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3x10 vs. 2x10?

3K views 12 replies 10 participants last post by  RedBen 
#1 · (Edited)
Please add to or correct the following.

3x10 advantage: about 3% more gearing at both extremes, slightly closer/tighter gear ratios.
3x10 weakness: slight weight penalty, slightly more mechanical complexity, slightly slower chain ring selection, about 30% of gears unusable because of cross-chain effect, rider more likely to mistake current chain ring selected.

Please accept my apology if I'm way off.

Tx!
 
#2 ·
You've got it pretty well nailed. For me, the debate isn't 3x10 vs 2x10. If I'm buying new stuff, I'm just gonna go with the 2x10...it's simpler and more common, and more common = less headaches when swapping parts, re-selling. 3x10 just seems a bit excessive and over-complicated for a mountain bike, especially when you consider how precise the derailleur adjustments must be and the likelihood of damaging one of the components that has to be so precisely adjusted.

The real debate for me is 3x9 vs 2x10. They're both very common. Both widely accepted, and they both have similar numbers of usable gear combinations.

3x9 pros: cheaper (fading technology gets cheaper as new stuff comes out), allows you to maintain a straighter chainline by shifting front and rear gears, less precision required so if something gets bent or out of adjustment, it doesn't start acting up as easily as with a 10-speed setup
3x9 cons: more attention to chainline required, must shift front derailleur more frequently

2x10 pros: simpler design, allows for more useable gear combinations on each chainring due to less cross-chaining
2x10 cons: can have smaller gear range than 3x9 setups, less control over chainline since you only have two gears up front, 10-speed setups require more precision, which can cause problems on a machine that you run through the mud and bang on rocks


....that's just my take on it. I'm sure others will chime in with other opinions.
 
#9 ·
3x, since the 32 is a better chainring then 28 or 40 for most trail riding. That is why the 1x's are so popular. Plus with a 3x you get a bigger ring to ride home, and a just in case bail out. Double, triple, or single is the gearing that makes the difference.
 
#10 ·
3x, since the 32 is a better chainring then 28 or 40 for most trail riding.
Yeah, that's what I'm finding out. I went to a 2x9 with a 36/26 front combo, and find myself shifting more up front than with my old 32-tooth middle ring, which was ideal for 90% of my trail rides. Briefly tried using a 32 as the big ring on the 2x9 setup (I am using a triple crank with a bashguard), but didn't have enough gears for the pavement. Thinking I may go back to the triple. Still waiting for the frictionless CVT crankset with a 400% range.;)
 
#11 ·
My middle chain ring is crap and the teeth are starting to tear so I have to swap it for a quality set. Plus, I only use the outside ring when riding (flat trails, no big hills around here) From my house to the trail I only run through the rear cogs anyway. That's why I would like to swap to a 1x8/1x10
 
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