Checking out the trails across the Skokie Lagoons, just north of Chicago IL. Fell a lot and got covered in mud but still had so much fun!
The new CST Pika tires did surprisingly well at biting into dirt and dead leaves, though they’re pretty loud on pavement.
Hey everyone,
I currently ride a flatbar bike equipped with a 2x10 Shimano Tiagra drivetrain.
After riding it for a while, I’ve realized I almost never touch my front shifter—I spend 95% of my time in the large chainring and just work through the rear cassette. Because of that, I’m considering converting the setup to a 1x (single front chainring) to clean up the handlebars, drop a little weight, and simplify maintenance.
Before I start buying parts, I’d love to get some input from anyone who has done a similar conversion on a flatbar or hybrid setup:
Gear Range: If you moved from 2x to 1x on a flatbar/hybrid, did you stick with your 10-speed setup or upgrade the whole cassette/derailleur/shifter to a wider-range 1x11?
Overall Value: For those who made the switch purely for simplicity, was the conversion worth the cost and effort, or is it better to just leave the front derailleur in place and treat it as a "set and forget"?
Appreciate any advice, component recommendations, or lessons learned!