Are the benefits of 1x outweighed by the disadvantages? We asked, you answered

If you like big jumps all the way through the range of ratios and enjoy chopping your cadence every gear shift which is horrible when you're transitioning on hills whether touring, doing a fast ride or MTB, aren't fussed about having either a really low gear or a really high gear and want to have that donkey penis look of the rear derailleur then 1x is for you.

if you don't then it's a shit 'solution' to a non problem.

ISomething like a 44/50 isn't low enough to get you up a technical and steep muddy climb on an MTB, in fact it's not low enough for touring in many instances. I've needed a 20-32 to get up some routes on the MTB and a few times 24/30 on the road bike has left me struggling. So then you compromise and get a smaller ring but then when on bits where you want to pedal but are over 30mph you're spinning like a whirling dervish.

On a road bike this is even worse because even for the low rolling hills of the Northern Home counties I can spin out on 50-11 in fact I was on 50-11 on a 1.5mile 2degree decline today.

We reached the solutions for very low and high gears and cutting out the jumps, there was provision for easy shifting to get all these gears and now we are retrograding ... it's because there's nowhere else to go for manufacturers but to come up with stuff that has no real benefit but is touted by the manufacturers and the likes of road CC, GCN et al that it's what we need and that it's a viable option , then point to the fact that there was a win by a rider using xx/zz that it must be true/must need.

I'll be sticking with triples/doubles for my bikes until I can no longer get my leg over OR they come up with an affordable 16/17 speed internal hub gear that can replicate a triple/double range as needed without the big feck off jumps and can still be built into a racing wheel, that would literally be the only way to get me to use a 1x system.

What a useless debate. Any drivetrain on a bicycle is a matter of compromises and goals that bike designer (or buyer) wants to achieve.
I have both MTB and road bikes with 1x and 2x setup, and I can not say that any of them is absolutelly better than the other. Some of my observations:

- 1x is much easier to maintain and clean - just remove the chain from the chain ring and you can perfectly clean the chainring. Rear wheel removal is also easier.
- With 1x it is easier to achieve gear ratio below 1:1 - for example, on my gravel bike I have 38t chainring with 10-42 on the back. To achieve such ratio, sub compact chainring must be used on 2x
- Amount of jumps between gears on 1x are related to the chainring size and cassette spread - no one is prevented of running 36t (or smaller, depending on frame) chainring and 10-28 or 10-30 cassette.
- Eagle MTB 1x drivetrains work really great
- If a rider knows how to use front derailleur on 2x, it can be used for quicker gear changes than 1x can achieve
- Properly setup 2x drivetrain (I have experience only with mechanical) has no significant problems or drawbacks compared to 1x - but it really must be properly setup, or there are chain rub issues
- Narrow/Wide chainrings on 1x are commonly more silent than 2x (although properly clean and properly setup 2x is also very silent)
- Ive had chain falloffs only on 2x, never on 1x (all my bikes are without chainguards).

If I was building a specific crit racing bike (you know, if money was no object and I could have a bike for every purpose) then it would absolutely be 1x. 50T chainring and a close range 11-21 cassette would be perfect for the kind of intense 1hr + 5 lap style blasts around flattish circuits. Even something like Otley or Durham would be do-able on that.

1x is also really good is for kids, especially in Youth racing where gears are limited so you simply don't need the range.

For real world where I don't have unlimited sums of money and storage space for hundreds of bikes, 2x still represents best value for me at the moment and allows the bike to do everything from racing to lightweight (bikepacking style) touring to leisure rides and Sportives.

Having said that, I think an awful lot of people out there, even quite experienced cyclists, often have little concept of how to use their gears or the best gear for any given situation. It comes down to things like reading the road and terrain, maybe even the weather as well (judging when you'll get a faceful of headwind as the road turns a corner for example) - in my time of ride leading and guiding, chain breakage is the second most common mechanical after punctures simply due to the complete inability of a lot of people to judge when to change gears, what gear they should be in and to change without putting too much force through the pedals. You also get the power warriors who want to be in 52-11 the whole time and then have to bang down 16 gears at once when they come to a hill.

