. Good to see I'm not the only one.

[@SirMarcello]

You are right, you walk a lot :)

[@RobertAdairWorkshop]

Ha!

[@elleffeff]

Is there no reason to worry about the chainline? THANKS. Great video.

[@RobertAdairWorkshop]

It hasn't been a problem for me on any of the 1X's i've converted or built.

[@valmorell]

Been using 1x conversion on my Contend for last 5000 miles. Great fan of 1x. I have 11x34 on the back and 40 on the front. Actually switched out to a Sensah group which does have a clutch and is 11 speed.

[@RobertAdairWorkshop]

Right on!

[@jayobannon5359]

The crazy thing is that you would cross chain when there is an identical gear more mid cassette with the 50t ring. A 34/11= to a 50/16. For those of us that are in our 70+ zone, the jumps with 1x drivetrains are to great, especially in steep terrain. Utilizing different chain rings with a moderately stepped cassette is a much more ideal method and keeps the chain more centered with either front rings.

[@mg6263]

Huh? 34/11 is the same-ish as 50/17. Why would you use a 34/11 with a bonkers chain line when you could use an almost straight chain line in a 50/17?

[@RobertAdairWorkshop]

I’m not riding around all day at 50/17. I climb a thousand feet every ride, every day, so I use the whole cassette. I used the Chumba as an example. It’s still a 2X and a race bike and set up exactly how I want it.

[@biketrailminas.4736]

video muito bom mesmo

[@jimshahan1617]

Hipster marketing

[@rainerkunz791]

For me 2X setup is much much better than 1X😮

[@jackshepark7229]

No thanks .... I prefer 2x 😎👍🏼

[@thomasobermuller8848]

Danke, kein Bedarf - ich finde 2x wesentlich besser!

[@nguyenanghoaian8667]

Honestly i really don’t like this upgrade. Because your deraileur is not suitable for big cassette, You should buy a full groupset like shimano grx 1x12 to get a better shifting peformance

[@RobertAdairWorkshop]

Shimano 1X12 groupset will run me $1000USD. This was only $90. Not worth it to me to spend 12 times as much for literally no gain.

[@Pcbootleger1]

What isn’t mentioned is the poor chain line angle by using a 2x crankset with only 1 gear. I see this mistake way too often. The 2x has it spaced out so that the portion in between the chainrings is in the center. Eliminating a ring means the chainring is not in the center of the cassette. In this case, the 1x chaining was placed on the other portion which would mean that 1st gear on the cassette is at a much more extreme angle than when at the smallest cog. People tend to put the most torque when starting off so the chain will probably break at some point when you are at a standing position. Long story short, you really should use a 1x specific crankset that is spaced for the amount of speeds on the cassette. That’s why Sram direct mounts come in different offsets so people can center the chainline.

[@RobertAdairWorkshop]

Hasn't been a problem. Sighting down the chain, it appears neutral in between 4th and 5th gear. The shift in the chainring from center isn't as far as you are probably thinking it is.

[@piglegluckson9156]

1X ??? DON'T Do it. Tried it. Hated it. Worst thing you can possibly do to any bike. Messed up your chain line. Limited your gear count. Bigger jump between gears. & .... you gain absolutely nothing at all.

[@RobertAdairWorkshop]

Funny how we can have such a different experience. I now have four 1X bikes and I love them.

[@ViliJanReber]

Why "1 by" ? "3 by" is the best. I ride several bikes: enduro, MTB, XC, gravel, road. IMO 3x9 is the best combination

[@JogieGlenMait16]

Another 105 crankset ruined functionally and aesthetically by a cheap aliexpress part.

[@RobertAdairWorkshop]

Nah.

[@redalert2834]

Now all you need is a millionaire benefactor to cover the costs of the cassettes with very large sprockets you will be needing.

[@RobertAdairWorkshop]

That makes no sense.

[@ArdianSutarjan]

Please, just stop walking. That's annoying.

[@RobertAdairWorkshop]

I’m impressed you watched to the end.

[@bikebudha01]

1x, so you'll have less gearing... 1x so you'll have big jumps between gears... 1x so you can burn through chainrings that much faster... 1x so have low end... 1x so you have no high end... But hey, 1x is just so catchy to say...

[@RobertAdairWorkshop]

That’s dumb.

[@bikebudha01]

@@RobertAdairWorkshop no dumber than 1x...

[@RICHARD.WRIGHT1]

Amazon + DIY = bike store out of business. WELLDONE!

[@RobertAdairWorkshop]

Get off your high horse. I didn't put any bike shop out of business. There isn't a shop within 200 miles that would have any of those three items. They would either tell me to go elsewhere, or order it off Amazon themselves.

[@hepphepps8356]

Last time I used a bike shop, I didn’t know what a derailleur was at the time. they charged me $180 to change chain + cassette. (9 speed cheap shimano) They spent 8 minutes on it, didn’t even close the quick release on they tire, and made the chain so short it snapped after 7 kilometers. I swore to never visit a bike shop again. Swallowed every repair manual and youtube video about bike maintenance, history and technology, and needless to say, several years later, the wallet is happy, me and my family and neighbours bikes are in better than new shape, and I have a wonderful hobby.

[@claudiofiero8523]

Bike shops are there for the ones that are not willing to learn how to do things by themselves (or don't have the time to do so). Don't blame diy-ers if things like this happen (also many overconfident diy-ers manage to make big messes, giving to shops the honor of fixing these). Do you even think that a shop would have done such "abomination" of a conversion without upselling some not-really-that-necessary parts, like a dedicated groupset or cranks?

[@Козырь-п3р]

На малой звезде сзади цепь очень сильно бьёт по перу рамы 5:40...нужно сделать хорошую защиту.