As a novice, I come seeking wisdom.
I have an old Rockhopper that I’m looking to strip down to the frame and rebuild into a commuter. I’ve been learning a lot about gearing and all that, and have been researching parts. I see that there are a lot of 1x10 groupsets and a very small number of 2x9, but nothing really with a lower number of gears on the cassette.
To my untrained mind, a 1x10 would introduce more stress and flex on the chain than a 2x5 would, especially while riding on the extremes. And, with a 2x5 setup, you could (probably?) have better ratios - I’m thinking it should be possible to set it up in a way where one chainring is better suited for climbing, and the other for higher speeds.
Yet, I don’t see any 2x5 or even 2x7 sets out there. What am I missing?
Another question: would it even be feasible to custom-build my own drivetrain with a 5-gear cassette, to use with 2 rings on the front, and if so, how complicated would it be?
Theres a benefit gained from ditching the front derailer. One-by systems use a narrow wide chainring on the crank to better hold the chain. Paired up with a clutch in the derailer, you’ll never have the chain come off in rough riding.
I’m a large (6’4" and 280lbs) and pretty powerful rider and my 12 speed Sram/Shimano systems hold up very well.
12-speed generally can’t fit in an old bike spaced at 135mm OLD + QR rear fork ends. There might be an HG-11 hub such as the Halo Retro that might do the trick, but that’s getting into bike arcana and some dark spells.
The 12 speed was mostly an example to say it’s a durable system. I also have a Resto-Modded Schwinn road bike from the 80’s with a modern 11 speed Shimano set up.