If you're in the 36-11, you should probably have changed up to the 52-16 before then. Although a single 48T chainring would still give you that gear in the 15T sprocket and you'd still have room each side to play with (unlike in the 2x example of 36/52 and 11-28 where if you're in 36-11, you can only go down one way or a massive jump up onto the big ring followed by several clicks down at the back).

1x for anything off road because it’s simpler, more reliable, clogs less and cadence is less important. Also for hill climbs (only need one ring) and slay TTs and cries where you’d never use the little ring anyway. But with only 11 sprockets I’ll stick to my 2x for the Yorkshire bergs. With 12 or 13 in the future though; who knows?

I'm experimenting with an Absolute Black 44T oval front ring and 11/30 cassette on my Addict for the hell of it. It seems fine so far, will have to wait and see how I cope with a hilly 100 mile Sportive and the Isle of Wight randonee.
I tend to ride my own pace so don't notice any big gaps. The oval ring certainly seems to help, not sure I'd do this without it.

I'm experimenting with an Absolute Black 44T oval front ring and 11/30 cassette on my Addict for the hell of it. It seems fine so far, will have to wait and see how I cope with a hilly 100 mile Sportive and the Isle of Wight randonee.
I tend to ride my own pace so don't notice any big gaps. The oval ring certainly seems to help, not sure I'd do this without it.

Don't feel strongly about 1x, if you like it fine, but don't try to convince me that 2x isn't perfectly serviceable and convenient. For instance, on my commuter, on the move I'm usually in 53x19 or 53x17, come to the lights and I can drop into the small ring on the front with a single click, take off again and be back up to speed in a single click. So easy, rather than chasing up and down the block on my OH's 1x bike (which I've sometimes borrowed).

As for reliability, set it up properly and there aren't any issues. There's just about nothing to go wrong! I've sometimes wondered whether I could set up a fixed rear sprocket and only use a front mech for the commuter. Maybe with a triple? It could be all you practically need for stop-start riding

Each to their own I say. As mentioned elsewhere my only issue would be lack of choice from manufacturers. As long as I can choose to buy 1x, 2x or 3x and as long as "Off the shelf" frames can still be purchased that allow front mech and cabling I'm happy and will stay so.

Trouble is with a single chain ring is that it is really a soluton to a problem that isn't there. I don't accept the simplicity issue.

First, coping with a front mech/changer is bloody easy. If you can't do that then I doubt other things are possible. As I doubt people actually see this as an issue I think its either a red herring or some people are really thick.

Second, the front mech is the simplest moving part on a bike. It's almost impossible to screw it up, even off road. The alternative, a clutch rear mech is way more complex. It has more parts and is long and vunerable. Seen plenty of them damaged, at great cost, but no front mechs. All right, I am not a long time rider, having only started with the club in 1979 but I reckon I would have seen one in 40 years of MTB and road. Shall I mention the trend to stick a totally pointless dropper seat post in instead?

Third. Weight is mentioned. it won't be much in it and the average MTB/gravel rider carries so much junk that this is irrelevant. 

Fourth. It encourages cross chaining. Mechanically a poor idea. Can't deny that one. 

Fifth . Small sprockets etc wear faster as well as being inefficient. Bad for the pocket and the environment.

Sixth. Gappy transmission. Maybe not noticed by those who are new to the game or coming from MTB which is very "faddy" and trendy. They not better. 

I have tried  a single ring. It worked for CX (as in CX not messing about off road)  but did encourage cross chaining . Same for TT's on flat courses where only 3 or 4 sprockets are used.  

Summary. Marketing and gulible punters. 

I've tried 1x road bike for a short trial ride. I use a fairly narrow cadence range (88 - 100) generally, and especially for hill climbing (not my forte), the gaps at the big end of the range were really too big. I know that was the experience of some of the aqua blue riders. Like others, I don't understand the 'reliability' comments regarding front mechs. I have had my current one on my bike for 8 years. I haven't adjusted it since day 1. It works every single time. In 35 years of racing I have had 2 front chain shippngs that cost either the race, or contact with the breakaway. I've had more than that from rear gears. The weight I think is a non-issue, but for me, and I suspect the racing majority (not many have a completely effective 25 rpm cadence range) that 2X remains the likely option. Having said that, a 14 speed cluster will blow all the cadence arguments out of the water. 

