3x9, 3x8?
2x9, 2x8 w/ bash?
1x9, 1x8 w/ chainguide?
Singlespeed?
Rolhoff?
3x1?

Something I am not considering?

I am currently running 2x9 w/ bash, but am thinking about going to 2x8 ro 1x8 for stronger chain/ less maintenance.

I'd say that whatever you like for a mountain bike will work fine.

but if you need to imagine that "all mountain" has its own requirements, be my guest.:rolleyes:

I figured that for AM riding there may be specific durability issues w/ 9 speed drivetrains, and was curious if others felt the same way...

Guess it was out uf place in the AM forum:rolleyes:

I figured that for AM riding there may be specific durability issues w/ 9 speed drivetrains, and was curious if others felt the same way...

Guess it was out uf place in the AM forum:rolleyes:

why would "all mountain" need more durability?

sounds to me like someone's hung up on images and labels.:rolleyes:

I figured that for AM riding there may be specific durability issues w/ 9 speed drivetrains, and was curious if others felt the same way...

:

You may have a point,to early to tell for me.

why would "all mountain" need more durability?

sounds to me like someone's hung up on images and labels.:rolleyes:

can you be anymore condescending?
The guy is just asking a simple question

Sram 2x9 with an e-13 supercharger works for me. Nothing fancy about that.

Greg

Famous last words.:rolleyes:

Right now I have a RF Atlas crankset with all three rings and a 9 speed rear. I have been trying not to convince myself that I need a bash, even though I think I used the big ring one time only. But with a 16 1/2" high BB, I not too worried about clearance issues.

I have riden 3x9 forever, but this year switched to a 2x9 with bash+DRS.

I prefer the range that the 3x9 gives, and I for one, miss my big ring, particularly on fast open DH sections. However, I went for the 2x9 to get the chain retention device, as I was constantly losing the chain now that I am running an Enduro (which is almost as fast as my old DH bike).

I went for a 22/36 with an E-thirteen DRS. I run a 12-34 out back. This is a super range, but the gaps are large in places, and that I don't like. I also don't really need the bashguard, even with the low BB, but it's all part of keeping the chain in place.

The DRS is the best thing I have put on my bike in ages. I haven't dropped a single chain since putting it on, and I run it in the worst UK mud and it is just perfect, imperceptible drag. I was dumping my chain every other run before. If I was running long DH runs where I lived, I would want a 38 ring up front however, the 36 is too low.

Just my thoughts. depends where you live and ride. I have a mate on a 1x9, and he just pushes a 36/34 bottom gear, but the chainline is so sideways in that combo. He runs an SRS chain device, and that was the priority for him over the low end gearing, but he will push uphill, where I always want to ride.

9 speed has no problems in reliability terms over 8 speed (as far as I can tell).

I like the 2x9 setup I have on my enduro, it works really well and I appreciate the extra clearance I get with the bash guard.

2x9 + bash + chainguide.

I, like most everyone, started with a three ring setup up front. I also had an 8sp in the rear. Somewhere along the way I was getting disc brakes and had to say goodbye to my integrated lever/shifter and went ahead and replaced my worn out 8sp cassette with a 9sp. The differen't isn't big in terms of gearing selection and I for one had no durability issues in the past two seasons. Granted that the second half of last season and this season is when I really started to ride hard on the equipment, I've never had issues other than just standard wear on the teeth.

I built up my 4in bike a while back and ran a 3x9 combo. Moved up to a 5in bike with the same 3x9 combo. A couple of months later my big ring had very few usable teeth due to the big stepup I was doing (attempting, really, at that time), few small landings in rocky terrain, etc, so for increased clearance and middle ring protection I got a bash. I just swapped my ISIS crankset to outboards as I wore out the bb and didn't want to shell out another $90 for a new one, so I put that money towards X type. It gave me an opportunity to look at that bash guard up close. That thing looked rough. Really rough.

A few weeks ago I put on a DRS and the descents are quieter, with less chain slap, wheelie dropping is more secure as the chain is retained and no more dropped chain on landing. Minimal noise with the stealth roller and minimal drag, the only place I notice the extra drag is when I spin my cranks with my hand.

Running 1x9 is good pretty much only if your ascents aren't rocky/technical, you shuttle most of your runs or are on a hardtail or all of the above. Suspension will eat up a good amount of your energy if you try to hammer out the trails with a squishy. Keep the granny if your trails and/or bike don't meet the criteria.

_MK

I've been running a 36t/22t front with a DRS and a 32-11 rear for the last year and love it. It seems I always have the right gear for the terrain.

1x9 here on my hardtail with a bash and just a front der adjusted to keep the chain on, hasnt failed me yet and no stupid bottom pulley to worry about bashing up.

Does 3 X 8 sounds like good??

Let me elaborate... I'm running actually 3 X 8... dreaming of upgrading my drivetrain from Deore/Acera to X.7 or maybe X.7/X.9 but still not sure if staying with 8 or 9.

Both have nice things to them... 8 is less prone to elements, 9 is more precise and I can get a lower gear ratio with better spacing.

Dunno what to do. Both things look appealing to me.

Does 3 X 8 sounds like good??

Let me elaborate... I'm running actually 3 X 8... dreaming of upgrading my drivetrain from Deore/Acera to X.7 or maybe X.7/X.9 but still not sure if staying with 8 or 9.

