ultegra 2x11 going to 1x ??

Looking to possibly go to a 1x gearing on my Jamis Renegade. Full Ultegra on it now. It currently has a 50/34 front and 11/32 rear. Living in north Florida and south Georgia. We actually have some hills here lol. Hardly ever use the big ring now. Any suggestions on how to go 1x on this bike? Any experience on what has worked and not worked? Thanks

I converted an Ultegra 2x gear set to 1x use Wolftooth Drop-stop chainring: https://www.wolftoothcomponents.com/collections/chainrings
Just make sure that you buy the chainring that matches your your Ultegra crankset - either the older 5 bolt, or newer asymmetric 4 bolt. You shouldn't need to replace your Ultegra rear der. I rode my setup a lot on bumpy dirt roads and never dropped my chain. Depending on the terrain you ride, you may want to replace your cassette with a wide range 11-36 or 11-40. In which case you may want to use the Wolftooth Roadlink to increase the range of your rear der. In my case - in hilly rural NH- I use an 11-40  11 speed XT cassette with a Wolftooth 36 Drop-stop chainring and Roadlink. In the low country, you can probably use a 11-32 with either a 36 or 40T Drop-stop. I would also suggest purchasing the Wolftooth alloy chainring bolts, because tour stock Ultegra bolts are too long and will require spacers or grinding to fit the Drop-stop.

I did a Shimano 2x conversion to 1x not too long ago. You do want a 1x specific chainring up front, but I would also highly recommend a clutched rear derailleur. I used an XT m-8000 with a Wolf Tooth Tanpan, both for 11 speed. I still have the parts since I switched over to a SRAM 1x drivetrain. If you're interested, PM me.

I'd go with a Wolftooth chainring, 11-40 or 11-42 cassette, and an R8000 clutch RD with a Roadlink just because clutch RDs are awesome. 

38-40-42 chainring depending on how much you care about going fast. I have a 10-42 and just switched from a 42T to a 38T chainring, best decision ever. 

I actually went from what you had to 1x with a 38 10/42 due to not using the 50 much at all.  I rode it for almost 2 years now I'm back to 2x.  I didn't like the big jumps.  Anyway what about swapping out the crank instead with a 47/32 or a 46/30.  Just another option you might explore as well.

Thanks for advice. Yep thought about a new crankset with lower gearing but really all I found is a praxis that is 48/32. My current is 50/34. Doesn't seem like much of a difference??
How about a mtb crankset?

FSA is making a range of adventure cranksets with 46/30 gearing and some models are pretty affordable.

FSA, Easton and White Industries have cranks that are geared lower then the 50/34. I think white industries you can pretty much pick and choose what you want. You might search the forum as I think there are some posts about it.

I also just switched from pretty much what you have, to 1X with an Axis1 42t, and an RD-R8000 and SLX 11-40t. Pretty much the same reason, I hardly ever used the 50t, plus my frame doesn't have a ton of clearance and the FD arm was pretty much in the tread if I did. Thought about a 36/46 and maybe 11-36 cassette and one of the new FDs with a different arm design, but figured I'd try "simplifying".

First note: shoulda bought that RD-RX800. Thought that I don't ride that hard, it'll be fine without... I haven't derailed (it does have a NW ring and Gnarwolf) but especially in the top 3 gears it throws the chain down pretty hard if I stop pedaling abruptly. Although I'm going to get a new rear wheel soon to replace this awful Novatec hub, so maybe that'll help.

I didn't feel a need for a Roadlink with the new derailleur. It fits a bit tight on the 40t, but the shifting is pretty OK for having the B screw so far in, though an XT+Tanpan might not be any worse for shift quality. I wanted to avoid the cable converter if at all possible.

Side not on the Apex 1 cranks, the asym 4-bolt pattern is apparently different from Shimano's... of course. Had I known that I would've gone for a Wolf Tooth ring for the cranks I had or bought something else, like the Force 1s. I converted a good BB I had with a kit meant for Token BBs to convert to GXP.

I can't say I'd want to go any smaller on the ring with an 11t rear. I haven't spun it out yet on a good downhill, but I've used the 11t on a slight downhill and can't imagine I'd want less gear on a good one.

lawnman wrote:Thanks for advice. Yep thought about a new crankset with lower gearing but really all I found is a praxis that is 48/32. My current is 50/34. Doesn't seem like much of a difference??
How about a mtb crankset?

The difference between 34 and 32 is minimal, I don't think it's worth the money to buy a new crankset for that small of a difference. 

Your road front derailleur will not like the mountain crankset, and a mountain front derailleur will not like your road shifters.

Could someone post a link to the affordable FSA 46/30? I can't find it, only a square taper version. Or is that supposed to be the affordable version?  

HollyBoni wrote:Could someone post a link to the affordable FSA 46/30? I can't find it, only a square taper version. Or is that supposed to be the affordable version?  

