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1x9 gear ratios on 29'ers

Repositioning the discussion from the Comments.....Here's the story so far..

Comment by Darryl Cram 3 hours ago

36 tooth rear cassettes? Hi my Salsa 1x9 is almost here. Santa should pick it up tomorrow. It will be a 1x9 with a 32 tooth up front and a 11-34 down back. I'd prefer a realistically priced and light 36 tooth at the back. Any realistic solutions that people have tried?

Comment by Jeremy S 3 hours ago

I wish, my X9 will only cope with a 34.

Comment by Milto 2 hours ago: I think that FRM make a single alloy 36 tooth ring that you can sit inside of your 32 tooth cassette, then you just take out the 11. It might be a bit expensive though from memory.

Comment by Milto 2 hours ago

Some posts with ideas here

http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=669709

http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=667135

http://luckynino.blogspot.com/2010/08/9s-titanium-mtb-cassette-11-3...

Comment by Jeremy S 1 hour ago

I tried the Shimano HG61 which is a nine speed 12-36 - which is when i discovered my X9 wont cope with it. I picked it up from Chain Reaction Cycles for about $45.00 + p&h - just checking now they have it still but its now $32 and $8 for postage.

Comment by Milto 33 minutes ago

if you want a lower gear can't you just put a 30 on the front?

Please continue.........

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Snakehips on December 23, 2010 at 16:15

Jez, what does “can’t cope with” mean?

You haven't shortened your chain too much for a 36 have you? Ha ha ha ha.

I can't see a reason your 9 spd SRAM derailleur/shifter shouldn't work with a 9 spd 12-36 Shimano cassette.

Are you talking about it not shifting, or not being able to cope with the bigger cog? A 36 isn't much bigger than a 34 so there should be no problem there (there is that screw thingy on your derr at the dropout which adjust things a bit so give that a go).

Please explaaaaiiiiin….

PS like Milto says, using a 30 chainring instead of a 32 will have (roughly) the same effect of gaining a 36 & losing your 11 cog. I run a 30t 'ring to an 11-34 cassette and look at the premium athlete I've turned in to.

Permalink Reply by Jeremy S on December 23, 2010 at 19:45

Morgan you always ask the hard questions don't you. Why is the sky blue; why am I so tall and why don't snakes have legs etc. Now you add why won't jez's x9 handle a 36 tooth cassette....

Well I can't really explain it bud, it's a medium cage and the reason I went with the medium cage was for the following reasons:
- it shifts quicker than a long cage;
- it quieter than a long cage; and
- it's lighter than a long cage.

Ok the above reasons are not so true, the real reason is I'm a cheap bugger and bought it second hand.

Despite the claims of SRAM who say that the medium cage will handle a 37 tooth cassette I say in the case of my mech, poppy cock. No the chain isn't to short, ha I added a few more links and I've played with the screw. Mate I've got nothing else for you, other than - it DONT work :)

Permalink Reply by Snakehips on December 23, 2010 at 21:57

Mate I don't think the cage length makes any difference. I run a short cage along my 11-34 and it's just fine.

Did the derr work properly before you changed cassettes? I bought a 2nd hand LX and it shifted like shit so I dumped it pretty quickly. The mech was very loose around the pins & wouldn't hold on the 2 biggest cogs.

It sounds like you have an adjustment problem rather than a compatibility problem. Let uncle Morgie take a look.

Permalink Reply by Darryl Cram on December 24, 2010 at 15:20

the 30 upfront needs one of those special granny gear adapters up front. can't remember the aussie maker. It's around $139 or more.

Permalink Reply by Snakehips on December 24, 2010 at 19:23

mate you might be thinking of the Widgit, which is a chain guide (stops the chain falling off). You don't need an adapter as the 30 should go on your middle ring bolts. If not, go to cycleunderground.com.au and get your chainring custom made for 50 bucks..

Darryl Cram said:

the 30 upfront needs one of those special granny gear adapters up front. can't remember the aussie maker. It's around $139 or more.

Permalink Reply by Jeremy S on December 24, 2010 at 21:02

Uncle morgie - that's just scary.

I don't run a widget, I run a bash gaurd on the outside and a simple $20 dollar device on the inside which I can't even really describe, morg's you have seen it, how would you describe it, nah I'm not even going to try. But what I'm trying to say is you don't need something over the chain creating extra drag. I've never dropped the chain.

Permalink Reply by Darryl Cram on January 12, 2011 at 13:11

apparently some earlier X9 rear mechs won't work with a 11 tooth on some frames (ie my Salsa). These can be replaced under warranty via SRAM if you have a valid receipt. That includes my EPIC receipt as I upgraded the X9 for it and moved it to the Salsa. Mal's are happy to follow the process for me. Sweet.

Permalink Reply by blondie on March 21, 2011 at 15:55

i only just caught onto this thread - sorry for being behind!
I just got a Salsa too and while I am waiting for my brakes I am also running 1 x 9 with the same gearing as you - what i would like to know is...what is it like to ride a dually 29er? I have an SS which I love to bits but am a bit excited about getting gears!

And are you saying this gearing is harder?

Also, what kind of Salsa have you got? Mine is quite aptly named a Big Mama!

I just re-read my post, I sound like a kid, all those questions. sorry!

Permalink Reply by Milto on April 18, 2011 at 11:02

So I changed to a 36 tooth cluster last week and it is running and getting all the gears but It is not smooth or nice. My XT 9sp derailieur is only rated to a 34 tooth cluster and the distance from the derailieur mount bolt to the top pulley is too small hence the rough running. This is probably one of the reasons that Shimano don't make any XT 36 tooth clusters.

I was just re reading this thread and I am confident that the post above from Jeremy is probably from the same cause. The specs on derailieurs are based on 2 numbers. the first is the biggest rear cog and the second is the difference in gears (eg Front big ring 44 minus the granny 22 + biggest ring on cluster 36 less the smallest 11 = 37)

I am off to get a 34tooth cluster now.

Permalink Reply by Jeremy S on April 18, 2011 at 11:22

Milto - how very ironic that you have just posted this. I have got the crackers with trying to run a 36 cassette on the Yeti with an SLX rear mech. Same issue as you decribe here and same issue i seem to have with the X9 on the 29er. So i have taken the bull by the horns and am actually upgrading to dyna sys on the Yeti so that i can run a XT 36 tooth cassette. Maybe its over kill but the frustration has got the better of me.

Permalink Reply by Darryl Cram on April 18, 2011 at 14:27

My Salsa El Mariachi's rear mech has been bashed too many times so I either keep the 11-34 (with no 11) for the time being or look at a 1x10 upgrade. I think I am too old to bash a hard tail seriously which is why I have a 26" dualie for when I feel soft. But otherwise I can get up Black Mountain on the road with my 32:34 combo. I'd also like to try a Rotor front ring at some stage.

But as for the 36 rear are people buying the 36 tooth ring of eBay or using the heavy Deore cassette? (that's if you have 9 speed)

Permalink Reply by Jeremy S on April 18, 2011 at 15:28

Hey Darryl - I was using the Deore cassette. I just want the 36 for enduro racing, going up stromlo at the end of capital punishment with 32-34 was tough after 90klm (for me anyway) and the 36 would have been a nicer bail out.

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