When I started racing, we raced 42/52 and a six speed block (13-19) was the standard. So actually  a 46 X 11-21 would give you a greater range, with no jumps at all. However, we have moved on from those days...

Never ever have any issues with my front mech, I have both electronic (Ultegra) and Manual (105), they work perfectly every single time, I've used the 1x and the gaps are crap, zero benefit and I will be sticking to the 2x, far more flexibility for road riding.

1x will die on the road as not enough folk will buy it to justify the development of it

I don't understand the hate for front mechs. My commute bike has a Veloce front mech that cost all of £20 and doesn't need to be trimmed at all.

I wonder how many people just have front mechs that are poorly adjusted and/or have cables seized from lack of use.

I've viewed 1x as a fad that SRAM push hard because they have chosen to define themselves by it. Front mechs can occasionally go wrong, but a 2x system provides both range and good steps between gears. 1x road is a solution in search of a problem, and if things were the other way around - we had been running 1x systems because the front derailleur was somehow a difficult piece of technology to implement - then we would be talking about how front mechs made flawed, gappy, chain line destroying 1x systems obsolete on road. Predicting a front derailleur shift is basic riding, and front derailleur cables need changing what, twice a year? I don't buy the simplicity arguments and there is nothing remotely appealing about 1x road to me.

I should note that I live in a hilly region.

There is no one perfect set up for everyone or every scenario for the same person, obviously. I have a number of different set ups, including 1x, SRAM eTap 12 speed, SRAM eTap 11 speed, Shimano Di2, Campy mechanical 12 speed, Campy mechanical 11 speed, and some Eroica down friction tube shifters.  If I had to choose one bike it would be with the Campy 12 speed mechanical because I always feel I can get just the right cadence and without larger jumps. It is true, as others have stated that 1xs have larger jumps, and I road an old Merlin with one yesterday where the jumps were noticeable but I loved not worrying about whether to use the small front chain ring or not: I can just focus on pushing forward. There is a simplicity to 1xs that allows me to focus more on the task at hand, but for smoothness I will take the Campy 12 speed mechanical over everything. 

Downsides; 1x can be a  bit gappy at the moment for finding optimal cadence when on the road if using a wide-range rear cassette.

Upsides. No more trying to persuade a front derailleur not to rub.  No more finding yourself in the wrong gear on the front with the chain under load and having to pray to the cycling gods that it'll change down rather than dumping the chain (and you). Fewer chain drops in general. One less cable to change. Simpler to use (try explaining how to get a lower gear by changing down on the front and up on the rear to a beginner). Lighter.

Hmm sides. Theoretically, chains might wear more quickly or suck a few more Watts on a 1x system because of the chain line. However, I've noticed neither, and there doesn't seem to be a clear consensus as to if it's a real problem on the internet either. Frankly, it's possible that with suitable, undoubtedly more expensive, engineering neither should be an issue on a 1x setup but we'll leave it as a hmm for the moment.

For me 1x is the way to go. With the emergence of 12 and 13 speed rear cassettes, it's only going to become more compelling. Each to their own though.

1x for over 3 years and it works for the riding I like which mainly consists of gravel riding and bikepacking with an occasional road ride. I like the simplicity, no front mech, cable and shifter to maintain. Gaps on my 1x11 are fine for me, although I've been eyeing up the new Force AXS 1x12 and Rotor 1x13 lately. 

I personally can't see myself ever owning a bike with a front mech ever again for the riding I enjoy. 1x isn't for everyone and I appreciate that and I'm not here to convert anyone. People will moan about the larger jump in the gears and the lack of range but none of that has bothered me.  On occasion I think about one lower 'bail out' gear when I'm bikepacking, hence looking at a possible upgrade, but its still a luxury and I can quite happily manage on the existing gear range.

Its all riding bikes, who cares what people ride as long as it suits them. Bikes should be available with both options. 1x is super easy to use for novice riders to get their heads round and if it means more people get out then thats a good thing. 2x for people who want more range and I'm not sure why some people get so defensive about using one or the other.  However triple chainsets, god please ban those!

