I think the 1x, 2x, or 3x question really depends on how you are going to use your S40.
Yes, absolutely, use case + personal preference. Though, I think the case for road triples has become increasingly difficult to make. When you had 7 cogs in back and the biggest cog was a 28, then a 24T "granny" chainring made a lot of sense on a touring bike or tandem. Now that 11s is the norm even on mid priced groups and lots of groups can handle an 11-36 cassette I definitely don't need 3 rings up front to span the range I need on a tandem or touring rig and get decent spacing between gears. And I'm neither young, nor strong at this point ...
I have a 1 x 11 system on my T50, which is an exercise bike and a fair weather commuter, and it works great. I can deal with the larger gearing jumps by varying my cadence. I started with a 1 x 42 cassette with a 42 chain ring, but later converted the cassette to 1 x 49 using a Wolf kit. This was to deal with a very long and steep hill I had to go up to start my commute. The gearing change allowed me to ride to the top vs walking part way. I did not even notice the slight larger gaps in the middle gears from this change, I just got a Granny gear that I really only use for the steep stuff.
Sounds like the perfect use case for a road 1x setup. You mentioned that you "did not even notice the slight larger gaps in the middle gears from this change". Did adding the Wolftooth cassette expander with 49T large cog affect the middle cogs at all?Doesn't it just slot in at the back of the cassette?
With 1X you have to learn to ride a bigger range of cadences. But in exchange, the 1x is lighter, simpler, much cheaper, and possibly a bit more reliable. As an example I am approaching 6K miles on my T50, and have never dropped a chain, and probably never will.
I too have read the SRAM marketing department's many releases stating "1x is lighter, simpler, much cheaper, and possibly a bit more reliable". When I "ran the numbers" for a mid priced drivetrain where I tried to hold the total cost of a 1x and 2x option equal I got a different result; i.e. "1x is about the same weight, simpler to use, more complex to set up, more expensive, and possibly a bit more reliable". In that comparison the 2x drivetrain had a higher high, a lower low and tighter spacing between gears, as well as used parts that are much more commonly available and more often discounted.
But if I were building a touring S40, I would use a 3x crank like Super Slim recommended, and for a fast V20 to ride in a group, I would use a 2x setup. I am planning a bike like this right now.
If I were building a touring S40 ... oh, wait, I am building a touring S40! 2x, 11-36 XT cassette (340g vs the SRAM 1230 11-50's 615g's, at half the cost), Shimano CX-70 FD (90g), 44/28 chainrings on a 155mm crank.
In other news ...
tire wise....
okay i am a schwalbe addict. now i had admitted it on to step two....
Me too, though I sometimes flirt with Conti's.
the marathon supreme is a great tire. i run it on my hybrid.
the duranos and the kojacks are faster, but they are slicks.
my favorite is really the schwable one. i ride it the most. pavement and dirt roads.
i also have a set of g one speeds that i like. i think they may actually be faster than the ones, even though that shouldn't be the case.
The Marathon Supreme is a very, very good tire for recreational riding. More than flat-proof enough, more than fast enough, more than durable enough -- I'm a fan. Definitely get one of the chi-chi Evo variants, which are reasonably priced if ordered from Europe.
Compared to the Marathon Supreme, the Durano and Kojak are both much older designs that are not available with Schwalbe's latest technology and both come up very much slower in instrumented testing -- if you believe those sciencey types with their machines and numbers and testing.
I've no experience with the Schwalbe One's, but they get consistently excellent reviews from credible sources. They're not available in sizes that interest me at this point, so I'll likely not be logging any miles on them anytime soon.
Yes, G-One Speed Evo's for the win! I'm running the 650Bx38's on my S40 and have zero complaints or interest in other tires, other than perhaps if Schwalbe introduces a G-One Speed that's easier to mount. For the very first time in almost 35 years of serious cycling I snapped a tire lever trying to mount a tire, couldn't get the tire mounted even with a bead jack + bead lube and finally, head hung low in shame, had no option but to take the wheels + tires to the LBS. The wrench disappeared in the back with my tires and wheels and came back out some time later with them mounted. I asked how he got them mounted and his reply was "You don't want to know." I've had no flats so far, but I now live in fear of a flat out on the road and a tire I cannot get off or back on. Maybe the beads are sufficiently stretched out now to not be an issue?
-Jack
Raleigh, NC
It's not my blog! It was written by Nick E.