Doesn’t exist for modern threaded bottom brackets (Shimano 24mm or SRAM GXP), only creaky press fit. ☹️

bobknh wrote:I converted an Ultegra 2x gear set to 1x use Wolftooth Drop-stop chainring: https://www.wolftoothcomponents.com/collections/chainrings
Just make sure that you buy the chainring that matches your your Ultegra crankset - either the older 5 bolt, or newer asymmetric 4 bolt. You shouldn't need to replace your Ultegra rear der. I rode my setup a lot on bumpy dirt roads and never dropped my chain. Depending on the terrain you ride, you may want to replace your cassette with a wide range 11-36 or 11-40. In which case you may want to use the Wolftooth Roadlink to increase the range of your rear der. In my case - in hilly rural NH- I use an 11-40  11 speed XT cassette with a Wolftooth 36 Drop-stop chainring and Roadlink. In the low country, you can probably use a 11-32 with either a 36 or 40T Drop-stop. I would also suggest purchasing the Wolftooth alloy chainring bolts, because tour stock Ultegra bolts are too long and will require spacers or grinding to fit the Drop-stop.

On second thought, you can simply replace your 50T Ultegra large chain ring with a 46T CX ring. You can continue running your 11-32; but if you want a lower climbing gear, then go with an 11-36 cassette. This is the combination I'm using on my regular gravel bike which has an eTap 2x setup with an eTap Wifli rear der. I have the 1x setup on my old Ritchey Swiss Cross which I use as a backup bike. If your rear der. is a mid-cage Ultegra, you can probably get it to work with the 11-36 by adjusting the "b" screw. Frankly, I much prefer my 2X setup to the 1x. 46/34 in front, with a 11-36 in back works well for me in hilly NH. When I ride in the low country, then all I do is switch to an 11-28 in back.

+1 on the 46/34 set up. I'm using that with an 11 speed 11-34 and ultegra 8000 FD, RD, and shifters.

Ok I like the idea of changing the 50t large ring for a 46. Advice on which one and were to find one. I don't think shimano offered one? Aftermarket? Thx!

Check out universalcycles.com then goto chainrings then filter shimano in the search that should get you what you need.

Here's a link to the Omega crankset which runs on the Mega Exo system. 

https://shop.fullspeedahead.com/en/type/cranksets/omega-crankset-3837 

It's listed at $130.99 on the FSA site and they have threaded bottom brackets to go with it.

It has options for 48/32 and 46/30

HollyBoni wrote:

Your road front derailleur will not like the mountain crankset, and a mountain front derailleur will not like your road shifters.

Do you have any more info on this?  I plan on trying this exact setup with 5800 (or similar) shifters and a SRAM/Shimano FD.  The reason being my Cutthroat is only compatible with a direct mount FD, and as far as I can tell there are no road-ratio direct mount FD's.  I was going to give it a go at first, then maybe try a JTek or Tanpan to convert the pull ratio.  All of the adapters are setup for the rear derailleur pull ratio, but none specifically address the front.

clarksonxc wrote:

Do you have any more info on this?  I plan on trying this exact setup with 5800 (or similar) shifters and a SRAM/Shimano FD.  The reason being my Cutthroat is only compatible with a direct mount FD, and as far as I can tell there are no road-ratio direct mount FD's.  I was going to give it a go at first, then maybe try a JTek or Tanpan to convert the pull ratio.  All of the adapters are setup for the rear derailleur pull ratio, but none specifically address the front.

IRD makes a sub compact FD. 

http://www.interlocracing.com/shifters-derailleurs/sub-c-front-derailleur-double

clarksonxc wrote:

Do you have any more info on this?  I plan on trying this exact setup with 5800 (or similar) shifters and a SRAM/Shimano FD.  The reason being my Cutthroat is only compatible with a direct mount FD, and as far as I can tell there are no road-ratio direct mount FD's.  I was going to give it a go at first, then maybe try a JTek or Tanpan to convert the pull ratio.  All of the adapters are setup for the rear derailleur pull ratio, but none specifically address the front.

I think you know everything.  I've tried mixing road and MTB FDs a few times, mostly older stuff 9-10spd. Never really worked. 

Pull ratio difference: depending on your setup the shifter can click too early and not move the FD enough, or it might not be able to click because the FD will hit the limit screws first. Neither of them is ideal, both of them will cause terrible or non existent shifting. 

All FDs are designed for certain size chainring. Let's say you have a road FD that was designed for a 50-52T chainring and you try to run it with mountain crankset that has a much smaller chainrings. The angle and the radius of the cage won't match the chainring. One part of the cage might be touching the chainring while the other part is miles away from it. Again, terrible or no shifting. 

FDs and front shifting in general seems pretty simple but it can be quite finnicky. I've run into terrible shifting with much smaller mismatches that I thought would never make a difference. Back in the friction and no shift ramp era it was a different story. 😃  

Of course we are on the internet so you will see people saying "Oh i've been running a Campagnolo FD from the 70s with SRAM Etap shifters and quadrupole chainrings, works great!"

Someone in another thread said they emailed SJS Cycles and they've said a Shiftmate 7 installed with the cable entering the small pulley groove should work for a double MTB front derailleur as well as a triple. I can neither confirm or deny that. 

Did just that to my Renegade.

Had a 42t chainring with an 11-42, but switched to a 40t as I'm doing more singletrack with it these days (have knobbier tyres on a 2nd wheelset).

Went with a Shimano XT derailleur and the Wolf Tooth Tanpan. The Ultegra RX (clutched Shimano road) wasn't available at the time, otherwise I would have got that as it costs the same as the Tanpan + an XT derailleur and is a bit lighter.

On the upside, if I crash or I'm somewhere remote, 11sp Shimano derailleurs can be found everywhere and can be had for cheap (XT derailleurs are about 40% less than an Ultegra RX derailleur).