Both have nice things to them... 8 is less prone to elements, 9 is more precise and I can get a lower gear ratio with better spacing.

Dunno what to do. Both things look appealing to me.

I wouldn't worry about the the 9 speed being more prone to element, Warp. Since you're thinking about going Sram, shifting imprecision isn't gonna be an issue, neither. I would go with the new generation sram shifters, etc. and the 9sp is just a byproduct, and it ain't bad.

_MK

I wouldn't worry about the the 9 speed being more prone to element, Warp. Since you're thinking about going Sram, shifting imprecision isn't gonna be an issue, neither. I would go with the new generation sram shifters, etc. and the 9sp is just a byproduct, and it ain't bad.

_MK

Thanks _MK!!

Due to budget constraints, I think I'll make it X.7 shifters, X.9 RD, SRAM cassette and I couldn't live without a Powerlink anymore. The front mech is an XT... so it stays.

Thanks again.

I think for AM it is almost a must to have 2x in the front. I consider AM to include a fair ammount of climbing and that granny sure comes in handy on climbs. If you go single then you have to figure out what ring is big enough to get you clipping down but isn't so big that you have to push instead of ride uphill. As for the rear I would suggest 9 so you can have the most opptions possible.

When I ran 2x they were 22t and 36t.
Now I run 3x at 22t, 32t and 44t.
Rear has always been 9x @ 11-32 (i think)

SRAM x9, SRAM x9, SRAMx9, SRAM x9, SRAM x9, SRAMx9, SRAM x9, SRAM x9, SRAMx9, SRAM x9, SRAM x9, SRAMx9, SRAM x9, SRAMx9, SRAM x9, SRAM x9

I run 3 x 9. Then again I'm not really sure where the line between all mountain and aggressive XC riding is, but I think I likes me some of both.

2x9 w/ bashguard. I realized for majority of my trailriding I rarely use the big ring (or maybe I'm just a wuss) & being that there are a lot of log obstacles where I ride, the bashguard's a good idea.

Currently 2x9 w/ bash. I'll got to 2x8 when this wears out simply for the lower maintainence issues.

I rode a 3x7 for years (actually I still ride it ), but I find that on most of the trails I do (tight, techy singletrack) I effectively use only 2x4 or 2x5. I don't have the guts (or the legs) to run SS, but I think a custom 2x5 setup would be great.

Currently 2x9 w/ bash. I'll got to 2x8 when this wears out simply for the lower maintainence issues.

I rode a 3x7 for years (actually I still ride it ), but I find that on most of the trails I do (tight, techy singletrack) I effectively use only 2x4 or 2x5. I don't have the guts (or the legs) to run SS, but I think a custom 2x5 setup would be great.

Now that you mention it... I can't remember the last time I used the 7th and 8th gears on my 8sp drivetrain.

I'm positive I'll wear the 2nd thru 5th gear way before any other.

Now that you mention it... I can't remember the last time I used the 7th and 8th gears on my 8sp drivetrain.

I'm positive I'll wear the 2nd thru 5th gear way before any other.

Devolution is the way of the future.

3x9. Recently I've been hammering hills in the middle chainring, and most of our local trails are too twisty to allow much usage of the big ring. But when I'm road riding to the trail head or too pooped to mash up that last hill it's nice to have those extra gears.

Depends on your fitness and what your riding area is like. Do you ride over big rocks that would make you lose teeth from the bigring? Or does your area have downhills or flats where a big ring would come in handy? Too many ifs!

For myself a 3x9 works fine even though its more like a 2x9 just cause I hardly ever use my granny ring. But there are times a bash guard would come in handy but those times dont come along enough to having one.

not really all mountain, just my prefered drivetrain over all, pretty much anywhere i've lived and ridden.

32/22 front rings with a bashring
12-34 cassette (9speed, but only using 8, the 13 or 14 removed)
SRAM grip shift controling the rear mech, Suntour thumbshifter for the front
SRAM x.9 rear mech
Front is SRAM or Shimano, they both work fine for me. SRAM won't work on the big bike, so it has a Shimano right now.
SRAM 9 spd chains
Full run cable housing to front and rear
XT cassette with alu aftermarket SRP lockrings

Simple stuff that works, easy to get spares stuff pretty much anywhere. And I can rob one bike if needed to use something on the other in a pinch. I keep a spare chain, cassette, and I have another Suntour XC Expert thumbie in the parts bin just in case. Other than that, I don't need to keep separate parts types for different bikes. Makes it easy.

2x9 with bash. Using a Blackspire Stinger, but I plan on swapping to a e-13 DRS soon. The Blackspire is annoying loud.

Running A 3x9 setup and keep bashing the teeth. Will be going 2x9 w/bash guard fairly shortly.

3x9, 3x8?
2x9, 2x8 w/ bash?
1x9, 1x8 w/ chainguide?
Singlespeed?
Rolhoff?
3x1?

Something I am not considering?

I am currently running 2x9 w/ bash, but am thinking about going to 2x8 ro 1x8 for stronger chain/ less maintenance.

I run 2x9 with a bashring, but 2x8 would be great as well. I would prefer 8 speed at this point, but that's not an AM thing. AM (whatever that is) is no harder on the chain (or the rest of the drivetrain) than any other sort of mountain biking (striaght xc, FR, DH....etc.)

3x9 here, been debating a bash guard but the big ring is allready there and free and occasionaly I do use it plus it leaves a nifty scar on the back of my calves