Nobody seems to be bothered about the durability issues - dreadful chainlines etc.

For mtb, especially trail and enduro, then yep. For xc, then yep (as long as you arent too racy and obsess over cadence). For cx, yep because unless the course features a tarmac section, you hardly need any gears. For gravel, road and touring and everything else... I think SRAM pushed this really hard 4yrs ago but even they are rowing back a bit, as the new etap stuff still features a front mech. Shimano haven't followed them on it, which would have really helped, and the fact that we are still only just at 12spd for road (you'd need about 15 cogs i reckon to kill off the cadence problem, whilst getting the range), means not yet for the masses. The best present option, i think, is where praxis have noticed the market gap and have started producing subcompact (48/32 or 46/30) chainsets, which sit beautifully with the ultegra rx rear mech, which in turn works with an 11-34 or bigger. Theres your range, your pleasing shift quality, and your cadence. Watch this space, as something is coming from shimano however....

Personally I'd only be for or against something if it was being foisted on me as the only available option. Where I live (too flat), given the type of riding I do and my personal physiology, my inner chainring is pretty much vestigial, but my experiences and preferences are not the same as other people.

Fixed, 1x 2x 3x, Rohloff, electric assisted, rim or disc brake, carbon, steel, aluminium, titanium, mtb, gravel, cargo, race, lightweight, aero, suspension, saddle shape, bar tape preference, colour..."Vive la difference" I say.

46/34 (from a comment above) is effectively a 34/22 isn't it? Up here in the Pennies I wouldn't have a chance! Plus I'd be spinning out all over the place with 46/11. Any move down on the front is just eating your speed!

I'll stick with 2x for the road bike. I would consider it on the cross bike, but with something much smaller on the front, perhaps a 34/30, hang on, I've already got that, and the bonus of a 46/11 for faster stuff!

And before you dismiss me I have got 1x SLX 32-11/46 on my hardtail, I like it a lot, but I think it's the 29" 2.35 tyres and dropper post that make it so good,  not the 1x, and I spin out on it a lot! I also never had any issues with 3x on my old full sus bike.... 

I do like the clean look and less places for mud to get stuck (which isn't an issue on the road) but the range just isn't there, or you don't like going fast.

I hate front mechs for their lack of reliability and having to adjust for chain-rub. I have a 1x road bike that I use most of the time when riding alone. I love it. I have 40T front, having sacrificed the big gears for smaller jumps.

I am dreaming of a 1x bike just for crits. I will always have a 2x road bike for hilly races and harder group rides, though.

Both my mountain bikes, which are my sole form of transport, are both 26 inch rim brake, both 3X, everyday- cantilever, XT 3x7 (8 on the casette but sacrifice one for the STIs) other good- ceramic Vs 3x9 XTR.  I am a utility and commuting rider and I also like to get out there occasionally.  My last commute featured road, canal, gravel, filth and offroad hills, and I use all of my gears, sometimes wishing for more.  Now the modern mountain bike is a technological floaty marvel, and if I had the money, a driving licence and a car, I might get one, as it seems to me that generally these beautiful machines are designed to be driven to where you want to ride.  Not exclusively of course, but I have no real wish to be spinning out on flat tarmac, so I can still climb the hills offroad.  I like the smaller jumps, but understand the added hastle of the 3 on the front, and figured out only fairly recently that I needed to ditch the macho bullshit and get in the granny early, for the big ups and the exteme filth.

To get to Swinley, which is great, I have fast and busy road blast to get to the station, train to Crowthorn, road, tarmac and dirt cycle route to get to the Look Out.  No car park for me, and so no restriction for me to finish riding early in the winter.  To get to the start of the Ridgeway, train to Pewsey, the about 10 mile on road before the offroad starts.  I think I have only ever been driven twice to go mountain biking (in 27 years), more of a solo rider me, and having my good bike strapped to the outside of a car filled me with horror.

The new build will be a Rohloff.  I hope it's worth it, gave it to the LBS last June.